Anthrax

Released: February 26, 2016

Songwriter: Frank Bello Scott Ian Joey Belladonna Charlie Benante

Producer: Jay Ruston

[Verse 1]
Waking on a bed of nails
Dying wind through shredded sails
Can you hear me when I shout
And nobody knows what I'm talking about

[Pre-Chorus]
What can I do?
I'm trying to figure it out
Right here right now
Teaching me how

[Chorus]
Kill all the ends, it's your cold black revenge
Mark my words
Defend avenge
Break 'til it bends, it's a means to an end
Defend avenge
You're all gonna get what you fuckin' deserve

[Post-Chorus]
Defend avenge
Defend avenge
Defend avenge
Defend avenge

[Verse 2]
Your indifference abounds
Everywhere fence-sitting clowns
Harvesting the seeds of doubt
And nobody knows what I'm talking about

[Pre-Chorus]
What can I do?
I'm trying to figure it out
Right here right now
Teaching me how

[Chorus]
Kill all the ends, it's your cold black revenge
Mark my words
Defend avenge
Break 'til it bends, it's a means to an end
Defend avenge
You're all gonna get what you fuckin' deserve

[Post-Chorus]
Defend avenge
Defend avenge
Defend avenge
Defend avenge

Known as one of the Big Four of thrash metal, along with Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica, Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City “who would quite literally build a genre from the ground up”. Their name was chosen after searching a biology textbook for a ‘cool sounding disease’ that sounded “sufficiently evil”.

Anthrax started out in 1981 with guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. After adding vocalist Neil Turbin, guitarist Dan Spitz and drummer Charlie Benante, Megaforce Records (Metallica, Mercyful Fate, Manowar) released the band’s debut single “Soldiers Of Metal” in late 1983. Its success led to the release of the group’s first album Fistful of Metal. What set Anthrax apart from many thrash metal bands of their time was their occasionally sardonic and ludicrous lyrics, a trend that would continue for the rest of the eighties.

After a number of lineup changes, the band finally found a stable group; Ian, Benante, Spitz, Frank Bello on bass, and Joey Belladonna on vocals. This lineup then released Spreading the Disease, the first of the “classic Anthrax albums” and their first to chart in the US. Anthrax toured with Metallica on their Damage Inc Tour in late 1986. At this time, Ian and Benante also formed the side project Stormtroopers of Death, which was controversial because of its deliberately racist and misogynist joke lyrics.

more tracks from the album

For All Kings

From the album

For All Kings (2016)

Anthrax popular songs

Defend/AvengeAnthrax

Anthrax

For All Kings