Anthrax's Benante....Witnessing A Decline In Metal.....

[Deadly Embrace]

ANTHRAX Drummer Says He's Witnessing A Decline In Metal's Popularity In The U.S.
ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante believes that the lack of crowd responsiveness to the band's new songs at the group's recent shows in Texas suggests that heavy metal's popularity in the U.S. may be on a decline.

"We've felt that the audiences in Texas really didn't know the new material that well, that tells us that they don't have the new [ANTHRAX] album," Benante wrote in a recent online posting. "What's going on here?? San Antonio, Dallas and Houston have always been KILLER places for metal? We're witnessing a decline and demand an answer! Has everyone gone country or Hip hop?? Tap your friend or family member on the head and snap him or her out of it! They're being programmed!

"This is not the way it is in Europe, they love and appreciate music, especially hard rock/metal. I know it's hard out here, ticket sales and record sales are way down, that's why we're keeping our ticket prices down. I'm hoping this will all pass and we will all rise above the shit that's being forced down all our throats. I would love it if you guys would try and turn someone into a fan of ANTHRAX or any other form of ROCK music. I think this will be our way of TAKING THE MUSIC BACK, my ears can't take much more of this... CAN YOURS????????? WAKE UP AMERICA!"

In a separate posting to the band's official web site, Benante revealed that PANTERA guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul came down to ANTHRAX's headlining show in Killeen, Texas on Saturday (May 24). "Dime, Vinny [sic] and the gang came out last night as well as the DROWNING POOL guys," he wrote. "We opened the bar on the bus and we talked and laughed our asses off. We got to hear some of Dime and Vin's new shit [NEW FOUND POWER] and it was KILLER! I wonder if we could do some shows together in August?? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm??"

From BlabberMouth.Net



Or could it be a decline in Anthrax's Popularity?

 

[LIZ METAL]

sounds like someone is in denial........

I agree with you DE, I think it is their decline, not the metal world.

 

[Brent]

But there is no way We've Come For You All didn't sell more than Stomp 442 and Volume 8....the public awareness has been so much better than those albums.

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

I'd have to agree that it's just that people don't like the new album. Personally, I like what I've heard...I just haven't gotten around to buying it. I bet there's a lot of others like me.

 

[hiddenlegions]

Their new record is nothing special. I would say metal is doing just fine , last Testament show I went to was packed so I don't see a decline at all. Sorry Charlie ...

 

[Yetti]

last quite a few metal shows i was at here in atlanta were quite packed

 

[Ayeka]

I'd say things are looking slightly prettier for Metal these days...it's not like there's been a revolution or anything, but things feel different to what they did about two years ago. My money is that things will improve. My thoughts are that, in this case, Benante's placed a little too much faith in his new album. Which is a problem, because the album stinks.

 

[Insania]

If metal production shut down tomorrow, there is still enough good shit out there now that I don't have yet that could feed me for years to come. I spend a large wad of cash every month on metal, but I can't keep up, so in my world, supply is greater than demand. Bad news for bands, good news for me.

The world just needs more Insanias, that's all.

 

[MindInsane]

I think Charlie's witnessing a decline in Anthrax's songwriting abilities...

 

[Nutgoat]

I was at the show in Dallas. I don't know why Charlie's upset. He has to understand that some people didn't find out that Motorhead had dropped off of that show until they walked in the door. Personally, I was there for Anthrax, but at least half of the crowd was wearing Motorhead shirts. They also had a last minute change of venue. People were pissed because they finally found the place, and Motorhead wasn't there. The energy was really good even after all of that. I left drenched in sweat. I was lucky enough to talk to Vinny Paul after the show. He said the new project he and Dimebag are working on should be out around September. The album is called 'New Found Power'. They haven't named the band yet. I can't wait for that!

 

[j9bootsie]

As a huge Anthrax fan, I must disagree with Charlie. We bought "We've Come for You All" the day it came out. I won't say I am disappointed, but I am highly underwhelmed by it. It's not bad. It's good, but just good.

Charlie was at the first Metal Gods show in NY. That was the "quiet" night of the two shows. The club was not sold out, but the fans were just as rabid as ever. What he did not see was the next night, when the club sold out and the place was completely nuts! Metal was alive and well and kicking the shit out of us all, as it should be.

I was getting calls days later from my friends who were still riding the high from that show. It was with that same excitement that I popped in the new Anthrax disc, and it just didn't take me anywhere. No real gutwrenching moments that blew me away.

Had a bad day at work a few days later, popped it in on the drive home hoping for some stress relief. Didn't happen for me.

I hate to say this, because again, they are one of my all time favorite bands. Unlike many Anthrax fans, I love Volume 8 and Stomp as much as the old stuff, which I grew up on. I was looking for something to move me, and it really did not. It was more like something comfy that I have heard before. Good to hang out with at a party, but not something to go nuts to.

After watching Headbanger's Ball last weekend I was highly impressed with their musical selections and had a discussion about how true metal is back on it's way up... Sorry Charlie. I have to say that maybe this time it's you.