Reviews list for Anthrax - Among the Living (1987)

Anthrax is to me, the proto-pizza thrash band, something I tend to associate with competent at best thrash bands with lyrics mostly about TMNT, violence and Rick and Morty-level humor. This is both unfair and fair. Anthrax is like, one of the two thrash bands I can think of off-hand who have written songs about actual books. Any humor on this album is subtle enough that I didn't really notice it, and certainly not truly awful.
On the other hand, it's hard not to argue that Anthrax, if not the originator of the trend of thrash bands being merely competent at their chosen instruments, certainly proved it to be a winning formula to many. A vaguely punk ethos, lacking the aggression of someone like Slayer or Kreator, the technicality of Coroner or Doom. But unlike the endless knock-offs, who's failures more or less live or die on their merits as thrash bands, Anthrax has had something of a connection to speed metal, albeit one that makes the band feel like they don't quite fit in anywhere. Before the clan challenge, I would have dismissed Anthrax on this, and more or less continued on. I still more or less feel that way about their first two albums.
Something about Among the Living actually works despite this. I guess that makes Anthrax the soul of thrash metal, something that's far more than the sum of it's parts. (or if you prefer something more concrete, chemistry between band members) Individually, each musician brings nothing really interesting about the album. For instance, the drums should bring the album down, being that sort of annoying drumming that would really drag down an album, the kind with the most basic skills. Yet, here it works.
Despite their reputation, both overall and to me, I think Anthrax did something worth listening to. Discounting the soul argument, songs like the title track and Imitation of Life are genuinely nice. Even if you're not the spiritually 14 audience this was designed to attract, it's worth giving it a few spins despite that, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised like I was.

Let's be honest, Anthrax is the poster-band for the standard thrash sound, but that doesn't mean they can't make good music, just that they're most likely going to be limited in their prowess as long as they keep things that way.  However, the title track tells you everything you need to know about this album: it's some pretty damn heavy thrashing, serious crossover attitude, and this rebellious nature drives the album for its majority.  A big part of the album is that, lyrically, it tries to capture the essence of its time.  Songs like "Caught in a Mosh": and "One World" make that obvious  Still, does this album really stand out in anyway?  It probably did at the time, considering that this was the most blatantly punkish of thrash metal's output that didn't completely steer into it.  Combined with proto-groove metal elements, this was a farcry from most of the stuff you'd get in thrash, including the fact that these guys weren't afraid of mingling hardcore vocals and shouting with the heavy metal wail you'll find in Sanctuary and King Diamond works.  The problem is that it hasn't really aged well.  It's still a fun album, but can I honestly look at this and say that it's a true piece of musical art?  Maybe only in the one vein.  Otherwise, it's standard.  Anthrax have an obvious tendency to write the same really good song over and over again.  In other words, despite how much fun the album is, creativity is at a minimum.  Among the Living is an album more suitable for playing a couple songs a time, picking favorites to put on a playlist because the energy and attitude are so good that the two get under your skin and into your soul.  But as an album there are things missing.

Anthrax are probably the least acclaimed of the "Big Four", being seen as a bit of a joke by some. Certainly they were the only ones who seemed to have much of a sense of humour, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, surely. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, with Among the Living they released one of the premier albums of the 80s thrash revolution.

Sure, it's song lyrics are mainly based around Steven King stories and comic books (and nuclear Armageddon and the treatment of Native Americans) but it has got kick-ass chugging riffs (the intro to I Am the Law is a killer), a love-of-life infectiousness that is impossible to resist and in Joey Belladonna arguably the best singer in thrash.

This time around Anthrax had really tightened up their sound, incorporating hardcore influences that probably came from the guys' involvement in S.O.D. and whereas Slayer used the influence of  hardcore to make Reign in Blood even more evil sounding than previous albums, Anthrax used it to make the music more anthemic and fun.

I was lucky enough to catch Anthrax on the tour to support Among the Living when they visited the UK and it was one of the most brilliant nights I've ever had at a metal gig. These guys sure knew how to party back in the day. Unfortunately this was the crest of the wave for Anthrax and the only way thereafter was down, but while it lasted it was a hell of a blast!

Anthrax's third album finds the band in top form. They took the sound they'd created with Spreading the Disease and perfected it. Anthrax has always been about thrash, with awesome guitar riffs throughout their music, but they're also about downright good fun. This album is a damn entertaining listen and while they're sense of humour doesn't always agree with me (efilnikufesin a case in point), it never reaches the low of bands such as SOD.

Highlights are aplenty with Among the Living, Caught in a Mosh and Indians just a few great tracks off this highly consistent and excellent album.