It has been a long time coming, but finally, Anthrax are returning to the studio, says drummer Charlie Benante. Despite being extremely busy writing over the last decade, Anthrax hasn't been in the studio to record a new album in a long time. Their most current release is the totally boss For All Kings released in 2016.
"We're actually going in two weeks to start recording the record," Benante told Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules. "But it probably wouldn't come out [until 2024]. But the good part about it is we are going in to start recording it. So that's awesome."
Awesome news indeed—and concrete news, taboot, which is relieving after a series of teases of the last year or so.
In an interview with Metal Edge earlier this year, Benante and guitarist Scott Ian discussed their mindset and observations on music consumption in 2023. Ian noted there are 11 songs being demoed at the moment, at which point Benante wondered aloud if releasing EPs instead of a full length would make more sense in 2023.
"Think about it," Benante offered. "If Anthrax released five songs and you have these five songs, and you absorb it in such a different way nowadays, too. I think that may be the way to go, rather than give everybody 11 songs and it's like, 'Oh — I only had a chance to listen to the first four or five.' I don't know. I just think maybe the business model is different."
Ian also added, "Yeah — why not parse it out? I don't know. All I know is at some point in the next few months we'll probably have 14 or 15 things and then we'll have to decide… how we're going to release it."
With Benante telling Metal Rules this week that nothing is coming out until 2024, that says to me that Anthrax ultimately opted to go the full-length LP route, just based on the time frame and not much more. So, we'll have to see.
In my gut, Anthrax fans are definitely fans who listen to whole albums, and that may have gone into the band's thinking—again, not knowing what these upcoming sessions will lead to. What we do know is that any release from any active member of The Big 4 is naturally a big deal, and so it's safe to assume that, whatever the format, it's gonna be sick. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, crank up this video of one of For All Kings best cuts, "Breathing Lightning."
