Anthrax on the Metal Alliance Tour 2013 at Irving Plaza, NYC Saturday April 20th, 2013

Anthrax-6

Photos by Dhruv Kumar

http://www.dhruvkumar.com/

ANTHRAX headlined at Irving Plaza on the third annual Metal Alliance Tour over the weekend for two sold out back-to-back shows on April 20th and 21st. The band performed its fan-favorite 1987 album “Among The Living” in its entirety during the trek, and feature support from EXODUS, MUNICIPAL WASTE, SHADOWS FALL (who replaced High on Fire) and HOLY GRAIL.

“Anthems”, ANTHRAX’s long-awaited, eight-track EP that payed tribute to the classic songs by some of the band’s favorite acts from the 1970s, sold around 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 52 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released in North America on March 19 (MRI/Megaforce), and on March 22 in Europe (Nuclear Blast).

ANTHRAX’s latest full-length album, “Worship Music”, sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at No. 12. The band’s previous studio CD, 2003’s “We’ve Come For You All”, opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.

Among the Living

The album was produced by Anthrax and Eddie Kramer. The album includes the singles, “I Am the Law” and “Indians”. The video for the song “Indians” received substantial rotation on MTV.

The cover of Among the Living depicts the character Randall Flagg, the antagonist from the Stephen King novel The Stand, this character is the subject of the album’s title track; as written in the album liner notes.[8] “A Skeleton In The Closet” is also inspired by a Stephen King novella entitled Apt Pupil.

The song “I Am the Law” is based on the comic book character Judge Dredd. Numerous characters, settings, and story elements from Dredd’s fictional universe are referenced in the song’s lyrics.

This was the final Anthrax album to feature songwriting contributions from original bassist Danny Lilker, who, despite having left the band after 1984’s Fistful of Metal, was credited as the co-writer of several Anthrax songs for the next two albums. On Among the Living, he is credited as the co-writer of the songs “I Am the Law” and “Imitation of Life”.

The album was dedicated to the memory of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton, a highly regarded figure in the thrash community who died six months prior to the album’s release.

On November 10, 2009, a deluxe edition of the album was released which included a bonus concert DVD. The deluxe edition featured alternate takes of several album tracks, live versions and “I Am the Law” b-side, “Bud E Luv Bomb And Satan’s Lounge Band”.