ANTHRAX's SCOTT IAN Says He Is Proud Of Band's 35-Year Career

June 24, 2016

HeadBangers LifeStyle conducted an interview with ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian at this year's edition of the Graspop Metal Meeting festival, which was held June 17-19 in Dessel, Belgium. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked what he is most proud of when it comes to ANTHRAX, Ian said: "Our career. Next month will be 35 years of ANTHRAX — on July 18 — so that's what I'm most proud of. We started the band 35 years ago. That's amazing to me. And it's not something I…

"I recently had to write something for our publicist, 'cause we're gonna put out a press release, and it took me a long time to be able to write something, because I can't wrap my head around 35 years of doing this. It's too big, really, to think about. It's two-thirds of my life. It's crazy.

"35 years. Most people don't do anything for 35 years, let alone be in a heavy metal band. So I think that's it. That's certainly the thing I'm most proud of — that we've done it for so long, and we still get to do it, on our terms."

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.

ANTHRAX will join forces with SLAYER and DEATH ANGEL this fall for a seven-week North American beat down. The dates start in Cleveland on September 9 and will hit both major and secondary markets across the continent.

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