by Jake McKenzie
photo by Jimmy Hubbard
Mixing dark and brooding heavy metal with a fast and furious punk rock spirit, Anthrax (along with Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer) would definitely be carved into the Mount Rushmore of thrash metal. But unlike those three West Coast bands, Anthrax got their start in New York City. Further distancing themselves from the likes of Metallica, members of Anthrax have also demonstrated a keen sense of humor over the years. Satisfied with blending metal and punk while pioneering speed metal, Anthrax even set their sights on hip-hop. Ultimately collaborating with Public Enemy in 1991, Anthrax blazed the trail into rock-rap territory, completely stumping most rock critics at the time with a sound that would dominate alternative rock radio waves in just a few short years. Though Scott Ian’s beard is now mostly gray, he hasn’t lost one ounce of energy at live performances. Seeing him and Bello frenetically pluck their strings is an experience that should never be missed.
