Artist: Anthrax Title: “Caught In A Mosh: BBC Live In Concert Label: Universal Music Release Date: 11/10/2009 Genre: Thrash Metal Rating: 3/5
Captured live during the band’s “Among The Living” tour back in 1987, this “Caught In A Mosh: BB Live In Concert” delivers two relatively solid set lists from New York’s Anthrax and gives you what is referred to as the “Classic Lineup” doing what they do best……thrashing you to the death. Since there are two separate shows represented on this release, I figured I would give a little overview to each of them.
Hammersmith Odeon: 2/15/1987 – With this early 1987 recording, Anthrax was celebrating a stratospheric level of success and this would soon get bigger and more promising when the new album “Among The Living” would get released. This sold out show comes from London’s Hammersmith Odeon which is also the scene of another legendary recording by Motorhead that I am sure you know about already so I shall continue along without any more on that album. The set list while very sound will surprise some of the fans that purchase this because while the band was indeed supporting “ATL”, the set list is primarily focused on the “Spreading The Disease” album that came out before it. This didn’t bother me as I have long felt that album was much stronger than the one that gave the band its larger push to fame. The energy is on the high side but the sound is a lot muddier than I would have liked it to be. Historically, the “Among The Living” album came out one month after this show was recorded so this might be why the emphasis was placed upon the other album. It makes sense that the band didn’t want to push so much new material on the crowd since there wasn’t anything for the fans to run out and buy after they had gone home. I really liked hearing “Armed And Dangerous” at this early a time in the band history as that was one of the songs that sold me on their sound and the same applies for “Panic”. The cover of “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” is also among the winning selections that the band delivered during this show. Continue reading “Caught In A Mosh: BBC Live In Concert” by Anthrax→
The answer to the question about whether the PiercingMetal.com Editor leans to either the Yankees or the Mets might be solved by the very existence of this article as it finds me being on point for an affair at the brand new Yankee Stadium as the new Hard Rock Café opened its doors with the help of Ace Frehley, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Anton Fig and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels today. That’s not a bad show of New York musical support and when you add former Yankee Bernie Williams to the mix you have a really rousing opening. I’ve been to the Hard Rock Café a number of times at its other locations and even reviewed a couple of shows that had gone on there, so when the chance arose to see Ace and the Anthrax guys open up the new one I could hardly resist. Here is how the opening day experience went down for those who have interest in learning more.
Artist: Anthrax Title: “Anthrology: No Hit Wonders – The Videos” Label: Universal Music Release Date: 9/20/2005 Genre: Heavy Metal Rating: 6/10
Anthrax completes the run of product surrounding their “Classic Lineup” reunion with this DVD that features what appear to be all the videos from the time frame that this lineup existed. Long time fans will appreciate this the most since it will remind them of those U68 days and when MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball was in its initial run and made a larger impact on Heavy Metal music. While I found it a kick to see a lot of these videos once again I really was disappointed in the amount of individual product that Anthrax has released on the listeners all at once. The group had issued 2 individual CD and DVD products based on the reunion of this membership. 2 were live and the other 2 retrospective. As a result it’s been commented on that not everything was selling as good as expected. This is especially the case of the videos collection as they are not things that the fan might buy immediately. Given the amazing CD Anthology from this era that brings the Metal Thrashing to your speakers and starts a mosh pit in your living room the band should have stressed that this release especially be included with the CD. Three piece sets are not all that uncommon anymore especially with bands in Europe who are doing that. Ayreon releases double CD and DVD packages on a regular basis and has proved their audience willing to shell out the couple of extra dollars. On the videos themselves they are a tad corny but anthrax was not one of those bands that took the format all that seriously and made sure they had a lot of fun in most of them. There are a couple of live tracks from the long out of print VHS concert release “Oidivnikufesin” (nisefukunvideo which was filmed in London during their “State Of Euphoria tour”. I had fun watching a couple of them but beyond that felt this is more for the absolute Anthrax maniac. I don’t refer to music videos all that much anymore and most of the bands in the 80’s hardly used the form in the manner that Def Leppard or ZZ Top did with films that are a lot more memorable years later. Most of the Anthrax tunes on film were Heavy Metal displays of often cartoon like antics. Given the times, I would not have expected it any other way. Continue reading “Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991) – The Videos” by Anthrax→
Artist: Anthrax Title: Alive 2 (2005) Label: Sanctuary Records Release Date: 9/20/2005 Genre: Heavy Metal Rating: 7/10
Released in tandem to the DVD of this performance along with a Greatest Hits compilation comes the reunion of the classic Anthrax lineup. In the 13 years that passed since the “Among The Living” team performed on the same stage the band continued with limited original members. It was still strong and had a good show of support but it did not have the impact on the old material that the classic group once had. This CD comes as the audio release of the concert DVD that bears the same name and with it listeners can once again hear Joey Belladonna, Danny Spitz, Scott Ian, Frankie Bello and Charlie Benante united. The recording is good but as someone who attended this particular show I was saddened to find 5 tracks not on the release from the set list that was performed. Recorded at New Jersey’s Starland Ballroom on June 3, 2005 this particular show was a highlight of many Metal heads Summer. While this should have been released as a double CD to capture the full effect, you end up getting the picture just enough to enjoy yourself. The band sounded tight and energetic and the audience reactions can literally be felt through the speakers. A review of the DVD and this Concert appear elsewhere on the site so check them out to draw your own comparisons on the event. Continue reading “Alive 2: The Music” by Anthrax→
Artist: Anthrax Title: Alive 2 (2005) The DVD Label: Sanctuary Records Release Date: 9/20/2005 Genre: Heavy Metal Rating: 8/10
One of the biggest Metal happenings in 2005 definitely had to be the reunion of the classic Anthrax line up of 1985. It was 13 years since the Metal Community saw Joey Belladonna, Scott Ian, Charlie Benante, Dan Spitz and Frankie Bello on the same stage once again and this film gives us a front row seat to the action. The “Among The Living” lineup is revered and respected in the Metal world for the impact that they had on the genre overall. Recorded on June 3, 2005 at New Jersey’s Starland Ballroom you are brought right into the mosh pit and will not suffer any damage as a result of it. I attended this piece of Metal history and have a comprehensive concert review elsewhere on the site and I can only tell you that as crazy as it looks you had no idea of how wild and fun this was unless you were there. Watching the video made me recall the absolutely killer time that me and my Friends all had as Anthrax belted out “hit” after “hit”. The band sounded incredibly tight for such a recent reunion and given this was the first real performance it was truly incredible. I looked back to my notes on the concert to confirm that several songs were left off of the DVD. Songs like “Got The Time”, “Antisocial”, “Metal Thrashing Mad” and “Lone Justice” did not make the cut for some reason and this was probably my only disappointment. Perhaps licensing was an issue with the covers, but I think the others should have remained. There is a chance that they did not come out good on the film because one of them makes an appearance on CD in “Antisocial”. I think it would have been smart to release the entire show which would make it the perfect memento of this historic performance. The overall production on the DVD is excellent and the sound and use of camera angle works very well. When I saw the show I only saw one boom camera and did not notice anyone else around shooting. I am glad there was more than one for that would have made this a very dry DVD to watch. Continue reading “Alive 2: The DVD” by Anthrax→
