ANTHRAX — Stomp 442 (review)

ANTHRAX — Stomp 442 album cover Album · 1995 · Groove Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Stomp 442" is he seventh full-length studio album by US, New York based thrash/heavy metal act Anthrax. The album was released through Elektra Records in October 1995. It´s the successor to "Sound of White Noise" from 1993 and it´s the second Anthrax album featuring lead vocalist John Bush. There´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as lead guitarist Dan Spitz has left. Spitz wasn´t permanently replaced, but his guitar tech Paul Crook did session work on "Stomp 442", playing most lead guitars, and subsequently also toured in support of the album. Dimebag Darrell (Pantera) has a few guest lead guitar solos on the album on "Riding Shotgun" and "King Size".

Stylistically "Stomp 442" bears some resemblence to the melodic heavy/thrash metal of "Sound of White Noise" (1993), but it´s not quite as sophisticated nor as varied as the predecessor. The focus is on heavy hard rocking riffs and loads of heavy grooves, and on the best songs of the album, Anthrax actually hit a good balance between hard rock and groove metal. The album for example opens strong with "Random Acts Of Senseless Violence" and "Fueled", but unfortunately "Stomp 442" soon loses steam, and only a few of the remaining tracks are particularly memorable beyond their playing time. The closing ballad/power ballad "Bare" does not in any way compare to the greatness of "Black Lodge" from "Sound of White Noise" (1993), which in every way is a superior attempt at writing a ballad/power ballad type track.

Anthrax are as always well playing and Bush again shows how great a vocalist he is. Unfortunately much of the material he gets to work with makes him sound less inspired and powerful, which is a real shame, considering his powerhouse performance on "Sound of White Noise" (1993). The Butcher Bros. have created a decent sounding production, but at the end of the day, too many songs sound the same, and some of the blame has to be given to the production choices made, and not just the sub par songwriting. So upon conclusion "Stomp 442" is not a worthy follow up to "Sound of White Noise" (1993), and I remember thinking back then, that this had to be the end of Anthrax. History fortunately proved my fears unfounded, as they soldiered on, but that doesn´t change the fact that "Stomp 442" is one of the least interesting releases in the Anthrax´s discography. I´ll play nice with a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating, but I´m not impressed...
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