Formed in 1981, New York-based Anthrax is one of the founding members of the thrash metal experience. Considered one of the “Big Four” along with Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, Anthrax has stood the test of time and has released 11 studio albums. Growing pains in an industry that is relentless is pretty commonplace and would be a chief measure of the band’s yo-yo-ing lead singer situation. Through it all, however, Scott Ian has managed to keep the band going from its beginning. With that longevity, Ian has had Charlie Benante on drums since 1983 and Frank Bello on bass, with on-and-off-again support from Joey Belladonna on lead vocals.
Though the band had been around for over 30 years, you really couldn’t tell it when it came to their performance at the House of Blues. They are on the road with thrash veterans Testament and are having a wonderful time taking audiences along for the loud ride. Their set could easily have focused on 2016’s For All Kings, but instead was stacked with material from their third album Among the Living, a 30-year-old masterpiece of thrash goodness.
The set was well received, and by the time the band took on Trust’s “Antisocial,” which was at the end of the set, the audience was ready to erupt and did. The band ended their set with “Indians” from the Among the Living album. An encore wasn’t in the cards, but after an hour and a half of raw power being spilled out on the stage and into the crowd, it really wasn’t all that surprising.
