Anthrax

The Profile

Anthrax are an American heavy metal band from New York City, widely recognized as one of the key groups of 1980s thrash metal and commonly associated with the genre’s “Big Four.”

Publicly established facts: formed in New York City in 1981; associated with thrash metal and the Big Four of thrash. The band’s history includes major vocalist eras with Joey Belladonna and John Bush. Reviews here also emphasize their hardcore/punk influences, their comedic/self-ironic image in the classic years, and a major stylistic turn around Sound of White Noise.

Across these reviews, Anthrax are framed as key New York thrash figures with a reputation for humor, speed, and hardcore/punk edges. The classic run (Spreading the Disease, Among the Living, Persistence of Time) is praised heavily, while State of Euphoria splits reviewers. The Joey Belladonna vs. John Bush era switch is treated as a major identity pivot, with Sound of White Noise often singled out as a strong, controversial reinvention. Live recordings and gigs are consistently described as high-energy and crowd-driven. Several reviewers call the band underrated compared to their Big Four peers.