ANTHRAX Bassist Checks In From The Road

Fender signature bass player Frank Bello is back on the road with his New York-based metal band ANTHRAX. Currently in the middle of a European tour, ANTHRAX returns Stateside later this summer to tour with SLIPKNOT.

Throughout the summer, Bello has generously agreed to share his road journal with Fender.com in his blog, Anthrax Anecdotes. An excerpt from his first entry follows below.

"When Fender asked me if I'd like to do a tour diary for the website, I was quick to agree because I thought it might be cool for people who have never gotten a chance to tour to get a little taste of the realities of what it's really like. And for those who have toured, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about …

"I've been very fortunate to have made a living playing music and touring the world for the past 24 years, but as some of you out there might know, it isn't as glamorous as it may seem.

"Still, to this day, the best part of the touring life for me is when I get to play in front of an audience in different cities around the world. For the other 22½ hours, I honestly wish somebody would invent a transport machine so I can be home to take a dump on my own bowl instead of having to squat over the filthy, disgusting, germ ridden 'port-a-bowls' they have at the festivals we've been playing! Obviously, I have some toilet issues.

"So far, we've played seven shows on this European tour: Estonia, London, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. They've all been amazing!

"We have a new record coming out in October called 'Worship Music' (shameless plug),and the new songs we are playing from it have been going over great with the crowds."

Read more from Fender.com.

Fan-filmed video footage of ANTHRAX performing at this year's edition of the biggest Croatian music festival, T-Mobile INmusic festival, on June 25, 2009 at Jarun lake in Zagreb, Croatia can be viewed below.

The festival featured five stages (including a "heavy metal" stage) with live and DJ music, free camping and was expected to draw up to 25,000 people.

For the second year in a row, T-Mobile INmusic was ranked among the 20 best music festivals in Europe by the British newspaper The Times.

Dave Fortman, a former member of UGLY KID JOE who has also worked with artists such as MUDVAYNE, EVANESCENCE, and SLIPKNOT, began mixing ANTHRAX's new album, "Worship Music", last month in a New Orleans studio. The CD, now set for a fall release, is the band's first studio effort in six years and marks the recording debut of new lead vocalist Dan Nelson.

ANTHRAX will return to the U.S. to headline the first night of the third-annual, four-day Rocklahoma festival on July 9 in Prior, OK.

Two thousand and nine marks the 25th anniversary of ANTHRAX's debut release, "Fistful of Metal". To celebrate, Megaforce Records released a limited-edition (only 2,000 copies were made) vinyl release of the album last week, on May 12, 2009. The package is spread over three 10-inch records in a tri-fold die cut jacket, and includes the group's 1985 EP, "Armed and Dangerous". The "Fistful of Metal" vinyl limited edition reissue retails for $39.98 and is available at ANTHRAX's official web site, Anthrax.com, Amazon.com and record stores across the U.S.

Metal Hammer heard four tracks ("Burn The Past", "Earth On Hell", "New Noise" and "Bleed") from "Worship Music" and has posted a short review at this location. Other songtitles set to appear on the album include "Vampires", "Crawl", "The Devil You Know", "The Giant" and "Fight 'em 'Til You Can't". The album was produced by Caggiano and ANTHRAX.

"Fight 'em 'Til You Can't":

"New Noise" (REFUSED cover):