Huge article on the making of Anthrax’s "Among the Living"!

[clarke darkness]

Decibel Magazine has honored Anthrax’s landmark "Among the Living" album as part of its "Thrash Metal Hall of Fame" special issue featuring seven tales from thrash metal's vast legacy. The feature is a six-page, 5000-word story providing an intimate, insider’s view of one of the most important albums in thrash history. The story includes rare and never-before seen Anthrax images and new interviews with ALL FIVE Anthrax members who participated in the making of "Among the Living".

The Decibel "Hall of Fame" series provides the definitive stores behind the making of extreme music's most important albums. Each month the expanded stories include interviews with every musician who performed on the inducted record. Here's is the complete list of "Hall of Fame" articles featured in Decibel's "Thrash Metal Hall of Fame" special issue.

* SLAYER - "Reign In Blood"
* ANTHRAX - "Among The Living"
* TESTAMENT - "The Legacy"
* METALLICA - "…And Justice For All"
* MEGADETH - "Rust In Peace"
* ANACRUSIS - "Reason"
* PRONG - "Beg To Differ"

Pick up your copy of the issue here:
http://store.decibelmagazine.com/co...es/products/thrash-hall-of-fame-special-issue

 

[johntchance]

Not Master of Puppets or Peace Sells? No Bonded by Blood? Whatever.

 

[clarke darkness]

Not Master of Puppets or Peace Sells? No Bonded by Blood? Whatever.

Cliff Burton, Gar Samuelson and Paul Baloff were unavailable for interviews. Sorry.

 

[EerieVon]

glad to see Anacrusis getting some props

 

[kirkland]

Nice to see Prong on there. They are doing a new album and I can't wait. The last one is great Power of the Damager, very under rated. Then they put out the industrial remix one Power of the Damn Mixer and it was actually really good as well. Hopefully the new prong has a good production that is what has killed them for a long time.

I am glad .. And Justice for All was up on that list. I think the music geeks talk down on it because they don't like the production or lack of bass. But to me it's by far the best Metallica album.

 

[Stompmosher]

Nice to see Prong on there. They are doing a new album and I can't wait. The last one is great Power of the Damager, very under rated. Then they put out the industrial remix one Power of the Damn Mixer and it was actually really good as well. Hopefully the new prong has a good production that is what has killed them for a long time.

I am glad .. And Justice for All was up on that list. I think the music geeks talk down on it because they don't like the production or lack of bass. But to me it's by far the best Metallica album.

I actually don't mind the "Justice" production, it fits the whole vibe of that album. As a muso, I actually can tell you why the Bass is not loud, and contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with how they felt about Jason......but I digress.........

 

[timmyc]

I actually can tell you why the Bass is not loud......

Please do.

 

[Stompmosher]

OK Timmy. You see James' tone had soooo much low end that He and Jason were battling for the same space in the mix. The Kick drum was quite puchy as well. When you have 2 or more instruments that share a few of the same frequencies, they cancel each other out, so something has to give. It was going to be either a Bass dominated mix or Guitar and Drum dominated mix, and we all know how it turned out. Another thing that made it worse was that James had no mids, volume is in the mids so the guitars had to be turned up. With the Black album, the low end frequencies were seperated a bit more, tones adjusted, better production. So everything is heard.

 

[Mikey-Bong]

OK Timmy. You see James' tone had soooo much low end that He and Jason were battling for the same space in the mix. The Kick drum was quite puchy as well. When you have 2 or more instruments that share a few of the same frequencies, they cancel each other out, so something has to give. It was going to be either a Bass dominated mix or Guitar and Drum dominated mix, and we all know how it turned out. Another thing that made it worse was that James had no mids, volume is in the mids so the guitars had to be turned up. With the Black album, the low end frequencies were seperated a bit more, tones adjusted, better production. So everything is heard.

So, they did it to screw with Newstead...got it.

 

[Stompmosher]

So, they did it to screw with Newstead...got it.

Lol indirectly I guess. They made it as sound as good as they could. If the Bass was turned up, believe me it would have sounded really bad. Every one would have complained more about the guitars being quiet.

 

[johntchance]

Cliff Burton, Gar Samuelson and Paul Baloff were unavailable for interviews. Sorry.

So best thrash albums where all band members are alive and available for interview?

 

[scooterville]

Not Master of Puppets or Peace Sells? No Bonded by Blood? Whatever.

psssst.....his post says...."Here's the complete list".

 

[timmyc]

OK Timmy. You see James' tone had soooo much low end that He and Jason were battling for the same space in the mix. The Kick drum was quite puchy as well. When you have 2 or more instruments that share a few of the same frequencies, they cancel each other out, so something has to give. It was going to be either a Bass dominated mix or Guitar and Drum dominated mix, and we all know how it turned out. Another thing that made it worse was that James had no mids, volume is in the mids so the guitars had to be turned up. With the Black album, the low end frequencies were seperated a bit more, tones adjusted, better production. So everything is heard.

Great explanation - thanks. Never really given it much thought to be truthful - apart from thinking the production is average. Just been cranking Justice this afternoon in the car, and after all these years it would sound odd now with a Bob Rock type production. Killer record song wise though, but that's stating the obvious I know!

 

[Stompmosher]

Great explanation - thanks. Never really given it much thought to be truthful - apart from thinking the production is average. Just been cranking Justice this afternoon in the car, and after all these years it would sound odd now with a Bob Rock type production. Killer record song wise though, but that's stating the obvious I know!

Lol. As dry as the "Justice" album sounds, I think it fits the vibe. You can here the Bass here and there, in Straw, the mellow bits of One and To Live is to Die....And Justice.

 

[kirkland]

I think Justice is the best sounding album they have done. I can care less if there is bass or not. The punch of the kick drum and crunch of the guitars is what makes the albums production great. I wish more bands wouldn't use a bass then. Bands like Iron Maiden where you hear the bass in every song and its prominent I get it. But thrash metal who really cares about the bass? Most thrash bands the bass player just plays along in the background with the guitarist. I'd much rather hear punchy kick drums and crunchy guitars than the bass.

 

[resumurofnikufesin]

So best thrash albums where all band members are alive and available for interview?

No. It's just that Decibel won't do one of these unless everyone that played on the album is alive and willing to discuss it. It's their mag. It's their game.

 

[Stompmosher]

I think Justice is the best sounding album they have done. I can care less if there is bass or not. The punch of the kick drum and crunch of the guitars is what makes the albums production great. I wish more bands wouldn't use a bass then. Bands like Iron Maiden where you hear the bass in every song and its prominent I get it. But thrash metal who really cares about the bass? Most thrash bands the bass player just plays along in the background with the guitarist. I'd much rather hear punchy kick drums and crunchy guitars than the bass.

That's what makes Among different, it has all the crunch of Justice but the bass is clearly audible as well. Frank really has his bass tones worked out. I think bass is needed whether is audible as a seperate instrument or there to add thickness to the guitars. That's why the bass has distortion on it with some thrash bands.

 

[KY_Fried442]

I think Justice is the best sounding album they have done. I can care less if there is bass or not. The punch of the kick drum and crunch of the guitars is what makes the albums production great. I wish more bands wouldn't use a bass then. Bands like Iron Maiden where you hear the bass in every song and its prominent I get it. But thrash metal who really cares about the bass? Most thrash bands the bass player just plays along in the background with the guitarist. I'd much rather hear punchy kick drums and crunchy guitars than the bass.

I get what you're trying to say but even though the bass sound in Justice doesn't stand out, you'd definitely miss it if it wasn't there. Same for a lot of thrash albums around that time.

 

[Stompmosher]

I get what you're trying to say but even though the bass sound in Justice doesn't stand out, you'd definitely miss it if it wasn't there. Same for a lot of thrash albums around that time.

That's right.