Took a long road trip, listened to all John Bush era albums

[ironmaidenfan09]

So I took a long road trip and decided to listen to the 4 JB era albums from beginning to end. Wanted to really give them a hard listen and see what I liked about them and didn't like about them etc.

Here are my thoughts.

Sound of White Noise - Over all I think I like this one the most out of the JB era albums. However it is definetely a far departure from the previous Joey Era sound. After I get over the shock of the change from Thrash to more of a straight forward heavy rock album I can appreciate about half of the album. There are several songs that I had to skip but not all that many. For what its worth this album is fairly 'good', just don't like the change in over all sound.

Stomp 442 - Couldn't get through 1 single song without wanting to skip. Vocally is terrible. Musically is boring and sounds like they are trying to copy a Pantera grove. But it lacks just about everything that made Anthrax good. I honestly don't think I will ever listen to this album ever again. Terrible.

Volume 8. - Has some decent riffs for a pantera type grove. I thought I was going to like this one but it bored me about 3 songs in. Seemed like the album would never end. Not as bad as Stomp but other than about 3 songs I have no interest to ever listen to it again.

We've come for you all - Better than the previous 2 albums. Has about 3 or 4 'good' songs. But other than those 3 or 4 songs there are some really bad songs. Over all probably my second best John Bush era album.

Over all. I have to say that I really gave these albums a chance. I wanted to like them. I listened to them with open ears and an open mind. But gotta say its really mind boggling how Anthrax went from one of the best Thrash bands on the planet to THIS. John Bush gets very monotonous and musically the songs don't do much for me.

I really really really hope that the new stuff will be more like the Joey era albums. Not just vocally, but mainly musically. I'd rather have John Bush and a classic sounding Anthrax album than Joey and a John Bush era sounding album.

I knew Anthrax fell off the map after Sound of White Noise. After listening to all 4 of these albums I can see why.

I tried. Its just not ANTHRAX to me.

 

[Thrashard]

I'd rather have John Bush and a classic sounding Anthrax album than Joey and a John Bush era sounding album. I knew Anthrax fell off the map after Sound of White Noise. After listening to all 4 of these albums I can see why.

agreed! musically there is no doubt that their very, very old stuff (Fist+Bellthrax) is a hundred times better than their old stuff (Bushthrax). i could live with a mix of Among and SOWN. they need to put out a thrashier record or they are done!

 

[Social Distortion]

I agree about Vol 8. The albums kinda dies after the first quarter. The rest is just not on par with Crush, Catharsis and Inside Out. I do love Pieces, though.

Anybody ever notice that the main riff in Born Again Idiot is the same as the main riff in Sammy Hagar's Three In The Middle?

(Starts at 5:55 sorry this was all I could find)


However, I love Sown Of White Noise, I enjoy and appreciate Stomp for the Pantera-vibe, and I think We've Come For You All is the closest to a perfect album Anthrax has ever come.

 

[spacebeer]

I have the exact same opinon, ANTHRAX forgot writing the great hooklines and catchy songs while trying to sound "contemporary". SOWN is the best effort, still has some very catchy songs on it.

 

[trickrtreat]

Regardless of whether they return to thrash or stay lite metal (if one can even call it "metal"), I'd rather hear Joey, esp. considering Joey can sing rock and hard rock better than Bush.

 

[Thrashard]

i'm not interested in another Thrax mallcore-album, no matter who's singing. what i find interesting is that Anthrax tried to be as radio friendly as possible with songs like Black Lodge, Bare and Safe Home and didn't have commercial success, Pantera tried to be as heavy as possible and topped the charts around the globe.

 

[trickrtreat]

i'm not interested in another Thrax mallcore-album, no matter who's singing. what i find interesting is that Anthrax tried to be as radio friendly as possible with songs like Black Lodge, Bare and Safe Home and didn't have commercial success, Pantera tried to be as heavy as possible and topped the charts around the globe.

People were so starved for REAL metal back then. I think Pantera was slightly overrated but hit at the right time. I'm not sure they would've made a big dent in the scene if they had been taking on the Big 4 from '86 to '90.

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

I think We've Come For You All is the closest to a perfect album Anthrax has ever come.

Thats cool, everyone has opinions. But I respectfully don't know how you can say that album is 'perfect'.

You really think that album is more 'perfect' than Among The Living which is considered one of the best thrash albums of all time?

If so thats cool, I can't tell you that you are wrong, its all a matter of opinion. I just have a hard time with that one lol

 

[trickrtreat]

I think We've Come For You All is the closest to a perfect album Anthrax has ever come.

For starters, the guitars are too low in the mix on many songs, and when they are heard, they're too fuzzy.

Stomp seems underrated and misunderstood. Sure, it's not thrash and it has a few fillers (and Bare). I don't understand the Pantera comparisons; I don't hear the Pantera groove at all.

 

[Thrashard]

DarrellDethSDMF also stated that he never liked Metallica because their music has always been boring *lol*, Kill, Lightning, Puppets, Justice, all boring as hell, no innovation, no epic moments *LMAO*, so WCFYA is more perfect than everything Anthrax has ever done before and more perfect than anything released by Metallica because they have been boring from the beginning, opinions are like a**holes and that is a very funny one, i really like it. WE 'VE COME FOR YOU ALL > Sound Of White Noise > Among The Living > justice,puppets,lightning,kill (Soooo boring)

@Darrell i'd like to have a beer with you just for your opinon on Metallica!

 

[Thrashard]

Stomp seems underrated and misunderstood. Sure, it's not thrash and it has a few fillers (and Bare). I don't understand the Pantera comparisons; I don't hear the Pantera groove at all.

DROP THE BALL: the part from 2:22 - 3:10 is the closest to a Pantera sound in Anthrax history, the groove from STEALING FROM A THIEF is also very Pantera-like IMO, some of the Bushthrax Pantera-wannabe sounds/grooves/riffs remind me of "Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills" (Far Beyond Driven), i liked their Metallica-wannabe phase a lot more (SOWN) but i prefer the Anthrax albums when Anthrax really was Anthrax and sounded like nothing but Anthrax (STD,ATL,SOE,POT), Fistful Of Metal is a Kill 'Em All-wannabe that is better than the original IMO, my opinions are also very funny from time to time.

 

[trickrtreat]

I think it's safe to assume he's not particularly fond of that pesky little thing called METAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[trickrtreat]

DROP THE BALL: the part from 2:22 - 3:10 is the closest to a Pantera groove in Anthrax history, the groove from STEALING FROM A THIEF is also very Pantera-like IMO.

I disagree with the former (there's not much groove to that riff; sounds like a stock riff that every metal band plays) and agree with the latter.

 

[Thrashard]

sounds like a stock riff that every metal band plays

i think that was part of the Bushthrax-failure and apart from the vocals the biggest difference between Bushthrax and Anthrax.

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

DROP THE BALL: the part from 2:22 - 3:10 is the closest to a Pantera sound in Anthrax history, the groove from STEALING FROM A THIEF is also very Pantera-like IMO, some of the Bushthrax Pantera-wannabe sounds/grooves/riffs remind me of "Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills" (Far Beyond Driven), i liked their Metallica-wannabe phase a lot more (SOWN) but i prefer the Anthrax albums when Anthrax really was Anthrax and sounded like nothing but Anthrax (STD,ATL,SOE,POT), Fistful Of Metal is a Kill 'Em All-wannabe that is better than the original IMO, my opinions are also very funny from time to time.

I think Stomp is so bad that its almost funny. This is ANTHRAX we are talking about here. One of the greatest Thrash bands of all time. This album is embarrasing. The riffs are an obvious Pantera type ripp off. Scott Ian knew Pantera was the only metal band selling out arenas during this time. It doesn't surprise me that they would try to go more towards a Pantera groove sound. The problem is vocally its terrible. And many of the songs sound the same and are just flat out boring. Don't really understand how anyone could think this is a good Anthrax album. But yes I know opinions are like assholes



Is JB rapping or is it just me? eeeek

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

I am scared of a new Anthrax album without Danny Spitz to be honest.

 

[trickrtreat]

Don't really understand how anyone could think this is a good Anthrax album.

I like most of the songs on this album, but I rarely listen to it now due to it's horrible production. Vol8's is even worse, and I already touched on the sound issues with WCFYA. It's as though they were trying to sink their own ship. This band is frustrating. Just bring back the thrash, let Joey fuckin' wail, find some good tones, and produce the album like POT.

 

[Thrashard]

"Random Acts" is by far the best song on Stomp, "Fueled" is second, there's not much variation in the rest of the album except "Bare", only mid-tempo, middle-of-the-road-riffs, no Thrash-parts, it should have been more melodic & interesting, i listen to it from time to time but it's getting boring real quickly.

 

[Social Distortion]

Thats cool, everyone has opinions. But I respectfully don't know how you can say that album is 'perfect'.

You really think that album is more 'perfect' than Among The Living which is considered one of the best thrash albums of all time?

If so thats cool, I can't tell you that you are wrong, its all a matter of opinion. I just have a hard time with that one lol

One of the best THRASH albums. To me the three last songs on Among are pretty much fillers. WCFYA has none.

Me saying PERFECT ALBUM has nothing to with the music genre. Is Thriller not a perfect album because it's not metal?

 

[Social Distortion]

DarrellDethSDMF also stated that he never liked Metallica because their music has always been boring *lol*, Kill, Lightning, Puppets, Justice, all boring as hell, no innovation, no epic moments *LMAO*, so WCFYA is more perfect than everything Anthrax has ever done before and more perfect than anything released by Metallica because they have been boring from the beginning, opinions are like a**holes and that is a very funny one, i really like it. WE 'VE COME FOR YOU ALL > Sound Of White Noise > Among The Living > justice,puppets,lightning,kill (Soooo boring)

@Darrell i'd like to have a beer with you just for your opinon on Metallica!

Yes, I find every Metallica album boring. Not every song though. Of course a band of that caliber has good songs, but usually they just keep going on and on and on and on...for the record, Ride The Lightning is my favorite album by Metallica.

And hey, I'm always up for a beer!