ANTHRAX — Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (review)

ANTHRAX — Volume 8: The Threat Is Real album cover Album · 1998 · Groove Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Stooge
Volume 8 serves as my first proper introduction to Anthrax. In fact, it was one of the first metal albums I’d spent my own money on. I’d heard their cover of the Beastie Boy’s “Looking Down The Barrel of a Gun” of the Beavis and Butthead Experience, and expected more of the same. I didn’t get anything that remotely resembled that, but I was far from disappointed.

Much of the material on here is undeniably heavy and hard-hitting. “Crush”, “Killing Box” (featuring Pantera’s Phil Anselmo on backing vocals), “P & V”, “Born Again Idiot”, and “Hog Tied” all are among the more crushing songs on the album. There are also a great number of more accessible and melodic songs that are just as powerful. Songs “Catharsis”, “Inside Out”, “Harms Way”, and “Stealing From a Thief”, while still considerably heavy, fall into this category. Hidden track “Pieces” is a touching ballad sung by Frank Bello and written in memory of his brother, and was a nice surprise the first time I heard it.

There are a couple of songs on here that are more on the novelty side. The tracks “604” and “Cupajoe” channel a bit of hardcore attitude in these minimal sound blasts, containing the humor and energy that side-project S.O.D. are known for. “Toast To The Extras” is even more uncharacteristic of the band with its country rock leanings. A few oddball tracks, but they have their charm.

My sentimental attachment to this album may have me overvaluing it in some people’s eyes, but this album is certainly one of the more overlooked albums in Anthrax’s discography and is rather enjoyable.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
Stooge wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I agree this isn't as good as SOWN. I think We've Come For You All is my favorite Bush-era Anthrax album, and I prefer the Bush stuff over the Belladonna stuff, though I honestly rarely listen to Anthrax much these days.
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
LOL :-)
Time Signature wrote:
more than 2 years ago
The system agreed with so much that it posted my shout twice ;-)
Time Signature wrote:
more than 2 years ago
"Sound of White Noise" was awesome - and will forever be difficult to top. I prefer their thrash metal releases though.
Time Signature wrote:
more than 2 years ago
"Sound of White Noise" was awesome - and will forever be difficult to top. I prefer their thrash metal releases though.
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I always felt it was a letdown just like its predecessor after the excellent "Sound of White Noise" and I practically never listen to the album. I´ll give it a few spins before writing my review of the album though. Maybe something new will surface.

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

I, the Destroyer Black Metal
SVARTFJELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion Black Metal
PANZERFAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed