ANTHRAX Members Salute SEPULTURA's KISSER For Filling In On European Tour

SEPULTURA's Andreas Kisser filled in for ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian at 11 shows in July while Ian spent time with his family following the birth of his first child.

Kisser made his live debut with ANTHRAX on July 2 at Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany as part of a "Big Four" show with METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH.

In a letter addressed to Andreas on ANTHRAX's official Facebook page, the band writes, "Words cannot express the feeling of love we have for you. From the first day, you were a part of the family. You were the only choice to fill in for Scott and that decision proved to be the right one. Thank you for being you, we miss you already. Have a great tour with the mighty SEPULTURA."

Speaking to RockAAA at the U.K. installment of the Sonisphere festival, Andreas stated about what it was like to receive the call asking him to fill in for Ian, "It was amazing. ANTHRAX I mean, all the four bands here [METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX] are the DNA of my guitar playing. I started listening to them, the heavier music, and I wanted to play the same. They were my teachers. And to be here, it's just I don't think even a dream. I [couldn't have] dreamt something like that to happen. And the good thing is it's a very positive situation. Scott is not sick, [he doesn't have a] a broken arm or something like that. It's very, very positive. It couldn't be better. So I'm very honored to be here, by these guys, and jam. We're having fun."

Added ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello: "Andreas locks in with the band like he was always here. So there's not a thought to playing; we don't have to worry. It's nice to go on stage and not have to worry. That's the last thing we wanted to do. And he's good, he's so locked in, even with the cues, the vocals everything. Boom! It's ANTHRAX."

You can watch RockAAA's interview with Kisser and Bello below.

Professionally filmed video footage of ANTHRAX's July 3 "Big Four" performance at Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden can be viewed below. (Note: This footage was originally broadcast on the Swedish TV channel SVT.)

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Caught In A Mosh
02. Madhouse
03. Antisocial (TRUST cover)
04. Indians
05. Fight 'Em Till You Can't
06. Only
07. Refuse/Resist (SEPULTURA riffs) / I Am The Law

The first shows that Scott will play with ANTHRAX after his "paternity leave" will be the July 23 Heavy T.O. festival in Toronto, Ontario and July 24 Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec (both in Canada).

Ian and Pearl Aday, welcomed a son on June 19 at 10:19 a.m. Revel Young Ian, who came into the world three weeks early, weighed in at six pounds, nine ounces.

Ian previously stated that the choice to sit out the upcoming ANTHRAX shows "was a deeply personal one" but added that "becoming a father is the biggest, best thing that's ever happened to me and it made the decision relatively easy. My priority is with my wife and the birth of our first child."

Regarding how Kisser came to fill the temporary guitarist slot, Ian said, "We chose Andreas because we feel he can do the gig better than anyone. He has the fire, the attitude, and the crushing right hand to do the gig. I've played with Andreas at the Roadrunner 25th-anniversary show, and I've gotten up and played with SEPULTURA and we are kindred spirits. We both play every show like we're going to jail the next day, like it's the last show we'll ever play. He has what it takes and he has the experience and history to fucking bring it and make these ANTHRAX shows something special. I can't wait to see and hear it for myself!!"

"Worship Music", the long-awaited new album from ANTHRAX, is due in the U.S. on September 13 via Megaforce Records (one day earlier in Europe through Nuclear Blast Records). The band's first studio release in eight years marks the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, whose last studio work with the group was 1990's "Persistence Of Time".

(Thanks: NJthrasher)