Anthrax
Anthrax was formed in Queens, New York in mid 1981 by guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Lilker. The band was named after the disease of the same name which Ian saw in a biology textbook. The name was chosen because it sounded "sufficiently evil".[1] Anthrax's initial lineup was completed by singer John Connelly, drummer Dave Weiss and bassist Paul Kahn. Kahn was briefly replaced by bassist Kenny Kushner before Lilker took over on bass and Greg Walls joined as lead guitarist. Weiss was then replaced early on by Greg D'Angelo, who was recommended to the band by Greg Walls. Connelly was also not working out well on vocals and was let go. Scott Ian's younger brother Jason Rosenfeld was a temporary vocalist until Ians former schoolmate Neil Turbin joined the band in late August 1982. The band recorded its first demo tape during this time.
The band's first performance with Neil Turbin was at Great Gildersleeves, a New York club, in September 1982. This lineup played regularly in the New York-New Jersey area over the next several months. Anthrax were also on the same bill as the up-and-coming Metallica for several shows in the spring of 1983. Guitarist Greg Walls left Anthrax that summer and was replaced by Bob Berry, who was recommended to Turbin by Rhett Forrester of Riot. Berry was in turn soon replaced by Dan Spitz, who was previously a member of the New Jersey thrash band Overkill. A second demo was recorded soon after.
Drummer Charlie Benante replaced D'Angelo (later of White Lion) in September 1983 after a several month courtship by Ian. By this time, Ian and Lilker had befriended New Jersey record store owner Jon Zazula, to whom they had given their demo tapes to critique. Zazulas new record label Megaforce Records had recently released Metallicas debut album Kill 'Em All to great success. In late 1983, Zazula agreed to sign Anthrax and the band recorded the "Soldiers of Metal" single, which was produced by Ross the Boss of Manowar. The B-side was the song "Howling Furies" which was taken from a previous demo with Greg D'Angelo on drums (his only Anthrax recording).
Anthrax released their debut album Fistful of Metal in January 1984. However, tensions were building between Lilker and the rest of the band for various reasons and he was asked to leave before touring began. He would soon after form the band Nuclear Assault with former Anthrax vocalist John Connelly.[2] Lilker was replaced by Benante's nephew and roadie Frank Bello. The band then went on a successful US tour opening for Raven and others to support Fistful of Metal.
In August 1984, Neil Turbin and Anthrax went their separate ways after long standing personal issues. In his book Eddie Trunk’s Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, music journalist Eddie Trunk admits pressuring Jon Zazula, Scott Ian and Anthrax into firing Turbin because of his personal taste in vocals.[3] Singer Matt Fallon was briefly hired in late 1984, but he and the band soon parted ways. The remaining members decided to play live shows as a four-piece billed as "The Diseased" with Scott Ian on vocals, performing hardcore punk covers until a permanent singer could be found.
Initial Joey Belladonna era (1984–1992)[edit]
Smiling, casually-dressed singer with long, black hair onstage
Joey Belladonna contributed vocals to four studio albums during his first period with Anthrax.
In 1985, Joey Belladonna was chosen as the new vocalist. The Armed and Dangerous EP marked Belladonnas recording debut even though it featured two live tracks from 1984 and the two songs from the "Soldiers of Metal" single that all had Neil Turbin performing on them.
Anthrax's second album Spreading the Disease was released in October 1985. With left over studio time from the sessions for the album Ian, Benante and ex-bandmate Dan Lilker collaborated with vocalist Billy Milano and formed the side project Stormtroopers of Death and recorded the album Speak English or Die in three days, which was released in December 1985.
The US tour to support Spreading the Disease opening for Black Sabbath was cancelled after four dates due to Sabbath singer Glenn Hughes' voice problems. In April 1986 Anthrax attempted its first tour of Europe beginning in Bochum, Germany supported by Overkill and Agent Steel. The tour included a show near Chernobyl, Ukraine immediately after the Chernobyl disaster.[4] Later that year, Anthrax toured Europe with Metallica. The tour began on September 10 at St David's Hall and ended on September 26 in Solnahallen, Sweden. The Swedish show was Anthrax's last performance before the bus accident the following day which killed Metallica bassist Cliff Burton.
The band's third studio album, Among the Living, was released in March 1987. It showcased the band's humorous, experimental side and began a lyrical trend focusing on movies, comic books and Stephen King novels. The album was dedicated to Cliff Burton's memory. "I Am the Law" was issued as a single backed with "I'm the Man", a rap-metal hybrid. Anthrax further indulged its appreciation for rap by appearing on the title track of U.T.F.O.'s album, Lethal. The band toured Europe with Metallica and Metal Church to promote Among the Living.
Anthrax returned in 1988 with their fourth album State of Euphoria. The single "Antisocial", originally by French heavy-metal band Trust, became an MTV staple as part of the rotation on Headbangers Ball. The band expanded its horizons by touring the US with the funk metal band Living Colour and embarking on the Headbangers Ball Tour with Exodus and Helloween. In 1989, MTV sponsored a contest in which the winner had her home trashed by the band. This would later inspire Anthrax's 1992 appearance on the television series Married... with Children, in which the Bundys win a similar TV contest.[4]
In 1990 Anthrax released the more serious Persistence of Time, which surpassed State of Euphoria 's success. The album was darker, more technical and more progressive than the band's previous work, striking a chord with metal fans wary of Anthrax's "silly" side. The most successful single from the album was a cover of Joe Jackson's "Got the Time", which Jackson said he enjoyed. In 1991, Anthrax collaborated with Public Enemy on a version of "Bring the Noise". This was a hit, and a successful tour with Public Enemy followed. The EP "Attack of the Killer B's" was recorded in 1991, with a new version of "I'm the Man" and a cover of "Bring the Noise" on which Ian did some vocals.
In late 1992, singer Joey Belladonna was fired from the Anthrax over creative and stylistic differences.
Initial John Bush era (1992–2005)[edit]
Bald, bearded, tattooed man playing guitar onstage
Scott Ian has played rhythm guitar on all of the band's recordings, and is the sole remaining founding member in the band.
Former Armored Saint vocalist John Bush joined Anthrax shortly after Belladonna's dismissal. The band left Island Records to sign with Elektra, releasing Sound of White Noise in 1993. A change from Anthrax's earlier work, with a dark, rockier feel, Sound of White Noise received mostly-positive reviews. The single "Only" was a hit; in the liner notes for Return of the Killer A's, Ian said that James Hetfield told him it was a "perfect song". In keeping with the band's eye for unlikely collaborations, classical composer Angelo Badalamenti provided music for "Black Lodge" (a nod to Twin Peaks). This album demonstrated that Anthrax had fully shed its cartoonish persona in favor of mature, thoughtful songwriting, which began with Persistence of Time.
After Sound of White Noise longtime guitarist Dan Spitz left the band to become a watchmaker, leaving Anthrax a quartet for two years.[5] In 1995 Anthrax released Stomp 442, on which Charlie Benante played most of the lead-guitar parts. Benante was assisted by Paul Crook, later the band's touring lead guitarist for several years, and Dimebag Darrell of Pantera. Because Elektra did not promote the album it was less commercially successful than its predecessor, and Anthrax severed its ties with the label.
The band signed with independent label Ignition Records, releasing Volume 8: The Threat Is Real in 1998. As on Stomp 442, Benante played lead guitar with Crook and Darrell; Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo also appeared. After the album's release the label went bankrupt, disrupting its distribution. Although Anthrax then signed with Beyond Records, releasing the greatest-hits album Return of the Killer A's, Beyond went out of business as well. During this period a two-vocalist tour with Belladonna and Bush was planned, but Belladonna quit at the last minute.[6]
During the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States the band changed its website, providing information about the disease after people began typing "anthrax.com" into search engines. Amid a potential PR nightmare, Anthrax issued a press release on October 10, 2001 joking that the band's name would be changed to "something more friendly, like 'Basket Full of Puppies'."[7] Anthrax dispelled any name-change rumors derived from the press release at the November 2001 New York Steel 9/11 benefit concert, when they took the stage in boiler suits with a different word on each one (reading "We're not changing our name"). Bello has stated they did so after receiving support from members of the NYPD and NYFD, who believed that changing the name of the band would send the wrong message. A picture of the band in the suits is on the inner tray card of We've Come for You All.[4]
Despite hardships and legal entanglements over album rights, Anthrax continued. In 2001 Rob Caggiano joined on lead guitar; two years later the band released We've Come for You All, praised by metal journalists as a return to form, on Sanctuary Records. In early 2004 Anthrax released The Greater of Two Evils, a "live in the studio" re-recording of the earlier work with the band's current lineup. Bassist Frank Bello announced shortly afterwards that he was leaving the band to join Helmet, and was replaced by Fates Warning and Armored Saint member Joey Vera.
Reunions with Belladonna and Bush (2005–2010)[edit]
Band on covered stage at outdoor venue
Anthrax at Hellfest 2009
In April 2005, Anthrax announced that the "classic" lineup of Scott Ian, Charlie Benante, Dan Spitz, Joey Belladonna and Frank Bello would reform. At some shows on the following tour, they played Among the Living in its entirety.[8] Although the lineup was expected to record a new album after the tour, in January 2007 Ian said that Belladonna had not agreed to a reunion.[9] After that announcement it was uncertain if John Bush would return, since Bush said he was unready to re-commit to Anthrax.[10]
In May 2007 Ian said the decision of who would be singing for Anthrax would be made at the end of June, but the announcement was delayed until December. In June, Bush was asked by Rock Hard if he was bitter about the Anthrax reunion. He replied that he was asked to return to the band, but declined. Asked if he wanted to rejoin the band when Belladonna left, Bush said that he "just didn't feel right to do that."[11]
In December 2007 it was announced that the band's new vocalist would be Dan Nelson, formerly of Devilsize,[12] and Rob Caggiano would return as lead guitarist. In May 2008, Anthrax played its first show in 19 months at Double Door in Chicago. Appearing before a sold-out audience with Nelson, the band played new material which was well received (despite equipment problems).[13]
Singer and guitarist onstage
Anthrax at the Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth, 2009
In his monthly Food Coma column posted on December 22, 2008, Scott Ian wrote that he had "been in the studio working on the new Anthrax album since November 4"; drums, bass and rhythm had been recorded on 19 tracks, and the addition of vocals had begun. "We should be mixing at the end of January and soon after that giving birth to a really pissed off, loud, fast and heavy child."[14] In a May 2009 Food Coma column Ian wrote that the album was being mixed by Dave Fortman, who had worked with Evanescence and Slipknot.[15] In a post on the Anthrax website, Charlie Benante said that Worship Music would probably be out in May.[16]
In early 2009, Anthrax began a brief tour opening for Iron Maiden in South America. In July, band manager Izvor Zivkovic confirmed the departure of Dan Nelson due to illness. Nelson denied this, saying that he was fired.[17] All subsequent performances were canceled except the August UK Sonisphere Festival, which featured John Bush on vocals. Due to fan response after his performance, a "Bring Back Bush" campaign began and was endorsed by Ian.[18]
In September 2009, it was announced that Bush would again sing with Anthrax at the October Loud Park '09 Festival in Japan.[19] Soon afterwards, Benante said that Bush had rejoined the band. In February 2010, Anthrax performed five shows as part of Soundwave in Australia. After the Australian shows, Bush said the band intended to re-record the vocals of several tracks from the upcoming album.[20]
Worship Music and upcoming album (2010–present)[edit]
In late 2009, Anthrax confirmed a "Big Four" event (with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer) as part of the 2010 Sonisphere Festival. Bush decided that he did not want to commit to the band full-time, and again left. Joey Belladonna returned to Anthrax in early 2010 for shows that summer, and committed to record a studio album with the band.[21] Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer performed on the same bill during that summer's Sonisphere Festival series, the first time all members of the thrash-metal "Big Four" played together.[22] The Sofia, Bulgaria show was broadcast in cinemas and later released on DVD and Blu-ray.[23]
In April 2011, Anthrax headlined in the Philippines for the first time at the annual Pulp Summer Slam with Death Angel and Hellyeah. The band also headlined the Jägermeister side stage at Mayhem Festival 2012, co-headlined by Slayer and Slipknot.[24] In June Anthrax released "Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't" (from its upcoming album) on its website as a free download, to thank fans for their patience in waiting several years for Worship Music; the album was released on September 13.[25]
In January 2013, Anthrax announced that lead guitarist Rob Caggiano had left the band. He later joined Volbeat.[26] A week later it was announced that Jonathan Donais of Shadows Fall would be the band's touring lead guitarist, while on August 13 it was announced that Donais had joined the band permanently.[27] In March 2013, Anthrax released its Anthems EP featuring covers of 1970s rock songs.[28] According to Scott Ian, the band began working on its next studio album in late 2013.[29][30] They released a live DVD, Chile in Hell in 2014.[31] In early 2015 the band confirmed a tour with Volbeat and that they had recorded new material.[32]
The band's first performance with Neil Turbin was at Great Gildersleeves, a New York club, in September 1982. This lineup played regularly in the New York-New Jersey area over the next several months. Anthrax were also on the same bill as the up-and-coming Metallica for several shows in the spring of 1983. Guitarist Greg Walls left Anthrax that summer and was replaced by Bob Berry, who was recommended to Turbin by Rhett Forrester of Riot. Berry was in turn soon replaced by Dan Spitz, who was previously a member of the New Jersey thrash band Overkill. A second demo was recorded soon after.
Drummer Charlie Benante replaced D'Angelo (later of White Lion) in September 1983 after a several month courtship by Ian. By this time, Ian and Lilker had befriended New Jersey record store owner Jon Zazula, to whom they had given their demo tapes to critique. Zazulas new record label Megaforce Records had recently released Metallicas debut album Kill 'Em All to great success. In late 1983, Zazula agreed to sign Anthrax and the band recorded the "Soldiers of Metal" single, which was produced by Ross the Boss of Manowar. The B-side was the song "Howling Furies" which was taken from a previous demo with Greg D'Angelo on drums (his only Anthrax recording).
Anthrax released their debut album Fistful of Metal in January 1984. However, tensions were building between Lilker and the rest of the band for various reasons and he was asked to leave before touring began. He would soon after form the band Nuclear Assault with former Anthrax vocalist John Connelly.[2] Lilker was replaced by Benante's nephew and roadie Frank Bello. The band then went on a successful US tour opening for Raven and others to support Fistful of Metal.
In August 1984, Neil Turbin and Anthrax went their separate ways after long standing personal issues. In his book Eddie Trunk’s Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, music journalist Eddie Trunk admits pressuring Jon Zazula, Scott Ian and Anthrax into firing Turbin because of his personal taste in vocals.[3] Singer Matt Fallon was briefly hired in late 1984, but he and the band soon parted ways. The remaining members decided to play live shows as a four-piece billed as "The Diseased" with Scott Ian on vocals, performing hardcore punk covers until a permanent singer could be found.
Initial Joey Belladonna era (1984–1992)[edit]
Smiling, casually-dressed singer with long, black hair onstage
Joey Belladonna contributed vocals to four studio albums during his first period with Anthrax.
In 1985, Joey Belladonna was chosen as the new vocalist. The Armed and Dangerous EP marked Belladonnas recording debut even though it featured two live tracks from 1984 and the two songs from the "Soldiers of Metal" single that all had Neil Turbin performing on them.
Anthrax's second album Spreading the Disease was released in October 1985. With left over studio time from the sessions for the album Ian, Benante and ex-bandmate Dan Lilker collaborated with vocalist Billy Milano and formed the side project Stormtroopers of Death and recorded the album Speak English or Die in three days, which was released in December 1985.
The US tour to support Spreading the Disease opening for Black Sabbath was cancelled after four dates due to Sabbath singer Glenn Hughes' voice problems. In April 1986 Anthrax attempted its first tour of Europe beginning in Bochum, Germany supported by Overkill and Agent Steel. The tour included a show near Chernobyl, Ukraine immediately after the Chernobyl disaster.[4] Later that year, Anthrax toured Europe with Metallica. The tour began on September 10 at St David's Hall and ended on September 26 in Solnahallen, Sweden. The Swedish show was Anthrax's last performance before the bus accident the following day which killed Metallica bassist Cliff Burton.
The band's third studio album, Among the Living, was released in March 1987. It showcased the band's humorous, experimental side and began a lyrical trend focusing on movies, comic books and Stephen King novels. The album was dedicated to Cliff Burton's memory. "I Am the Law" was issued as a single backed with "I'm the Man", a rap-metal hybrid. Anthrax further indulged its appreciation for rap by appearing on the title track of U.T.F.O.'s album, Lethal. The band toured Europe with Metallica and Metal Church to promote Among the Living.
Anthrax returned in 1988 with their fourth album State of Euphoria. The single "Antisocial", originally by French heavy-metal band Trust, became an MTV staple as part of the rotation on Headbangers Ball. The band expanded its horizons by touring the US with the funk metal band Living Colour and embarking on the Headbangers Ball Tour with Exodus and Helloween. In 1989, MTV sponsored a contest in which the winner had her home trashed by the band. This would later inspire Anthrax's 1992 appearance on the television series Married... with Children, in which the Bundys win a similar TV contest.[4]
In 1990 Anthrax released the more serious Persistence of Time, which surpassed State of Euphoria 's success. The album was darker, more technical and more progressive than the band's previous work, striking a chord with metal fans wary of Anthrax's "silly" side. The most successful single from the album was a cover of Joe Jackson's "Got the Time", which Jackson said he enjoyed. In 1991, Anthrax collaborated with Public Enemy on a version of "Bring the Noise". This was a hit, and a successful tour with Public Enemy followed. The EP "Attack of the Killer B's" was recorded in 1991, with a new version of "I'm the Man" and a cover of "Bring the Noise" on which Ian did some vocals.
In late 1992, singer Joey Belladonna was fired from the Anthrax over creative and stylistic differences.
Initial John Bush era (1992–2005)[edit]
Bald, bearded, tattooed man playing guitar onstage
Scott Ian has played rhythm guitar on all of the band's recordings, and is the sole remaining founding member in the band.
Former Armored Saint vocalist John Bush joined Anthrax shortly after Belladonna's dismissal. The band left Island Records to sign with Elektra, releasing Sound of White Noise in 1993. A change from Anthrax's earlier work, with a dark, rockier feel, Sound of White Noise received mostly-positive reviews. The single "Only" was a hit; in the liner notes for Return of the Killer A's, Ian said that James Hetfield told him it was a "perfect song". In keeping with the band's eye for unlikely collaborations, classical composer Angelo Badalamenti provided music for "Black Lodge" (a nod to Twin Peaks). This album demonstrated that Anthrax had fully shed its cartoonish persona in favor of mature, thoughtful songwriting, which began with Persistence of Time.
After Sound of White Noise longtime guitarist Dan Spitz left the band to become a watchmaker, leaving Anthrax a quartet for two years.[5] In 1995 Anthrax released Stomp 442, on which Charlie Benante played most of the lead-guitar parts. Benante was assisted by Paul Crook, later the band's touring lead guitarist for several years, and Dimebag Darrell of Pantera. Because Elektra did not promote the album it was less commercially successful than its predecessor, and Anthrax severed its ties with the label.
The band signed with independent label Ignition Records, releasing Volume 8: The Threat Is Real in 1998. As on Stomp 442, Benante played lead guitar with Crook and Darrell; Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo also appeared. After the album's release the label went bankrupt, disrupting its distribution. Although Anthrax then signed with Beyond Records, releasing the greatest-hits album Return of the Killer A's, Beyond went out of business as well. During this period a two-vocalist tour with Belladonna and Bush was planned, but Belladonna quit at the last minute.[6]
During the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States the band changed its website, providing information about the disease after people began typing "anthrax.com" into search engines. Amid a potential PR nightmare, Anthrax issued a press release on October 10, 2001 joking that the band's name would be changed to "something more friendly, like 'Basket Full of Puppies'."[7] Anthrax dispelled any name-change rumors derived from the press release at the November 2001 New York Steel 9/11 benefit concert, when they took the stage in boiler suits with a different word on each one (reading "We're not changing our name"). Bello has stated they did so after receiving support from members of the NYPD and NYFD, who believed that changing the name of the band would send the wrong message. A picture of the band in the suits is on the inner tray card of We've Come for You All.[4]
Despite hardships and legal entanglements over album rights, Anthrax continued. In 2001 Rob Caggiano joined on lead guitar; two years later the band released We've Come for You All, praised by metal journalists as a return to form, on Sanctuary Records. In early 2004 Anthrax released The Greater of Two Evils, a "live in the studio" re-recording of the earlier work with the band's current lineup. Bassist Frank Bello announced shortly afterwards that he was leaving the band to join Helmet, and was replaced by Fates Warning and Armored Saint member Joey Vera.
Reunions with Belladonna and Bush (2005–2010)[edit]
Band on covered stage at outdoor venue
Anthrax at Hellfest 2009
In April 2005, Anthrax announced that the "classic" lineup of Scott Ian, Charlie Benante, Dan Spitz, Joey Belladonna and Frank Bello would reform. At some shows on the following tour, they played Among the Living in its entirety.[8] Although the lineup was expected to record a new album after the tour, in January 2007 Ian said that Belladonna had not agreed to a reunion.[9] After that announcement it was uncertain if John Bush would return, since Bush said he was unready to re-commit to Anthrax.[10]
In May 2007 Ian said the decision of who would be singing for Anthrax would be made at the end of June, but the announcement was delayed until December. In June, Bush was asked by Rock Hard if he was bitter about the Anthrax reunion. He replied that he was asked to return to the band, but declined. Asked if he wanted to rejoin the band when Belladonna left, Bush said that he "just didn't feel right to do that."[11]
In December 2007 it was announced that the band's new vocalist would be Dan Nelson, formerly of Devilsize,[12] and Rob Caggiano would return as lead guitarist. In May 2008, Anthrax played its first show in 19 months at Double Door in Chicago. Appearing before a sold-out audience with Nelson, the band played new material which was well received (despite equipment problems).[13]
Singer and guitarist onstage
Anthrax at the Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth, 2009
In his monthly Food Coma column posted on December 22, 2008, Scott Ian wrote that he had "been in the studio working on the new Anthrax album since November 4"; drums, bass and rhythm had been recorded on 19 tracks, and the addition of vocals had begun. "We should be mixing at the end of January and soon after that giving birth to a really pissed off, loud, fast and heavy child."[14] In a May 2009 Food Coma column Ian wrote that the album was being mixed by Dave Fortman, who had worked with Evanescence and Slipknot.[15] In a post on the Anthrax website, Charlie Benante said that Worship Music would probably be out in May.[16]
In early 2009, Anthrax began a brief tour opening for Iron Maiden in South America. In July, band manager Izvor Zivkovic confirmed the departure of Dan Nelson due to illness. Nelson denied this, saying that he was fired.[17] All subsequent performances were canceled except the August UK Sonisphere Festival, which featured John Bush on vocals. Due to fan response after his performance, a "Bring Back Bush" campaign began and was endorsed by Ian.[18]
In September 2009, it was announced that Bush would again sing with Anthrax at the October Loud Park '09 Festival in Japan.[19] Soon afterwards, Benante said that Bush had rejoined the band. In February 2010, Anthrax performed five shows as part of Soundwave in Australia. After the Australian shows, Bush said the band intended to re-record the vocals of several tracks from the upcoming album.[20]
Worship Music and upcoming album (2010–present)[edit]
In late 2009, Anthrax confirmed a "Big Four" event (with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer) as part of the 2010 Sonisphere Festival. Bush decided that he did not want to commit to the band full-time, and again left. Joey Belladonna returned to Anthrax in early 2010 for shows that summer, and committed to record a studio album with the band.[21] Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer performed on the same bill during that summer's Sonisphere Festival series, the first time all members of the thrash-metal "Big Four" played together.[22] The Sofia, Bulgaria show was broadcast in cinemas and later released on DVD and Blu-ray.[23]
In April 2011, Anthrax headlined in the Philippines for the first time at the annual Pulp Summer Slam with Death Angel and Hellyeah. The band also headlined the Jägermeister side stage at Mayhem Festival 2012, co-headlined by Slayer and Slipknot.[24] In June Anthrax released "Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't" (from its upcoming album) on its website as a free download, to thank fans for their patience in waiting several years for Worship Music; the album was released on September 13.[25]
In January 2013, Anthrax announced that lead guitarist Rob Caggiano had left the band. He later joined Volbeat.[26] A week later it was announced that Jonathan Donais of Shadows Fall would be the band's touring lead guitarist, while on August 13 it was announced that Donais had joined the band permanently.[27] In March 2013, Anthrax released its Anthems EP featuring covers of 1970s rock songs.[28] According to Scott Ian, the band began working on its next studio album in late 2013.[29][30] They released a live DVD, Chile in Hell in 2014.[31] In early 2015 the band confirmed a tour with Volbeat and that they had recorded new material.[32]
