Review by Ben for Anthrax - Spreading the Disease (1985)

Anthrax's second album is a massive improvement over the debut Fistful of Metal. The main difference is due to vocalist Neil Turbin being replaced by Joey Belladonna, who helped create the "Anthrax" sound and their most classic line-up. His vocals are classic heavy metal and yet they fit in so well with the thrash element of the band, despite their lack of aggression.

While other thrash bands of the time such as Slayer, Exodus, Sodom and Kreator were spewing forth filthy, evil sounding thrash with shredding brutality all over the place, Anthrax were writing songs with melody and memorable choruses. That's not to say that they didn't shred, as there are plenty of awesome thrash riffs all over Spreading the Disease. Classics such as A.I.R., Lone Justice and Madhouse cause this album to challenge Among the Living for the status of best Anthrax album, but unfortunately it is let down slightly by some merely ok tracks towards the end of the album.

All up though, this is highly entertaining metal with catchy tunes that will also make you mosh your head in approval.