Anthrax is an American
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band from New York City. Formed in 1981, the group was originally a foursome consisting of guitarist
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 ...
, bassist
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 ...
, drummer Dave Weiss and lead vocalist Joe Gelione. The band has been through many personnel changes, and currently includes rhythm guitarist
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 ...
, drummer
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 ...
(since 1983), bassist
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 ...
(since 1984), vocalist
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 ...
(from 1984–1992, 2005–2007 and since 2010) and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais (since 2013). According to Anthrax members, guitarist
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004), best known by his stage name Dimebag Darrell, was an American musician. He was the guitarist of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, both of which he co-founded alongside hi ...
, who was killed Dec 8, 2004 on stage at a show for his new band Damage Plan, is and always will be the 6th Member of Anthrax.
History
1981–1992
Anthrax was originally formed in 1981 by
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 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 ...
and Dave Weiss. A few months later,
John Connelly and Paul Kahn took over on vocals and bass, respectively, and Lilker switched to rhythm guitar.
The band went through many lineup changes in its early stages – Connelly was replaced by
Dirk Kennedy, followed by Ian's brother Jason Rosenfeld, then Tommy Wise; Greg Walls spent two years with the group on lead guitar (Ian switched to rhythm guitar), followed briefly by Bob Berry; Kahn was replaced by Kenny Kushner, before Lilker took over on bass when Walls joined; and Weiss was replaced by
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 ...
.
The band eventually settled in 1983 with a lineup including Ian and Lilker, lead vocalist
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 ...
(who joined in August 1982),
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 ...
(lead guitar, backing vocals) and
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 ...
(drums).
After signing with
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 ...
's new
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
label
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 ...
later in the year, Anthrax recorded its debut album ''
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 ...
''.
Shortly after its January 1984 release, Turbin fired Lilker without consulting with the other members of the band, although Ian has since admitted that "there were issues" with the bassist. He was replaced by
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 ...
. Tensions continued to grow between Turbin and the rest of the group as they toured throughout 1984, leading to his eventual departure in August.
The vocalist was briefly replaced by
Matt Fallon
Matt Fallon (born Matthew Frankel; September 30, 1965, Brooklyn, New York) is a heavy metal singer best known for his work with Skid Row and Anthrax.
Early life
Fallon moved to central New Jersey at the age of eight with his parents and young ...
, before
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 ...
joined later in the year. After recording four studio albums with the band, Belladonna was fired from Anthrax in 1992 due to stylistic changes the group intended to take, with
John Bush taking his place.
1992 onwards
Dan Spitz left Anthrax in 1995 to become a professional
watchmaker
A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. Since a majority of watches are now factory-made, most modern watchmakers only repair watches. However, originally they were master craftsmen who built watches, including all their part ...
. Guitars on ''
Stomp 442
''Stomp 442'' is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax. It was released in 1995 by Elektra Records. The band and the Philadelphia-based producers Butcher Brothers produced the album, which includes the singles, "Fueled" ...
'' were recorded by Ian, Benante,
Paul Crook
Paul Crook (born February 12, 1966) is an American guitarist known for his work recording and performing with Meat Loaf. He has also recorded and toured with Anthrax, Sebastian Bach and Marya Roxx.
Biography
Growing up in Green Brook Townshi ...
and
Pantera's
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004), best known by his stage name Dimebag Darrell, was an American musician. He was the guitarist of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, both of which he co-founded alongside hi ...
. Crook remained with Anthrax for touring and recording after the release of ''Stomp 442'', although never became an official member. He was replaced in August 2001 by former
Boiler Room guitarist
Rob Caggiano
Robert Caggiano (born November 7, 1976) is an American guitarist and record producer. Since 2013, Caggiano has been the lead guitarist of the rock band Volbeat. He had formerly been guitarist of thrash metal band Anthrax and nu metal band Boile ...
. Bello briefly left in March 2004 to join
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...
, with
Joey Vera
Joey Vera (born April 24, 1963) is an American bassist who is known as a member of the heavy metal band Armored Saint and progressive metal band Fates Warning. During 2004 and early 2005, he toured with Anthrax as a fill-in for Frank Bello, who ...
temporarily taking his place.
It was announced in September 2005 that Belladonna, Spitz and Bello would return to Anthrax for a reunion tour and potentially new recordings. ''
Alive 2'' was recorded on the tour, but by January 2007 the reunion had fallen through as Belladonna had reportedly chosen not to continue working with the other members.
By the end of 2007, the group had enlisted
Dan Nelson as its new lead vocalist and brought back Caggiano. However, after recording a new album with the band, Nelson left in July 2009 and was replaced for future tour dates by Bush. Belladonna returned to Anthrax the following year, making his first appearance at June's "
big four" show and re-recording vocals on the album ''
Worship Music
Contemporary worship music (CWM), also known as praise and worship music, is a defined genre of Christian music used in contemporary worship. It has developed over the past 60 years and is stylistically similar to pop music. The songs are f ...
''. Caggiano left the band in January 2013, with
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1996. Although Shadows Fall has experienced several line-up changes, for most of its recording career, Shadows Fall has been composed of Jon Donais (lead guitar, ...
guitarist Jon Donais taking his place a week later.
Members
Current
Former
Touring
Timeline
Lineups
References
External links
Anthrax official website
{{Anthrax
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Anthrax