ANTHRAX – XL (2022)

July 18th 2021 marked the 40th anniversary as a band of thrash metal pioneers ANTHRAX. The celebration began in May of last year and culminated on that July 16th/17th with a global livestream event, shot at the Los Angeles soundstage/studio The Den. For two-plus hours, Anthrax performed an extensive set of hits and deep cuts pulled from their vast catalogue.
Now Anthrax announces that the entire performance will be released under the title “XL” on various formats including CD and Blu-ray.
“Forty years doesn’t feel like 40 years”, said drummer Charlie Benante. “Sometimes I have to remind myself about how long this strange trip has been. I enjoy playing these songs, they’re such a huge part of my life, and I know for a lot of our fans, they play a big part in theirs as well”.
From the night of the livestream, bassist Frank Bello recalled: “For me, each song was like reading through a scrapbook of my life and the band’s career. Specifically, ‘Madhouse’, one of my first recordings with the band, and then to where we are now with ‘Blood Eagle Wings’. What a great ride it’s been, I’m very grateful”.

“Even though we were performing in a studio with just the crew there, we played that set like we were in front of 50,000 screaming fans”, said vocalist Joey Belladonna. “I felt like we made a full-on connection with everyone watching from their homes or wherever, and that they connected with us. It was quite an intense experience”.

Currently, Anthrax are about six months into their 41st year, and the band – Belladonna, Bello, Benante, and guitarists Scott Ian & Jon Donais – don’t quite have their 40th-anniversary in the rear-view mirror.
Said Ian: “We had planned to do a big, 40th-anniversary world tour last year, but because of COVID, we couldn’t. So we’re doing our 40th anniversary this year, our 41st. We’re starting in America in July, going out with Black Label Society and Hatebreed, and then we headline a UK and European tour this fall. We’re all really looking forward to being out on the road, playing shows and some deep cuts to celebrate our 40th with our fans”.

1 – Time Intro/Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t (40th Anniversary Live Version)
2 – Madhouse (40th Anniversary Live Version)
3 – Caught In A Mosh (40th Anniversary Live Version)
4 – Metal Thrashing Mad (40th Anniversary Live Version)
5 – Got The Time (40th Anniversary Live Version)
6 – I Am The Law (40th Anniversary Live Version)
7 – Keep It In The Family (40th Anniversary Live Version)
8 – Lone Justice (40th Anniversary Live Version)
9 – The Devil You Know (40th Anniversary Live Version)
10 – Be All End All (40th Anniversary Live Version)
11 – Now It’s Dark (40th Anniversary Live Version)
12 – Antisocial (40th Anniversary Live Version)
13 – In The End (40th Anniversary Live Version)
14 – Medusa (40th Anniversary Live Version)
15 – Evil Twin (40th Anniversary Live Version)
16 – Indians (40th Anniversary Live Version)
17 – A Skeleton In The Closet (40th Anniversary Live Version)
18 – Aftershock (40th Anniversary Live Version)
19 – Blood Eagle Wings (40th Anniversary Live Version)
20 – Bring The Noise (40th Anniversary Live Version) (feat. Chuck D)
21 – A.I.R. (40th Anniversary Live Version)
22 – Among The Living (40th Anniversary Live Version)
23 – Breathing Lightning (40th Anniversary Live Version)
24 – Protest And Survive (40th Anniversary Live Version)
25 – Efilniklusefin N.F.L. (40th Anniversary Live Version)

Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/XL-Digipak-Anthrax/dp/B0B2TF4SZM