Former ANTHRAX Guitarist DAN SPITZ Working On 'Legendary' DEUXMONKEY Debut

Former ANTHRAX guitarist Dan Spitz is hard at work on the debut album from his DEUXMONKEY project, which also features ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes, vocalist Wade Black (CRIMSON GLORY, SEVEN WITCHES, LEATHERWOLF) and drummer Patrick Johansson (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, W.A.S.P. ).

Commented Spitz in an online posting: "For all our fans who have been inquisitive regarding when we will be entering the recording studio... the time has come to let you all know that we are now ready to enter the studio to start tracking. We will start momentarily tracking what I think is just the sickest most wicked riffs I've written to date. A movement forward in time with creative new guitar sounds.

"After the end of my last touring cycle with ANTHRAX, I needed a long break to take care of our identical twins Brendan and Jaden who were diagnosed with autism. I certainly couldn't leave Candi (my wonderful wife) to deal with the daily grind of multiple therapists at the house. We are on a better track now with them and at a point where the recording and touring cycles can start.

"Patrick and I have been hard at work in his KISS room bringing to fruition some great music. His double-bass feet seem connected to my picking in a way I can't explain. I guess it was meant to be.

"We certainly have a legendary CD here in our hands. The song topics are just mind-blowing! The music is by far the best I've ever written."

In a December 2010 interview, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine revealed that he helped fine-tune the songs on DEUXMONKEY's debut album after hearing some of the material in its early stages of development.

"[Dan] was working on a little side project, and I'd heard it a while ago and it kind of went by in passing 'cause he was just starting it," Mustaine said. "And I heard it about three weeks ago; he was almost done. And I said, 'Man, I love this record.' I said, 'And do you think it's done?' And he goes, 'Yeah.' And he goes, 'Why? What do you think?' And I said, 'Well, I would kind of do this and that.' And he goes, 'Really? Go ahead.' And I went, 'Really?' So I rolled up my sleeves and I completely dedicated myself to Danny's record for the last three weeks, working tirelessly in my studio on this record with him. And it's that good. I heard it and I just went, 'Oh my God!' It's like a cross between, say, DISTURBED, SOUNDGARDEN and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE kind of thing. Little bit of some smatterings of ANTHRAX because of the speed stuff, but it's much more modern and much more heavy sounding. It's just great, 'cause he's had such a bad run with his heart problems and his twin boys have autism severely. So we're just working together as friends. And he's helped me a lot with my life, too, my spiritual walk, because, as everybody knows, I became a Christian."

DEUXMONKEY is:

* Dan Spitz (ANTHRAX) - Guitar
* Peter Baltes (ACCEPT) - Bass
* Patrick Johansson (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, W.A.S.P.) - Drums
* Wade Black (CRIMSON GLORY, SEVEN WITCHES, LEATHERWOLF) - Vocals

For more information, visit the DEUXMONKEYMySpace page.

Spitz was released from the hospital in May 2010 after he received treatment for complications from his 2009 heart attack. He underwent open-heart surgery on June 5, 2009 after it was discovered that the main artery to his heart was almost "completely closed."

Spitz took part in the reunion of ANTHRAX's classic lineup in 2005 and 2006 but left the band after ANTHRAX's most recent split with singer Joey Belladonna.

In a January 2007 interview with Eddie Trunk of the "Friday Night Rocks" radio show on New York's Q104.3 FM, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian stated about Spitz, "Whether people are aware or not, Danny's, like, a big deal in the really, really fancy, expensive watch world — like crazy, super-high-end watches — and he's got his own line of watches coming out. It's weird, because before the reunion I would read this stuff online, and I would just kind of be like, 'What the hell…?' But then like after hanging out with the guy for 20 months and you actually talk to him and see the watches and what-not, I was like, 'Holy crap!' It's a pretty big deal."