Nine Songs Are Mostly Done as Work Continues on Anthrax’s Next Record

For the last couple months, we’ve heard from the Anthrax camp that their follow up to 2016’s For All Kings was progressing nicely. Terms like “in due time” and “by Christmas [or] New Year’s” have been floated around regarding when things will be finished, but it’s beginning to sound like songs are getting closer to their final form, getting his thrash fan excited as hell.

We know this because Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian said as much during a recent appearance on Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine’s live YouTube show That Rocks! While chatting with the guys about all sorts of topics ranging from shitty New York sports to whether or not Slayer will ever get back together, he gave a quick update as to where the band is at in the recording process.

“In the last year, we really started to put stuff together and Charlie (Benante / drums) and Frankie (Bello / bass) and I getting together and having writing sessions and arranging stuff, to the point where we finally went in the studio just recently and recorded nine songs that have drums, bass, and guitar done now. And (Jonathan) Donais’ got a couple of lead (guitar) breaks that are killer that he’s demoed and sent to us. He hasn’t actually officially recorded them yet, but I think he’s gonna get most of his stuff written and then he’ll go in and record all of it.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve got dates on the books for Joey (Belladonna / vocals) to start working as well with Jay (Ruston / producer) next month, so yeah, everything’s officially moving along at a decent pace now.”

Though none of the songs are complete and there will still be some mixing and editing needed to make this album a banger, it’s exciting to think we’re getting ever-so closer to some new Anthrax. It’s been far too long, especially given the roll the band’s been on since they released Worship Music all the way back in 2011.