ANTHRAX — For All Kings (review)

ANTHRAX — For All Kings album cover Album · 2016 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Nightfly
Somewhere along the way I lost interest in Anthrax. I guess it was around the time of Sound Of White Noise as that was the last Anthrax album I bought until now. Having bought Spreading The Disease when it was released back in the 80’s, an album which I loved and played to death, each subsequent release offered diminishing returns for me despite some quality stuff, particularly Among The Living but nothing had the joint power and melody of Spreading The Disease. By the time of Sound Of White Noise vocalist Joey Belladonna had gone, who always stood out from the pack of the first wave of thrash bands for being more of a traditional metal singer. Despite the loss John Bush was an inspired choice being a fine vocalist in his own right and I always had a soft spot for Armored Saint. By now though the band were moving away from their thrash roots, slowing down and going more in an alt/groove direction. To this day I don’t think I’ve listened to the following three albums in their entirety. Moving onto 2011 I was intrigued to hear what the band would sound like with the return of Belladonna. Worship Music, a good album by the way, offered a partial return to earlier thrashier days and whilst I didn’t feel the urge to rush out and buy it my interest was piqued enough to keep an eye on them.

For All Kings, the second since the return of Belladonna seems a more rounded and consistent album than I’ve heard from Anthrax since the 80’s. There’s still slower groove infused moments but there’s also plenty of thrash and perhaps most importantly, Anthrax are always at their best when they inject plenty of melody into their music, though not at the expense of hard riffing I hasten to add. When the album kicks in properly on You Gotta Believe, a song with plenty of dynamics but also a fine statement of intent that they mean business and it hits hard and fast for the most part. Monster At The End is slower but a winner on the strength of its catchy hook and Belladonna is on fine form proving that he’s the best singer for Anthrax once and for all. The title track is a bit ordinary and lacking something but there’s still plenty of great moments to come like Breathing Lightning which is the band circa Spreading The Disease. Suzerain wins the most brutal riff of the album award and Evil Twin really kicks ass picking up the tempo again. Blood Eagle Wings is particularly memorable for another strong melody, perhaps the strongest of all.

There are no bad tracks on the album at all really, despite tailing off a bit at times like on the ordinary All Of Them Thieves, but some of it just lacks that X Factor to raise it to classic status. Nevertheless, For All Kings is a very good record, better than I ever expected to hear again from Anthrax. Good to have them back in such fine form.
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