''Armed and Dangerous'' is the first EP by American heavy metal band Anthrax, released in February 1985 through

Megaforce Records Megaforce Records is an American independent record label founded in 1982 by Jon Zazula and his wife Marsha Zazula to release the first works of Metallica, and devoted primarily to hard rock and heavy metal. It has offices in New York City (whe ...

. The band produced the album with Carl Canedy and

Jon Zazula Jonathan Zazula (March 16, 1952 – February 1, 2022), also known as Jonny Z, was an American music industry executive who was the owner of New Jersey's Rock'n Roll Heaven record store and founder of record label Megaforce Records. Zazula's reco ...

acting as executive producer. This is the first Anthrax release to feature

Joey Belladonna Joey Belladonna (born Joseph Bellardini; October 13, 1960) is an American singer, best known as the vocalist for thrash metal band Anthrax. He is also the vocalist and drummer of the cover band Chief Big Way. Belladonna has six Grammy Award no ...

on vocals, and the first Anthrax release to feature

Frank Bello Frank Bello (born July 9, 1965) is an American musician who plays bass for the thrash metal band Anthrax. Early life Bello is the nephew of Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante. He had a younger brother Anthony, who was murdered in the Bronx, New Yo ...

on bass guitar. The 1992 issue includes the songs "Soldiers of Metal" and "Howling Furies" as its last two tracks. The line-up for those two tracks is

Neil Turbin Neil Turbin (born December 24, 1963) is an American singer known for being the first full-time vocalist for thrash metal band Anthrax (American band), Anthrax. He is the current lead vocalist and songwriter of Heavy metal music, heavy metal ban ...

Scott Ian Scott Ian (born Scott Ian Rosenfeld, December 31, 1963) is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the thrash metal band Anthrax. Ian is the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroo ...

Dan Spitz Daniel Alan Spitz (born January 28, 1963) is an American musician best known for his work as the lead guitarist of the thrash metal band Anthrax from 1983 to 1995 and from 2005 to 2008. Spitz also founded the Christian music group Red Lamb, whi ...

, Greg D'Angelo (except where

Charlie Benante Charles Lee Benante (born November 27, 1962) is an American musician best known as the drummer for thrash metal band Anthrax, and crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death. Alongside rhythm guitarist and band leader Scott Ian, Benante has co ...

rerecorded the drums), and

Dan Lilker Daniel A. Lilker (born October 18, 1964) is an American semi-retired musician best known as a bass player, but also guitarist, pianist, drummer and vocalist. He was the bassist for the thrash metal band Nuclear Assault and was a founding member ...

. It was released as a double album (along with ''

Fistful of Metal ''Fistful of Metal'' is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax, released in January 1984 by Megaforce Records (US only) and Music for Nations internationally. The album includes a cover of Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen". Thi ...

'') in (Germany) in 2000. The song "Armed and Dangerous" also appears on the album ''

Spreading the Disease ''Spreading the Disease'' is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Anthrax, released on October 30, 1985 by Megaforce Records and Island Records. It was the band's first album to feature vocalist Joey Belladonna and bassist ...

'' with a different mix, which does not include the fade-in intro leading into the initial acoustic guitar melody. That intro was omitted from the album version for unverified reasons but it is possible that it was for album continuity. The song "Raise Hell" was an original Anthrax recording exclusive to the EP, and "

God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...

" was originally recorded by the Sex Pistols on the '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'' album. Despite being marked as live versions, "Metal Thrashing Mad" and "Panic" are studio re-recordings of tracks featured on the band's debut album.

Track listing

Personnel

;Band members *

– vocals *

– lead guitar *

– rhythm guitar *

– bass *

– drums ;Additional musicians *

– vocals on "Soldiers of Metal" and "Howling Furies" *

– bass on "Soldiers of Metal" and "Howling Furies" *

Greg D'Angelo Greg D'Angelo, (born December 18, 1963) is an American drummer most famous for his work in the band White Lion. Career Early career (1981–1984) Between 1981 and 1983, D'Angelo was a member of Anthrax. After leaving Anthrax, D’Angelo join ...

– drums on "Howling Furies" ;Production *Carl Canedy – producer * Alex Perialas – Norman Dunn – engineers *George Marino – mastering *

– executive producer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armed And Dangerous (Anthrax Album) 1985 debut EPs Megaforce Records EPs Anthrax (American band) EPs Thrash metal EPs