ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has announced a brand new album, "Silver Linings", due out May 14 via Megaforce Records. The 14-track effort features an all-star cast of "who's who" in the thrash, metal, and rock worlds, with all cuts culled from Benante's acclaimed "quarantine jam" video series. Benante has earmarked a portion of the "Silver Linings" proceeds for the Neal Casal Music Foundation, an organization that provides musical instruments and lessons to students and makes donations to much-needed mental health organizations that support musicians in need. "Back in February of last year," Benante remembers, "with COVID and all the other B.S. that was going on, I was glued to the 24-hour news cycle on the TV and my phone, and I started to get really depressed. My girlfriend said I needed to turn off the news and suggested I do something creative, whether it was art or drumming or writing new songs, and she was right." Benante set up his electric drum kit at home in his art room and started playing along with music he had grown up listening to. It pulled him out of his depression and reignited his creative drive. "I knew a lot of my musician friends were going through the same thing I had been, so I started asking them if they wanted to get involved, play some songs with me, maybe make a video. That's how it all started." Throughout the quarantine video series, Benante collaborated on jams with fellow ANTHRAX bandmates Frank Bello, Scott Ian and Jon Donais, his girlfriend Carla Harvey (BUTCHER BABIES), Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT), Ra Diaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES), Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL), John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE) and Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), among many more. Some of Charlie's favorite songs by RUSH, Tom Petty, BEASTIE BOYS, STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH, KING'S X, RUN-DMC, MASSIVE ATTACK, U2, FUGAZI, CHEMICAL BROTHERS and Billie Eilish were covered. For the album's cover art, Charlie recruited his friend, artist Brian Ewing, whose art he's always loved. "I think he did a great job," said Charlie, "and the package's artwork ties in my fascination with horror." "This isn't a solo album," Charlie added, "this is a record of my favorite songs done with some of my friends during a very dark time. We found a shining light and this is the result of that light. I was really happy that my musician friends came on board and helped make this record what it is. I appreciate all of them, and they all did such a fantastic job. Despite all of the darkness we've experienced this past year, there are 'silver linings,' that's why I chose that title for the album." "Silver Linings" track listing: * "City of Blinding Lights" (U2) Frank Bello Mark Osegueda Charlie Benante * "Chloe Dancer / Crown of Horns" (MOTHER LOVE BONE) Mark Menghi Mark Osegueda Charlie Benante * "Teardrop" (MASSIVE ATTACK) Carla Harvey Ra Diaz Charlie Benante * "Run DMC" (Run-DMC) Darryl "DMC" McDaniels Rob Caggiano Ra Diaz Charlie Benante * "Rhiannon" (FLEETWOOD MAC) Mark Menghi Jennifer Cella Randy McStine Charlie Benante * "Yer So Bad" (Tom Petty) Carla Harvey Ra Diaz Charlie Benante * "Transylvania" (IRON MAIDEN) Dave "Snake" Sabo Frank Bello Jon Donias Charlie Benante * "Presto Vivace" (U.K.) Ra Diaz Alex Skolnick Jordan Rudess Charlie Benante * "Bad Guy" (Billie Eilish) Ra Diaz Charlie Benante * "Jimmy James" (BEASTIE BOYS) Ra Diaz Charlie Benante * "All The Way" (KISS) PJ Farley Joe McGinness John 5 Charlie Benante * "Mr Speed" (KISS) Joe McGinness PJ Farley Charlie Benante * "Public Image" (PUBLIC IMAGE) Hank Von Hell Dave Brownsound Jason "Cone" McCaslin Charlie Benante * "Funny Vibe" (LIVING COLOUR) Ra Diaz Corey Glover Henry Flury Charlie Benante Photo credit: Jimmy Hubbard
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