Anthrax – Kings Among Scotland

CD:
Anthrax
Price:
£12.99

Reviewed by:
Rating:
4
On 24 April 2018
Last modified:24 April 2018

Summary:

Anthrax bring the noise to Glasgow on this thrashtastic double live album.

As live albums go this is as damn near as good as being at the gig itself as Anthrax thrash their hearts out to a vociferous crowd at the Glasgow Barrowlands Ballroom on this double CD Kings Among Scotland, due for release by Nuclear Blast Records on April 27th 2018.

It contains two sets, the first being fan chosen from an online poll and the second set is a run through of their 1987 classic Among The Living, fit to be uttered in the same breath as Reign In Blood or Bonded By Blood by Slayer and Exodus. Listening through headphones it sounds an absolute monster as they open up with the one two knockout punches of ‘A.I.R (Adolescence In Red)’ and ‘Madhouse’. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as the crunching intro blasted out with Joey Belladonna nailing the high notes thirty two years after it was released and Charlie Benante still drums like a madman and the latter is a mid paced thrasher with huge crowd backing vocals.

Other highlights are the catchy but slamming riffs in ‘Medusa’ and they show their mellower edge during ‘Blood Eagle Wings’ but the riffs from guitarists Scott Ian (founder member of the band in 1981) and Jonathan Donais churn and an intense lead break will keep the headbangers happy. ‘Fight Em Till You Can’t’ is one of the finest slammers they have penned in many years. ‘Be All, End All’ is a song I’ve not seen them play since the State Of Euphoria tour in 1988 as the intro is stretched out for the crowd to provide loud “Whoa oh oh’s” as the band head off into the fast lane.

The second set sees the Among The Living album pounded out with aplomb but not in the original running order and it sounds like visiting an old friend as I got to see them three times on this tour in 1987. The intro to the title track still slays as it accelerates into a blur of frantic riffing backed by superhuman footwork from Charlie and the fans hollering out the refrain of “Among among among” to close it. The intensity levels are kept high with the adrenaline driven ‘One World’ followed by a breathtaking Judge Dredd inspired ‘I Am The Law’ as at the end of the pounding first half, Scott shifts it into overdrive with lightning speed riffing.

The pit opening intro to ‘A Skeleton In The Closet’ precedes almost six minutes of relentless grooving and ‘Indians’ is dragged out to ten minutes to incorporate a lengthy ‘wardance’ midsection to get the floor moving and their high energy set closes with ‘Imitation Of Life’ as the chugging ‘Princess Of The Dawn’ like intro precedes a full blooded workout that briefly pauses for breath during a stomping midsection. An encore sees them triumphantly blast out a cover of the Trust classic ‘Antisocial’.

There is another format available featuring a documentary DVD.

Kings Among Scotland album track listing :- 

CD 1.

A.I.R (Adolescence In Red).

Madhouse.

Evil Twin.

Medusa.

Blood Eagle Wings.

Fight Em Till You Can’t.

Be All, End All.

Breathing Lightning.

CD 2.

Among The Living.

Caught In A Mosh.

One World.

I Am The Law.

A Skeleton In The Closet.

Efilnikufesin (N.F.L)

A.D.I/Horror Of It All.

Indians.

Imitation Of Life.

Antisocial (Trust cover).

Anthrax band line up :-

Joey Belladonna – Lead vocals.

Frank Bello – Bass guitar.

Charlie Benante – Drums.

Jonathan Donais – Lead guitar.

Scott Ian – Rhythm guitar.

 

 

 

Anthrax bring the noise to Glasgow on this thrashtastic double live album.

About Dennis Jarman

Full time downtrodden album/gig reviewer and part time rock God!