''Attack of the Killer B's'' is a

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

s, covers and rarities by the thrash metal band

Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...

and the band's last audio album released before vocalist John Bush replaced longtime Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna in 1992. The album was released in June 1991 by Megaforce Worldwide/ Island Entertainment. The "B's" in the album's title refers to b-sides previously unreleased and compiled for a single release. In 1992 the album was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

in the category

Best Metal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre. The Grammy Awards is an annual ceremony, where ...

Album information

Though a collection of "B-sides", the album featured one of their biggest singles; a collaboration/cover of

Public Enemy Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...

's "

Bring the Noise "Bring the Noise" is a song by the American hip hop group Public Enemy. It was included on the soundtrack of the 1987 film '' Less than Zero;'' the song was also released as a single that year. It later became the first song on the group's 198 ...

". ''Attack of the Killer B's'' was certified gold by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

. The two live tracks, "Keep It in the Family" and "Belly of the Beast", were recorded during the 1990–91 '' Persistence of Time'' tour. Also included is an updated version of their 1987 single, "I'm the Man", and three songs previously released only in Europe and Japan on the 1989 EP, '' Penikufesin'' ("Nise Fukin EP"), recorded during the '' State of Euphoria'' sessions. Two versions of the album were released: the uncensored version contained full expletives and the song "Startin' Up a Posse", and the censored version which excluded the aforementioned track, and in place of the explicit words, a buzzing noise (like bees) is heard. The track "Startin' Up a Posse" is a tongue in cheek attack on the

Parents Music Resource Center The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to have violent, drug-related, or sexual themes via labeling albums ...

. The sample at the end of the track was taken from the final scene of the

Marilyn Chambers Marilyn Ann Taylor (née Briggs; April 22, 1952 – April 12, 2009), known professionally as Marilyn Chambers, was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress, singer and vice-presidential candidate. She was known f ...

movie "Insatiable". The compilation also includes covers of songs by Discharge,

Kiss A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...

, Trust, and the

surf rock Surf music (also known as surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is inst ...

staple "

Pipeline A pipeline is a system of Pipe (fluid conveyance), pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countries ...

", recorded by The Chantays. The song "N.F.B. (Dallabnikufesin)" was intended to illustrate the band's disdain for

power ballads A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Ballad ...

, which were very fashionable in the commercial metal scene at the time, and parodies 80s

glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music, heavy metal that features pop music, pop-influenced Hook (music), hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat arena rock, rock anthems, and slow Sentimental ballad#Powe ...

power ballads. The band also covers two songs ("Milk (Ode to Billy)" and "Chromatic Death") originally recorded by Stormtroopers of Death, a mid-80s side project by Anthrax members

Scott Ian Scott Ian (born Scott Ian Rosenfeld, December 31, 1963) is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, lyricist and co-founder of the thrash metal band Anthrax (American band), Anthrax, of which he is the sole continuous member. Ia ...

Charlie Benante Charles Lee Benante (born November 27, 1962) is an American musician, best known as the drummer for thrash metal band Anthrax (American band), Anthrax and crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death. Known as one of the pioneers of Bass drum, d ...

, and then-bassist

Dan Lilker Daniel Adam Lilker (born October 18, 1964) is an American musician best known as a bass player, but also guitarist, pianist, and vocalist. He has played bass in numerous heavy metal bands, including Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, S.O.D. and Holy ...

. The "Billy" referenced in the title is S.O.D. vocalist Billy Milano. "Bring the Noise" is a collaboration with rap group Public Enemy, making this song one of the first

rap metal Rap metal is a fusion genre that combines hip hop music, hip hop with heavy metal music, heavy metal. It usually consists of heavy metal guitar riffs, funk metal elements, Rapping, rapped vocals and sometimes turntablism, turntables. History O ...

collaborations (albeit some years after the

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

Run DMC Run-DMC (also formatted Run-D.M.C., RUN DMC, or some combination thereof) was an American hip-hop group formed in Hollis, Queens, New York City in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jam Master Jay, Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as ...

1986 collaboration on "

Walk This Way "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...

"), although Joey Belladonna and Dan Spitz had collaborated with Untouchable Force Organization on a song called "Lethal" in 1987 that was released as a single. "Bring the Noise" has been a live staple since Anthrax first played it on the Headbangers Ball Tour with

Helloween Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. The band has at times been called one of the most influential European heavy metal bands of the 1980s. Its first ...

and Exodus in 1989, and it later appeared in the videogames '' Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2'' and '' WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw''.

Track listing

Personnel

;Anthrax * Joey Belladonna -

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...

* Dan Spitz -

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

, backing vocals *

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a guitar technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse (music), pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., d ...

, backing vocals, lead vocals (third and fourth verses) on "Bring the Noise", "Protest and Survive", "Startin' Up a Posse", and "I'm the Man '91" *

Frank Bello Frank Bello (born July 9, 1965) is an American musician who plays bass for the thrash metal band Anthrax. He was also a member of Helmet from 2004 to 2005 and has been the touring bassist of Norwegian black metal band Satyricon since 2024. Earl ...

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

, lead vocals on "I'm the Man '91", sampling and drum programming on "Bring the Noise" and "I'm the Man '91", 12-string acoustic guitar on "N.F.B. (Dallabnikufesin)" ;Additional musicians *

Chuck D Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), known professionally as Chuck D, is an American rapper, best known as the leader and frontman of the hip hop group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav. Chuck D is also a me ...

- lead vocals (first two verses) on "Bring the Noise" *

Flavor Flav William Jonathan Drayton Jr. (born March 16, 1959), known by his stage name Flavor Flav ( ), is an American rapper and television personality. Known for his catchphrase "Yeah, boyeeeeee!" when performing, he is a founding member alongside Chuck ...

- backing vocals on "Bring the Noise" * Mark Dodson - backing vocals on "Startin' Up a Posse" * Ed "Parasite" Trunk - backing vocals on "Parasite"

Charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control Albums produced by Mark Dodson B-side compilation albums Anthrax (American band) compilation albums 1991 compilation albums Island Records compilation albums Megaforce Records compilation albums