Anthrax - "We've
Come For You All"
by Gern Blenston
Five Star: A look at albums
that are so good that they impress even the most cynical of critics. Very
few albums are superior enough to obtain a five star rating but occasionally
a band slips through the river of mediocrity that is the modern music industry
and they produce an album that restores our faith in the future of rock!
This series is a look at such albums.
Editors intro: So I was hanging out the
other night with a good friend of mine who has been in the business for
years and seen a lot of bands come and go. I went to a club up in Hollywood
that night to check out a cool local artists and I walk inside and there
he is hangin at the bar. After a quick handshake he doesn’t even bother
with a “how are your doing?” Instead the first thing out of his mouth was
“Have you heard the new Anthrax CD? It will be blow your mind!” So we went
out to his car to listen to it and it did indeed blow my mind. He asked
if we planned on doing a review and I told after hearing it, “you bet your
ass!” Then he asked if it would be cool if he wrote the review and knowing
that there are very few people on the planet that know as much about this
band as him, I readily agreed. So here is his review. Don’t let his
enthusiasm fool you, it is genuine and well founded. That’s why we are
proud to feature this review in our 5 Star series and this album is a strong
contender in December when we compile our annual “best of” list. – Enough
of my yabbering, let’s let Gern tell you why “We’ve Come For You All” is
an essential addition to your CD collection. - Keavin
Anthrax – “We’ve Come For You All” By: Gern Blenston
Ya know....There are many artists out there
that seem to drop the ball on the creative side after being on the scene
for a while. ANTHRAX is NOT one of those artists. After more
than 17 recordings these guys just keep on writing better music, playing
heavier & topping themselves with each new album!! ANTHRAX’s
latest, “We’ve Come For You All”, is definitely the best portrayal of who
ANTHRAX really is. You will find a lot of different influences on
this album as well as the ANTHRAX signature stylings that every ANTHRAX
fan loves to hear. The progress that this band has made over the
years should inspire the likes of bands like Metallica, and others, who
seem to have lost their edge.
After Elektra Records dropped the ball
(WHAT WAS ELEKTRA THINKING??!!) following the release of “Sound Of White
Noise”, and the departure of DANNY SPITZ (Your fans Miss you DANNY!), the
band has been through some label and management changes. Now with
Sanctuary Records backing them up, the guys have produced some KILLER sounds
on “We’ve Come For You All”!! One thing I really love about ANTHRAX
is that they have special appearances on their albums. Pantera’s
DIMEBAG as well as ROGER DALTREY make some cameos on this great recording!
How cool is that??!!
This reviewer has NOT taken “We’ve Come
For You All” out of his CD player in his car, OR AT HOME since he got his
hands on it. Over the past several days, I have found myself pushing
the back button on my cd player and listening to every song over and over.
Then, I would realize that the next song on the cd ROCKS TOO!!??
There are very few bands that exists that I have this experience with.
This has happened with ANTHRAX before when I got their “latest disc,” so
I really wasn’t surprised. “Spreading The Disease” was my favorite
ANTHRAX album until the release of “Sound Of White Noise” (Armored Saint
frontman, John Bush’s debut with the band). THEN....”Volume 8” came
out and KICKED MY ASS!!
SIDE NOTE: “I don’t care if you are an
ANTHRAX fan, or not. EVERYONE should have “Sound Of White Noise”,
“Volume 8” & “We’ve Come For You All” in their collection!! Get
them all and you’ll know what I mean!
“We’ve Come For You All” starts out with
a subtle fade in intro, “Contact” that prepares “You All” for the first
track that BLOWS YOU AWAY right of the bat with “What Doesn’t Die”.
Just within the first three minutes of listening, you can clearly hear
that ANTHRAX is one of the tightest bands in the world!
Then to keep your blood flowing, they give
you a great track called “Superhero”. I have listened to this track
over and over. And, every time I can totally hear this song as being a
Wolverine fighting song in an X-Men movie. ANTHRAX drummer-songwriter
Charlie Benante plays a very cool vibey guitar solo on this track too!
The lyrics are great, and the vibe translates well with the music!
“Refused To Be Denied” follows up with,
what I hear, as a shout out to those who have trampled on our American
way of life. I don’t think that this is an American pride song or
anything, but a way of letting “those” know that taking cheap shots is
NOT a human characteristic....it’s a coward characteristic.
Let me just say....
TRACK 5, “Safe Home” should have heavy
radio rotation STARTING NOW. I have heard ALOT of shit on the airwaves,
and I would be a listener of the dial again if there were more songs like
this on the radio. This song describes the trials of life, then POW!
Something happens to ya, and life changes for the better. Judging
by the liner notes, I believe that this song has something to do with SCOTT
IAN meeting the love of his life, Pearl. Metal, or not, EVERYONE
needs a good partner in life. And, if this song was inspired by two
soul mates meeting...well then.....WE HOPE THAT SCOTT AND PEARL LIVE HAPPILY
EVER AFTER!! If “Black Lodge” & “Hy Pro Glo” off of Anthrax’s
“Sound Of White Noise” and a ballad off of “The Number Of The Beast” (By
Iron Maiden) had a kid....you would get this AMAZING song! New baby
bands take note....listen to this song as much as possible if you want
to sell records!
Track 5 is followed with the darker sided
intro of “Anyplace But Here”, that soon starts crunching into some top
notch driving music. This song clearly shows that ANTHRAX writes
about their experiences with “ups & downs”, which is much more appealing
to this listener than the typical horse shit lyrics you all hear from bands
that “TRY” to write “that great tune”.
CHARLIE BENANTE WINS THE BEST DRUM PERFORMANCE
OF THE YEAR with the song “Nobody Knows Anything”!! EVERY drummer
on the planet should buy this disc just to take some drum tips! The
drum breakdowns on this song, as well as the drums throughout the song
are INCREDIBLE! The song is definitely not to be played in your vehicle
UNLESS you have a SPEED GOVERNOR on your accelerator!! Watch those
speeding tickets people!
“Strap It On” is one of the best Rock songs
that I have heard in quite some time. This song reminds me of
“the good ‘ol days” when guys would get together and just JAM. Pantera’s
DIMEBAG pulls off his signature sounds on the guitar solo on this track,
which fits in perfectly. The message in this song is clear, and the
outro with the “Old School” Judas Priest riff is fucking cool!
Are ya a SLAYER, or MINISTRY “Psalm 69”
fan?? “Black Dahlia” will KICK YOUR ASS! ANTHRAX clearly shows that
they are still as heavy and as fast as the HEAVIEST & THE FASTEST on
the planet! I’m done.
“Cadillac Rock Box” shows the good ‘ol
Rock -n- Roll influence that all Metal Heads posses. CHARLIE BENANTE
does some cool guitar slide work, and DIMEBAG is back for a really cool
Old School KISS-Like guitar solo!! Definitely a drinkin’ song!
“Hold ‘Em Up!!”
Vocal legend ROGER DALTREY joins JOHN BUSH
on this great vocal performance, “Taking The Music Back”. This song
drives itself with the SCOTT IAN’s guitars, and FRANKIE BELLO’s bass, talents
packaging the verses and the chorus nicely.
“Crush” kinda gives the impression that
FANKIE BELLO was watching Pink Floyd’s The Wall, while listening to a Crystal
Method cd. hahahahaha Yes, it’s different for an Anthrax Recording, but
a cool one minute intermission, never the less. Good job Frankie!
Put any “Nu stuff” up against “Think About
An End”, and ANTHRAX would win! JOHN BUSH puts a very cool vocal
on this track. Starting out it kinda sounds like it could have been
a collaboration with the band RA (a great new band), and Iron Maiden....which
is a good thing! This song, most likely, comes across even more KILLER
“Live”!
The final track “W.C.F.Y.A.” (We’ve Come
For You All) has a cool vibe, with beginning vocals that do not sound like
John Bush at all..? Could this be Frankie Bello singing the first
part of the song? Hmmmm?
In closing, GO OUT AND BUY THIS RECORD!
ALL Fans of Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal...WHATEVER??
There is something on this recording for
EVERYONE!
ANTHRAX’s “We’ve Come For You All” is IN
STORES NOW! So get off your ass and go get it!
SCOTT, CHARLIE, FRANKIE, JOHN & ROB......EXCELLENT
JOB!! I wanted to save all of the stoking for the end ...hahahahaha
P.S......WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THE HIDDEN
TRACK?? YA WEIRDOS!
Sounds like someone jerking off with a
moracca?? hahahahahahahahaha
Posted by Big Mouth:
Frankie Bello talks with PervertRadio Jan 13 2005 at 8 pm pacific time www.pervertradio.com
Posted by mushroomhead 4lyfe:
hobo is a f*ckin c*cksucer
Posted by vaccine for your dose:
your song crush was the best ever,a real adreneline rush,especialy if you wanna get a good work out,gets you goin..thanx for the song
Posted by detachable penis:
Gern Blenston is Anthrax´s agent.
Posted by Hobo:
The drummers double bass triplets are fkn very cool, but lets no lie and say Anthrax are the fastest heaviest band on the planet, i remember some years back a song entitled Reign In Blood by slayer?
Posted by Hobo:
best album released this year
Posted by Hobo:
This is some damn good anthrax.
Posted by meharvey747:
new anthrax is unbelieveable!!!
Posted by SATAN:
Homoerotic....not really. This cd is as good as the reviewer says. TOP 5 purchase of the year.
Posted by theycallme:
Really great record! Buy it or die!
Posted by Viral Mind:
The opening vocals on the final track actually sounded like dave mustaine of megadeth.Even though I like pre-john bush albums better,I thought this album was very creative.
Posted by Dudeguy:
New Anthrax SUCKS.
Posted by hell yeaaah!:
lol
Posted by Met7Az:
What part ? Personality Antrax is more testosterone and adrenaline but I dont find it ... homoerotic ?
Posted by Sharon:
Yeah Met7Az I agree on once an Anthrax fan always an Anthrax fan, but I still say this is a really homoerotic and longwinded review.
Posted by TK138:
I've been thinking about dontcallmelate...'s post, and IIRC, bands like Anthrax actually did fairly well during the early grunge era. "The Sound Of White Noise" went Gold, Megadeth sold well over two million copies of "Countdown To Extinction", and this period also brought about the rise of bands like Pantera and White Zombie. Danzig even had a hit in '93. The only "metal" bands that Grunge had really made obselete were the hair bands. It wasn't until Headbanger's Ball got cancelled that bands like Anthrax fell out of favor with MTV. Of course, the last episode of HB that I saw was in February or March of '94, so I can't vouch for the period after that.
Posted by Met7Az:
Doesnt matter.. once a Anthrax fan ALWAYS a Anthrax fan!
Posted by Sharon:
now that's what I call a really homoerotic review
Posted by Saw:
Ok..this where bored people get off by coming down on those who are actually doing something with their time. I went out and bought the cd after reading this thing. I feel that is worth every penny. PLUS...this cd makes up for the money I have wasted on other discs that I bought sinse the beginning of the year. GREAT recording. Well worth the money...and then some.
Posted by RightOn:
One of the best albums ever.....one of the worst reviews ever.
Posted by Michael Caraher:
Well worth the wait. My new BLS and Godsmack will have to take the back burner for a while. No new bands are playin' what I want to hear. So I'll keep with the old school metal. Thank You Anthrax. Headphones and Cadillac Rock Box, just what I needed!
Posted by Sharon:
Gern? Blenston? What the f*ck?
Posted by dontcallmelatefordinner:
now the terrorists have stolen your thunder.
Posted by The Hot One!!:
On this new CD song number 9-Black Dahlia is one of the best songs I've heard in a long time. If that dosen't get your head moving you might as well be DEAD!! dontcallmelatefordinner has a lot to learn about METAL music go listen to your Pete Yorn and suck you finger till you fall asleep.Nighty nite.Anthrax RULEZ!!! Great album guys!!!!
Posted by The Hot One!!:
On this new CD song number 9-Black Dahlia is one of the best songs I've heard in a long time. If that dosen't get your head moving you might as well be DEAD!! dontcallmelatefordinner has a lot to learn about METAL music go listen to your Pete Yorn and suck you finger till you fall asleep.Nighty nite.Anthrax RULEZ!!! Great album guys!!!!
Posted by aG:
Wow Gern (nice pen name) the inner-promoter in you really shows =) But you know what I have to agree with your enthusiasm. I can't get over how great this CD is. Charley is just a monster and I'd go as far as to say this my fav Anthrax album since "Spreading the Disease" and by far the best "John Bush" era music the band has made. Definitely worth checking out.
Posted by VampireRyan:
I'll wait for a couple of weeks so I can buy it along with the new Deftones album.
Posted by dontcallmelatefordinner:
sorry you crapped out when the whole anthrax bug broke out. gee, what unfortunate timing, and you guys were ready to make your next big scene. but, it seems timing was never one of your bands better traits. your music has become outdated once again. first, your music became obsolete when nirvana broke out on the scene. now, the terrorirsts have stolen your spotlight. GOD, what next?
Posted by Shayn:
Cool...but yikes.
Posted by Jesus Schwartz:
...reading this overly-enthusiastic review almost makes me not want to buy this album, but I've been looking forward to it for some time...now I have to go pawn some of my other CDs so I can afford this one...
