One of the world’s “Big Four” of the thrash metal scene is back in the recording studio. Anthrax are now hard at work on their 12th studio album, according to guitarist, Scott Ian. Ian spoke recently with Metal Hammer, alongside fellow band member and drummer, Charlie Benante, about the prospect of album number twelve.
Benante let long-serving fans of Anthrax into a little secret that the band had already accrued a base of 13-14 tracks to work with. Benante admitted not all would “make the record” but he was confident the band knew “which [songs] are [making the album]”.
It’s been a long wait for another Anthrax album
It could be almost a decade between Anthrax’s most recent studio album release, For All Kings, and their 12th iteration once it hits the shelves. Although Ian said in May 2018 that the band had been at “very, very, very preliminary stages” of recording a 12th album, things clearly didn’t move fast. The band celebrated its 40th anniversary hard with a European and North American tour, including a stop in Nottingham’s Rock City venue for East Midlands-based metal fans.
Since then, Ian has done very little in the way of live performances. The 60-year-old looks forward to his downtime away from the live stage almost as much as going on tour.
He’s married to Pearl Aday, a proud New York Yankees supporter and a keen snowboarder. His other well-renowned pastime is playing poker. One of his most impressive performances was a deep run in the money in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. As a live performer himself, he has many core attributes needed to be a success at the live poker tables. Perhaps his strongest asset is his comfort with people staring at him for prolonged periods. Players will stare down the opposition to get reads and someone like Ian, who has played in front of six-figure crowds for decades, will almost relish the ability to stare back into the whites of his opponents’ eyes.
It surely won’t be long until Ian, Benante and co. are back staring into the eyes of Anthrax fans live either. However, Ian said none of the tracks are “finished-finished”, suggesting there’s still time for tweaks to be made in the studio before the album is finalised.
As for what we’ve got in store on the new album, Ian revealed that Joey Belladonna has sung on nine of the 13-14 tracks currently in their album arsenal. Ian said he’s yet to write lyrics for around four of the songs, all of which he believes will be strong enough to “come out in some way, shape or form”.
What’s the new album about and when’s it likely to be out?
In terms of the content of the lyrics and the inspiration behind the tracks, Ian was quick to refute rumours that the album would be a political protest project. Ian said the last thing the band wanted to deliver was something akin to a “CNN bulletin”. He insisted their overarching goal – as it has been since Fistful of Metal in 1984 – is to “be fun and entertain people”, encouraging them to “bang [their] heads”.
One of the main reasons for the intrigue surrounding Anthrax’s new album was their Instagram post in the studio back in November 2023. It was a photo of Scott Ian and Benante alongside Dave Grohl and other members of the Foo Fighters. The caption: “New album is going to be awesome #FooThrax”, sent social media channels wild at the time. Although it doesn’t appear we’re going to be treated to a Grohl medley on the as-yet-unnamed 12th Anthrax album, the band have been laying down their tracks in Grohl’s Los Angeles-based Studio 606. Ian described it as a “museum” and the “most rock clubhouse ever”, oozing memorabilia from the Foos, as well as Nirvana.
Although Anthrax originally aimed for a 2024 release date, it now looks more likely that it’ll be released into the ether sometime next year. Ian cited “families and commitments” as one of the biggest reasons why the band hasn’t been able to “drop everything” and get the job done. The recent passing of Ian’s much-loved father Herbert may also have delayed things further. Ian says their first new music in a decade won’t be in the hands of their fans “until every dotted eighth note is just right”.
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