Title: Among the Living Artist: Anthrax Label: Polygram Release Date: 1987 Rating: 5 Skulls
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Death's Review:
I'm not even listening to the record right now, but just imagining those opening chords to "Among the Living" brings a smile to my face and tells me it's time to get down in the pit and bring it on. That song, with its heavy chug chromatic intro (sounds a lot like S.O.D., you say? Not as much as "Imitation of Life" does!), almost defines the idea of "moshing" for me - back when moshing was actually cool. You see, Anthrax was the good-time speed metal band, comedy thrash if you will. And some hated them for it - calling them clowns for wearing doofy "Jams" shorts with silly prints and running around on stage like idiots screaming "Not!" and wearing backwards caps with the brim tipped up so you can see they say "Injun!". But Anthrax, more so than any band other than Metallica, brought thrash/speed metal to the masses. For one brief, shining moment, Anthrax walked the line between total mainstream acceptance and totally punishing metallic riffage. And Among the Living was the record that presented Anthrax equally as newly underground scene graduates and newly crowned arena-rock contenders. For these reasons alone, Among the Living is a classic.

But more than all of that, Among the Living is just plain classic thrash - tight, well-executed riffing, almost archetypally superb Charlie Benante drumming (he puts on a veritable clinic here), often goofy but immediate lyrics (although I like the Stephen King's "The Stand" references), and great songs. "Indians" and "Caught in a Mosh" were hits, but the entire album just absolutely shredded from start to finish. Whatever you think you're into these days, no self-respecting metalhead should be unfamiliar with Anthrax and Among the Living. In many ways, I actually prefer the Bush-era sound, style and image, but this album was, for a time, so important that it is by far the band's most essential. Check it out.

 

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