Frank Bello Says Anthrax Will Be “Heavier Than Ever” on Their Upcoming Record
I don’t know about you, but as we inch closer and closer to new music from Anthrax, I’m itching for any new details to find out more about their follow up to 2016’s For All Kings. We’ve heard that they’ve been in the studio for a while now. We’ve known that scheduling has to be hard between guitarist Scott Ian‘s commitments with Mr. Bungle and drummer Charlie Benante‘s Pantera dates. But now, we know they’re apparently experimenting with their sound to be “heavier than ever,” according to bassist Frank Bello.
That little morsel of thrash metal excitement comes from a recent interview with Rodney McG. During the chat, Bello shared details about how things are going as far as work on the as of yet untitled album. And while he said all of the music is done and dusted, he’s hopeful that we’ll all get to hear it some time this year.
“We officially finished drums, bass, and guitar, which is great. I know my bass tracks are done, so I’m kind of psyched. Right now, it’s up to… I think Joey’s singing his sixth or seventh song; I’m pretty sure about that. Jon Donais, I think he’s starting his guitars, or maybe he started them already. But as far as I know, from what they’re doing, they’re booking it this month or early next month to get back in there and keep it going. Hopefully, at the end of the year, we’ll have an Anthrax record.”
Ugh, the anticipation is honestly killing me as a long-time Anthrax fan. Ever since Worship Music dropped, Anthrax has enjoyed a swell of good will from fans. And while it’s been a long process and we still don’t know much about the record, Bello said a lot of the delay’s been a desire from the band to ensure that everything was just right, saying “I know it’s been eight years since our last record, but we wanna make sure it’s right, and it is right. We are very confident. I’m not worried about how right it is. It’s right on exactly where I think, and the rest of the band think, we need to be.”
At one point, Bello called his playing on the record “more complicated.” Hmm that’s interesting.
In fact, it sounds like this album’s going to be Anthrax amplified to 11, as he said the new record’s going to feature “stuff we’ve never done before.”
“On this record, there’s stuff that we’ve never done before. I’m just saying right out — there’s stuff, in a heavy way, which I’m very proud of. I like that we went that way with it and just went, ‘What the fuck was that?’ Some of the things that Charlie Benante does on drums, Scott and I were just, ‘What the fuck was that?’ And that’s great, ’cause you wanna raise your game after that. I think it makes everybody step up a little bit. I’m doing some bass stuff that I had some fun with on this that I would never have done. I think there’s a lot of cool stuff that’s going on vocally, melody-wise. I’m really happy where the next Anthrax record is going.”
Fingers crossed we’ll get at least a glimpse of this new record. With their co-headlining European tour with Kreator set for this winter, maybe they’ll be ready to trot out some new tunes by then. One can hope, anyway.
ANTHRAX + KREATOR 2024 TOUR
w/ very special guests Testament
21-Nov-2024 UK – Manchester, O2 Apollo
22-Nov-2024 UK – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall
23-Nov-2024 UK – London, Eventim Apollo
25-Nov-2024 IE – Dublin, 3 Arena
27-Nov-2024 UK – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
29-Nov-2024 FR – Paris, Zenith
30-Nov-2024 DE – Düsseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Halle
01-Dec-2024 DE – Munich, Zenith
03-Dec-2024 LU – Esch-sur-Alzette, Rockhal
04-Dec-2024 CH – Zurich, Halle 622
06-Dec-2024 IT – Milan, Alcatraz
07-Dec-2024 DE – Stuttgart, Schleyerhalle
08-Dec-2024 DE – Berlin, Verti Music Hall
10-Dec-2024 HU – Budapest, Barba Negra
11-Dec-2024 PL – Katowice, Spodek
13-Dec-2024 DE – Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle
14-Dec-2024 DE – Hamburg, Edel Optics Arena
15-Dec-2024 NL – Den Bosch, Mainstage
