ANTHRAX Guitarist: JOEY BELLADONNA's Vocal Performance 'Blows Me Away Every Night'

Artisan News Service spoke with ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian last Thursday (October 21) prior to the band's performance at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, California as part of the Jägermeister Music Tour with SLAYER and MEGADETH. You can now watch the chat below.

When asked about how ANTHRAX's latest reunion with singer Joey Belladonna came about, Scott said, "When we first got called about [doing] the 'Big Four' [shows in Europe, featuring METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SLAYER and MEGADETH], that's what got the wheels spinning about asking Joey to come back in the band, because it just seemed like... that was the band, that was the band of the time — the Joey Belladonna ANTHRAX is the band that I think of when I think of the 'Big Four'; I think of the 'Among The Living' record, I think of '86-'87, of that time period. So it just made sense. And we met up with Joey in New York and we had — I can't even call it a meeting — we got together and we drank some coffee. 'What do you think? Do you wanna do this?' 'Yeah' And we were, like, 'Let's go!' And, like, full speed ahead. Jumped right into those 'Big Four' shows and then from that to this, and all the while, in between and during, been working on the material. And we're at a really good place where we're almost ready to go. We've got... Eight things are recorded [from the unreleased 'Worship Music' sessions with previous singer Dan Nelson]; we've only gotta go in and re-record, like, two or three songs, and then, of course, Joey's gonna sing on everything. And we hope to have a record done by springtime and out sometime in 2011. We've been playing a new song called 'Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't' already live on this tour a bunch, and it just feels great."

Regarding Belladonna's vocal performance on the current tour, Ian said, "Joey's singing now better on this tour, I would say... He sounds like he did when he joined this band, on the 'Spreading The Disease' record; he sounds like a kid singing. I mean, there's not many dudes that could sing in the register that he's singing. At the age we are — not to give anything away here — but none of us are 21 years old anymore. And he's hitting some notes, man, that I'm, like, 'Holy cow! How does he do this?' It blows me away every night."

ANTHRAX will release the "Live At The Sonisphere" 10-inch single — a picture disc featuring the tracks "Medusa" and "Only" from the "The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria" DVD and Blu-ray — on November 26 via Metal Club, a group of record stores throughout the U.S. and Canada that work to connect the vibrant metal community with their local record store. Fans will be able to visit their local Metal Club store for special metal promotional pieces, exciting in-store events, and a series of exclusive Metal Club releases.

Charlie Benante of ANTHRAX had the following to say about independent record stores, "Indie stores are our only hope! People should cherish these wonderful treasures. Go, get lost in an indie record store, you may discover a band or record that could blow your mind."

Visit www.mymetalclub.com for store locations, news and information on other Metal Club releases.