Over the last year or so, the Anthrax camp has been hinting that some new material is coming…. soon.
It's been 8 years since the band's last LP, the most excellent For All Kings, and drummer Charlie Benante has said he he's been working on new riffs, while bassist Frank Bello and guitarist Scott Ian have essentially confirmed the same thing in recent interviews.
But, in a new interview with We Go To 11, Benante actually provided the most clarity we've had so far on the new Anthrax album. "We've been working on a record for fucking three years now. It's embarrassing to even say that. I feel like Def Leppard," Benante said cheekily. Benante is currently touring with Pantera, but he suggested that Anthrax will be in the studio hopefully by this spring.
"Between the Pantera [tour dates in 2023], we're gonna be working on this record, this Anthrax record," he said. "We're hoping to have it finished before Pantera go to Europe [in late May]. I have a little window after that, before [Pantera's stadium tour with] Metallica starts. At least if I get my drum tracks done, then the other guys can continue to work on it. That's the plan. Unless something else happens, but hopefully nothing will happen."
In an interview with Metal Injection last year, Benante confirmed Anthrax has compiled roughly a dozen songs, with the group setting to work on new material back in October.
"So as far as the new material goes, in October we all met up again and worked on material again," Benante shared. "We have, I want to say, maybe 11 songs now. And out of those 11, I really feel like six or seven of them are really, really strong. I want to have a few more. I have some ideas for some other songs that I think would put the record over the top. I'd like to see that happen.
"Scott's been working on lyrics, I know And then I'll see Scott in South America because Mr. Bungle is on a bunch of shows, too, with [Pantera]. So we'll kind of get together and hang and talk about that. In a perfect world, I would hope that I have two months, three months maybe off before the Pantera stuff happens in the spring, and I could go and maybe lay down drum tracks and stuff and just get that thing going. So that's what I'm hoping to do."
You can check out the full interview with Benante and We Go To 11 below. Despite no album just yet, the good news is you can check out Anthrax on tour along with Black Label Society and Exodus through most of this coming winter. The 24-date trek kicks off tomorrow night in Boise, Idaho. The complete list of dates can be found just below.
1/17 – Boise, ID @ Revolution Concert House [Tickets]
1/18 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre [Tickets]
1/20 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum [Tickets]
1/21 – Penticton, BC @ So. Okanagan Events Ctr. [Tickets]
1/22 – Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Events Centre [Tickets]
1/24 – Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings [Tickets]
1/25 – Grand Forks, ND @ Alerus Center [Tickets]
1/27 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee [Tickets]
1/28 – Mt. Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort [Tickets]
1/29 – Chicago, IL @ Radius [Tickets]
1/31 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theater [Tickets]
2/2 – Portland, ME @ Cross Insurance Arena [Tickets]
2/3 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena [Tickets]
2/4 – Bethlehem, PA @ Sands Bethlehem Event Center [Tickets]
2/5 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues [Tickets]
2/7 – Corbin, KY @ Corbin Arena [Tickets]
2/8 – St. Louis, MO @ The Factory at The District [Tickets]
2/10 – San Antonio, TX @, Tech Port Center + Arena [Tickets]
2/11 – Houston, TX @ Bayou [Tickets]
2/13 – Omaha, NE @ The Admiral Theater [Tickets]
2/14 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion [Tickets]
2/15 – Albuquerque, NM @ Revel [Tickets]
2/17 – Riverside, CA @ Municipal Auditorium [Tickets]
2/18 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater [Tickets]
