ANTHRAX: Rock Is Not Dead

Artisan News conducted an interview with ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna and drummer Charlie Benante at the inaugural Rock'N Derby festival, which was held May 20-22 at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds in Schaghticoke, New York. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about some people's claim that "rock is dead," Joey said: "I never thought it was dead. It was just lingering for a while."

Added Charlie: "It just doesn't get the media attention that it once got. But we've been playing all these festivals, and forty thousand people here, sixty thousand people there… I don't think rock is dead at all."

Continued Joey: "You just do your thing and just do it well, and people will pay attention. And if they don't like it, that's all right; we still do a good job. That's all you can do, really."

ANTHRAX's latest album, "For All Kings", sold 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 9 on The Billboard 200 chart. According to Billboard, ANTHRAX was last in the top 10 back in 1993 with "Sound Of White Noise", which debuted and peaked at No. 7. "For All Kings" also gave ANTHRAX its largest sales week for an album since "Sound Of White Noise"'s second week on sale (40,000; it debuted with 62,000).

"For All Kings" is ANTHRAX's first studio album since 2011's "Worship Music" (No. 12 peak with 28,000 sold in its first week) and follows the 2013 covers set "Anthems" (No. 52; 8,000 sold in its debut frame).

"For All Kings" also topped the Hard Rock Albums chart in both the U.S. and Canada, and landed at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively, on the U.S. and Canada's Top Current Albums charts. Additionally, "For All Kings" debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart, No. 2 on the Independent Albums chart, No. 4 Physical Albums, and No. 5 Vinyl Albums chart.