The Official Hard Rock / Classic Metal Music Discussion and Memorabilia Thread!

[Lowdz]

Just being tongue in cheek - like Blob said I can understand something being good and dated - but bland and good ?

FWIW I thought the Palace was very good and the Cruzh was shite.

 
Yeah I took it how you meant it.

[BlobVanDam]

Just being tongue in cheek - like Blob said I can understand something being good and dated - but bland and good ?

FWIW I thought the Palace was very good and the Cruzh was shite.

I get the Palace and the Cruzh confused. I remember them both sounding weak but listenable.

[Kwyjibo]

I think I have identified one thing that likely turned me off the Anthrax a bit .   Listening to Monster At The End right now - good song (if a little "modern metal") and the vocals and lead guitar sound great in the mix but the rhythm guitar (a signature of classic Anthrax) is buried and missing their classic "crunch".   

Funny how that works, I think it sounded just fine and the rhythm guitars were heavy and crunchy enough for my liking. And the new lead player is imo a large improvement over Rob Caggiano, whose solos were kinda just there. Not bad but not memorable either.

[bl5150]

I didn't really notice the lead playing other than noting that he can play (that's good and bad   ) and have never really associated Anthrax with great lead guitar anyway.   Kirk Hammett on the other hand - I notice him.                                                                                                                                    

[bl5150]

Funnily enough I am now listening to a local band that sound a bit like Anthrax and their new release - blows For All Kings out of the fucking water      Will save it for the podcast and see how you guys think they compare.     This is exactly how I wanted Anthrax to sound.

[Samsara]

a few of the better 2016 albums for me that I don't think were mentioned were Sunburst, Death Angel, Almanac, Witherscape (heh), Omnium Gatherum (HA!), and Myrath.

Brent, go back to those first two Eternal Champion songs if you haven't already and see if one of them warrants a spot.

The Death Angel record was good, but nowhere near as good to me as Dream Calls for Blood. That, to me, is the band's finest record. But DA are such a great band.

As for the Anthrax record, it's good, but not as good as the previous one. I'm a bigger Bush-era Anthrax fan (although I like Belladonna stuff), and I really think the last two records...can't shake the feeling Bush would have sung it better. But admittedly, there's some bias in there.

[TAC]

Bush would be great in the current Anthrax. They seem a much more focused and truer band. Volume 8 has its moments and I just can't get into WCFYA. No life on that one. They really seemed to be searching for an identity during those years. That said I love the first two Bush era albums. Love them.

Sam, if I recall you're a big WCFYA guy. I actually spun it the other night and it still doesn't work for me.

[Samsara]

Bush would be great in the current Anthrax. They seem a much more focused and truer band. Volume 8 has its moments and I just can't get into WCFYA. No life on that one. They really seemed to be searching for an identity during those years. That said I love the first two Bush era albums. Love them.

Sam, if I recall you're a big WCFYA guy. I actually spun it the other night and it still doesn't work for me.

I am. I love all the Bush-era records, pretty much equally. Hard for to explain why WCFYA resonates. It is brutally heavy, and yet extremely melodic. I've heard Joey say he doesn't know why Anthrax felt his voice wasn't good for all those Bush-era Anthrax CDs...yet, Joey sounds awful on a song like "Only." And after that first try at it, they've never done Bush-era Thrax with him again. There's just an edge to those tunes, that needs an edgier voice, which Belladonna doesn't have.

To be honest, I think the last two records with Belladonna have probably been a lot more difficult than the band has admitted. They clearly want to play more brutal metal, but they've had to soften it a bit to fit Joey's higher and more melodic voice, and frankly, his personality. Both Bush and Belladonna have great energy, but it comes off differently in the music, and live.

I've seen both guys front Anthrax, and it's an entirely different experience. And I can hear that difference, even if I can't describe it well, on the records.

It won't be long before the Anthrax guys approach Bush, and mend fences, and try to pull a Heaven and Hell -- rebranding the Bush-era Thrax, and going out on that music. It'll happen. They love those tunes, as does Bush.

Got off on a tangent, sorry. But I can't really explain my love for WCFYA. I love all those Bush-era records about equally. None are "perfect," but they all have a bunch of songs I think are just killer.

[bl5150]

Alllllllllllrighty then.

You guys are making me feel like I've missed out so today is a Bush era Anthrax marathon 

[Samsara]

Alllllllllllrighty then.

You guys are making me feel like I've missed out so today is a Bush era Anthrax marathon 

You. Cannot kill. What doesn't die! 

[Kwyjibo]

Alllllllllllrighty then.

You guys are making me feel like I've missed out so today is a Bush era Anthrax marathon 

There are worse things one can do. 

I think Bush was the better singer in Anthrax but Sounds Of White Noise wasn't very good and Volume 8 was very uneven. Stomp 442 and WCFYA are absolutely killer records.

That said I think Joey's voice has improved mightily on the last two records. Not so high and sometimes screechy as he was back then, now he has a more mature voice with much more volume and deepness, for lack of a better word. Suits those heavy songs much better.

[TAC]

Stomp 442 made The TAC Top 50. That album spoke directly to me.

[jjrock88]

I love WCFYA as well.  It might have a bit of filler and may have benefited from a couple less songs, but still great overall.

The only Bush-Anthrax album I couldn't get into was Volume 8.  The first three tunes are awesome, then it just seems to wander off and have no direction.  I've tried to get into it, but no dice.

Stomp 442 is awesome!

[wolfking]

When I discovered For All Kings earlier this year, I actually did go out and pick up Worship Music and a 2cd of WCFYA and TGOTE.  Worship Music was good but I kept going back to FAK at the time.  I had a listen to the two Bush ones and they didn't do much for me at the time, but might have to revisit them.

[jjrock88]

I think Joey has only sang "Only" from the Bush era.  Has anyone heard him sing anything else?

[Samsara]

I think Joey has only sang "Only" from the Bush era.  Has anyone heard him sing anything else?

Nope. That's the only one he's done with the band, as far as I know. And I follow Bush-era Anthrax news pretty closely.

There are a few he could so for sure, but I think it's telling that ever since "Only" dropped off the set, we've not seen another Bush track. I'm telling you. At some point they will get together with Bush under a new moniker. Charlie just has to have a sit down with Bush and apologize for some of the BS.

[Lowdz]

Stomp 442 made The TAC Top 50. That album spoke directly to me.

I know you recommended this to me previously but it didn't do a thing for me. Other than Spreading The Disease and some (but nowhere near all) of Among, I've never been much of a fan. For All Kings is excellent though and a big part of why I like it is Joey. Very different voice from his classic days but excellent.
And yeah, they were never on my radar for lead playing.

[jjrock88]

I was watching a bit of the Dan Nelson era last night on youtube.  That was a strange transition from Bush-Joey-Bush-Joey with Dan in there for a bit.  You knew it was only a matter of time before he was replaced again with one or the other.

[wolfking]

Stomp 442 made The TAC Top 50. That album spoke directly to me.

I know you recommended this to me previously but it didn't do a thing for me. Other than Spreading The Disease and some (but nowhere near all) of Among, I've never been much of a fan. For All Kings is excellent though and a big part of why I like it is Joey. Very different voice from his classic days but excellent.
And yeah, they were never on my radar for lead playing.

This basically sounds like my whole take on the band at the moment.  Need to listen to more though and give them more of a chance.

[Samsara]

jj - yeah, Dan Nelson...just no. Had some talent, but the band couldn't take yet another new vocalist. Such a weird footnote in the band;s history.

[jjrock88]

jj - yeah, Dan Nelson...just no. Had some talent, but the band couldn't take yet another new vocalist. Such a weird footnote in the band;s history.

Watching the footage did seem weird.......it looked like he was ready to kick the shit out of anybody, including the other members of Anthrax

[wolfking]

 

[bl5150]

jj - yeah, Dan Nelson...just no. Had some talent, but the band couldn't take yet another new vocalist. Such a weird footnote in the band;s history.

Watching the footage did seem weird.......it looked like he was ready to kick the shit out of anybody, including the other members of Anthrax

To be fair , all their singers eventually want to kick the shit out of Anthrax.

[wolfking]

Scott Ian I always thought looked like he needed a good punch in the face.

[jjrock88]

 

[TAC]

The only Bush-Anthrax album I couldn't get into was Volume 8.  The first three tunes are awesome, then it just seems to wander off and have no direction.   

That's a great description. Catharsis is one of my favorite Bush era tracks.

To be fair , all their singers eventually want to kick the shit out of Anthrax.

 
So true!





Actually, I stumbled upon this interview the other day. Almost posted it, but with the Anthrax talk I figure now's a good time.
John Bush is so freaking cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6wJQnzvO3M

[Kwyjibo]

Anthrax and their singers is a long and complicated story and I don't blame Bush if he doesn't want anything to do with the guys. But it would be great nonetheless if they could pull it off.  But please don't piss of Joey in the meantime.

[bl5150]

Looking forward to this one...........hopefully they can match the debut.

[wolfking]

You're optimistic posting that in this thread Brent.  I liked the last one a lot and have really been a fan of all three.  The lineup on this one is looking great too;

 Lead Vocals - Michael Kiske
* Backing vocals - Dennis Ward, Michael Kiske // Additional Choirs on "Strong" by Alessandro Del Vecchio
* Bass - Dennis Ward
* Keyboards - Günter Werno
* Drums - Dirk Bruinenberg
* All Rhythm Guitars by Dennis Ward, except: "Welcome To The Edge", "Across The Times", "Close To The Sun", "Hearafter" - Rhythm Guitars by Uwe Reitenauer
* Guitar solo by Michael Klein on "Yesterday Is Gone", "Distant Skies", "Strong", "Breathing".
* Guitar solo by Uwe Reitenauer on "Close To the Sun"
* Guitar solo by Alfred Koffler on "Welcome To The Edge"
* Guitar solo by Magnus Karlsson on "Falling Star"
* Guitar solo by Gus G. on "Light Beyond The Dark"
* Guitar solo by Simone Mularoni on "Hearafter"
* Guitar solo by Mandy Meyer on "Helen"
* Guitar solo by Kai Hansen on "Riding The Ghost" and "Across The Times"

Of course the Frontiers puppet master had to get a look in too. 

[bl5150]

Plenty of Place Vendome would qualify as hard rock at the very least so I have no worries posting them here..................and Kiske      That's one of the reasons I love that debut so much- you have stuff bordering on metal (Cross The Line, Sign Of The Times) right next to some great AOR.

Bloody Alessandro can GTFO 

[wolfking]

Yeah, was just stirring, have no problem with them being here either.  The second album was pure AOR but the last one had a few more heavier moments which I enjoyed.  And with the likes of Gus G, Mularoni, Karlsson etc. seems like it could be a tad harder.  Songwriters seem interesting too; Karlsson, Mularoni, Olaf Thorsen, Fabio Lione, Aldo LoNobile....this could be good.

[Samsara]

To be fair , all their singers eventually want to kick the shit out of Anthrax.

 

 

Truer words...

[jjrock88]

I was just listening to Skunkworks by Bruce Dickinson. When compared to masterpieces Wedding and Accident, this is pretty much an irrelevant album. But there are some excellent songs on it and I would say that it's an underrated gem for sure

[Lowdz]

Yeah, was just stirring, have no problem with them being here either.  The second album was pure AOR but the last one had a few more heavier moments which I enjoyed.  And with the likes of Gus G, Mularoni, Karlsson etc. seems like it could be a tad harder.  Songwriters seem interesting too; Karlsson, Mularoni, Olaf Thorsen, Fabio Lione, Aldo LoNobile....this could be good.

I'm a fan of Dennis Ward. He needs to get back with a great PC 69 album though.

[Kwyjibo]

I love the Skunkworks album, it was something different for Bruce and there are a lot of great songs on it, Space Race, Inertia, Solar Confinement, Inside The Machine, Strange Death etc.

I would actually rank it second best behind Chemical Wedding.