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Rating:
A very worthy successor to the absolute masterpiece and brilliant debut “Spreading The Disease” from the previous year, this “Among The Living” album, dedicated to the memory of the great Cliff Burton, the Metallica bassist who passed away shortly before its release, is the second effort by the legendary Anthrax. It saw the light in the distant year of 1986 and has always been slightly overlooked and overshadowed due to the other “usual” historical giants it had to face that year.
It is no coincidence, in fact, that the album is nothing more than a point of contact between the old Anthrax, those five (almost) Italians who in the early '80s ignited the East Coast with virulent Thrash Metal featuring great melodic openings, and the later Anthrax, increasingly committed to experimenting and blending unexpected and less assimilable genres, often inserting elements of clear Punk, Hardcore, and even Rap origin (!!!) which over time came to even take over the clearly Thrash core that animated them, thus cutting themselves off and unable to recover the good old origins that made them so famous and respected.
Inside here you'll find a bit of everything, from good pure Thrash (the title track, “Caught In A Mosh,” “Skeleton In The Closet”) to more “hardcore-ized” Thrash (the last three tracks are a great example), passing through blatantly Maiden-like inserts, to hard and pure Hardcore (listen to “Efilnikufesin,” which you have to read backward to get a “sensible” title, and see if you can prove me wrong). The only common thread is the strong emphasis on unrestrained speed and the “tupatupatupa,” characteristics already present on “Spreading The Disease,” but here further accentuated, a clear invitation to let loose and mosh with the radiator of your room (as I did).
Nothing to say about the individual performance of the band's members: the charismatic Joey Belladonna is as lively, superlative, and over-the-top as ever, and with his unique, clear, bright, inciting to “moshing” voice, at times very, very ironic and fun, permeating the whole album, he makes us understand that, even in a genre not known for singers' technical abilities, there is always the delightful exception that doesn't prove the rule; Charlie Benante is simply unstoppable and likely marks here the best drumming performance in the entire Anthrax discography along with the immortal predecessor, doing great both in pure speed parts and slower parts where he showcases all his creativity; the two axes Dan Spitz and Scott Ian break perfectly, with fast and absolutely sharp riffs, slightly trivial solos but always satisfying and breathtakingly melodic parts à la “Armed And Dangerous” that widen the heart; the two fast fingers of bassist Frank Bello confirm the notable talent demonstrated on “Spreading The Disease,” with excellent, always interesting but never trivial interventions, elevating him among the best Thrash bassists in history.
At this point, a summary seems more than necessary: the album is excellent and among the best in Anthrax’s discography, but…
…But if you're hard and pure Thrashers and absolutely don't want to hear about highly questionable external influences or very melodically combined parts, you probably won't be able to fully appreciate the atmosphere that permeates the album: a cheerful atmosphere that speaks much of “breaking with the past, without denying its importance, though.”
If, on the other hand, you want to appreciate the point of contact between the old and “new” Anthrax, are willing to tolerate a bit too much punkish influence or some riff too Maiden-like or melodic to be called Thrash, this album is absolutely unmissable and carefree!
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Among the Living (05:16)
Disease! Disease! Spreading the disease.
With some help from Captain Trips,
he'll bring the world down to his knees.
Power, yes Power! He'll show them all his power.
It pulses through his ice cold blood,
a whole world to devour!
BridgeHe's seeing, he's calling, his legacy he's spawning.
He's coming, corrupting, among the living!
Murder! Murder! Commit cold blooded murder!
Like Nazis during World War Two, they only follow orders.
Hatred! Hatred! A crucifix is your bed,
Once he turns his eye on you, you'll be better off dead!
I'm the walkin' dude, I can see all the world!
Twist your minds with fear, I'm the man with the power.
Among the living, follow me or die!
Man, fights Man! Divided they can't stand!
United, they can battle back, and make him force his hand!
Fear, yes fear! His end is growing near,
He didn't count on Man's good faith,
and their will to persevere.
Follow me or die!
FIRE! HOT FIRE!! Purge the world with fire!!
Damnation is the price he'll pay, for an evil man's desire!
Good, versus evil! The stand to vanquish evil!
Man can only live one way, that place right in the middle.
Follow me or die!
Among Among Among Among Among Among
Among Among Among Among Among Among!
02 Caught in a Mosh (05:00)
Why don't you listen to me when I try to talk to you
Stop thinking of yourself, for just a second fool
Shut up, shut up, I don't wanna hear your mouth
Your mother made a monster, now get the hell out of my house
Can't stand it for another day
I ain't gonna live my life this way
Cold sweat, my fists are clenching
Stomp, stomp, stomp the idiot convention
Which one of these words don't you understand?
I'm caught in a mosh
Talking to you is like clapping with one hand
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
Don't tell me how to do my job
There's the door, your name's on the knob
You're always in the way, like a beast on my back
Were you dropped as a baby, 'cause brains you lack
Can't stand it for another day
I ain't gonna live my life this way
Cold sweat, my fists are clenching
Stomp, stomp, stomp, the idiot convention
Which one of these words don't you understand?
I'm caught in a mosh
Talking to you, is like clapping with one hand
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
Think, before you speak
Or suffer for your words
Learn, to give respect
That others give to you
AAAAAAAAAAAh, the best you can do
Hey, man!
I'm trying to reason but you don't understand
Talking in circles, we'll never get it straight
Just you and me in our theatre of hate
Can't stand it for another day
I ain't gonna live my life this way
Cold sweat, my fists are clenching
Stomp, stomp, stomp, the idiot convention
Which one of these words don't you understand?
I'm caught in a mosh
Talking to you is like talking with one hand
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
03 I Am the Law (05:53)
I Am The Law
Fifteen years in the academy
He was like no cadet they'd ever seen
A man so hard, his veins bleed ice
And when he speaks he never says it twice
They call him Judge, his last name is Dredd
So break the law, and you wind up dead
Truth and justice are what he's fighting for
Judge Dredd the man, he is the law
DROKK IT!
With gun and bike he rules the streets
And every perp he meets will taste defeat
Not even Death can overcome his might
Cause Dredd and Anderson, they won the fight
When the Sov's started the Apocalypse war
Mega-City was bombed to the floor
Dredd resisted, and the judges fought back
Crushed the Sov's with their counter-attack
DROKK IT!
Respect the badge - he earned it with his blood
Fear the gun - your sentence may be death because...
Chorus
I AM THE LAW!
And you won't fuck around no more - I AM THE LAW
I judge the rich, I judge the poor - I AM THE LAW
Commit a crime I'll lock the door - I AM THE LAW
Because in Mega-City... I AM THE LAW
In the cursed earth where mutants dwell
There is no law, just a living hell
Anarchy and chaos as the blood runs red
But this would change if it was up to Dredd
The book of law is the bible to him
And any crime committed is a sin
He keeps the peace with his law-giver
Judge, jury, and executioner
DROKK IT!
CRIME - The ultimate sin
Your iso-cube is waiting when he brings you in
LAW - It's what he stands for
Crime's his only enemy and he's going to war
CRIME - The ultimate sin
Your ISO-cube is waiting when he brings you in
LAW - It's what he stands for
Crime's his only enemy and he's going to war
04 Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) (04:54)
It started back in high-school
So cool, king of the scene
You found that making people laugh
Was more than just a dream
The public took right to you
Like flies to a pile of shit
So funny and smart so talented
But success just couldn't fit
PRE-CHORUS
Wasting your life
No future is bright
Dancing on your grave
Living like a slave, someone should've said...
CHORUS
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
Wake up dead, in a plywood bed six feet from the rest of your life
And when you couldn't see your own dependency
N.F.L., NICE FUCKIN' LIFE!
The whole world is your playground
Yet you can't find your niche
Your only friends, it helps you through
Helps you dig your daily ditch
The bottom line can't touch you
Cause you're above the rest
But your little friend's the enemy
And the bottom line is death
Wasting your life
No future is bright
Dancing on your grave
Living like a slave, someone should've said...
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
Wake up dead, in a plywood bed six feet from the rest of your life
And when you couldn't see your own dependency
N.F.L., NICE FUCKIN' LIFE!
LEAD BREAK
You lived a life of excess
GODDAMN shame it's such a waste
Just one too many cookies
From the batch no ne should taste
Yet his memory still stays with us
Cause watching him was fun
Too bad things weren't different
Who knows what he'd have done
Wasting your life
No future is bright
Dancing on your grave
Living like a slave, someone should've said...
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
Wake up dead, in a plywood bed six feet from the rest of your life
And when you couldn't see your own dependency
N.F.L., NICE FUCKIN' LIFE!
05 A Skeleton in the Closet (05:29)
All American, an evil game of extortion
A sick old man, and who would guess
He was once S.S.
A deadly fascination, of a madman's solution
Six million dead, poison tales pollutes his head
Tell me a story--Will ya, Will ya
A real good story, I won't leave till ya
Spill your guts old man
Leave out any secrets, Hiding in the..
Any skeletons, and all your other sins
Any skeletons, in the closet
Any skeletons, any misfortunes
Any skeletons, hiding in the closet
Any skeletons, Any skeletons
In the Closet!It's insanity, puppetmaster boy or Nazi
Apt pupil, he hears the screams
Nightmares turn into wet dreams
Hatred lives, boiling inside,
dealing death it's bumicideIn too deep,
their secpill your guts old man
Leave out any secrets,
Hiding in the...
FUN PICKIN-PART
The truth comes out, conspiracy there is no doubt
His life is ruined, but no not yet
He's still got one card in the deck
A loaded gun, a happy smile,
he'll scope the freeway for awhile
King of the world, four hundred rounds,
it took five hours to bring him down
Tell me a story--Will ya, Will ya
A real good story, I won't leave til ya
Spill your guts old manLeave out any secrets,
Hiding in the...
06 Indians (05:41)
We all see black and white
When it comes to someone else's fight
No one ever gets involved
Apathy can never solve
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Respect is something that you earn
Our Indian brothers' getting burned
Original American
Turned into second class citizen
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Cry for the Indians
Die for the Indians
Cry for the Indians
Oh, Cry, Cry
Cry for the Indians
Love the land and fellow man
Peace is what we strive to have
Some folks have none of this
Hatred and Prejudice
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Cry for the Indians
Die for the Indians
Cry for the Indians
Cry, Cry
Cry for the Indians
WARDANCE!!!
TERRITORY, It's just the body of the nation
The people that inhabit it make its configuration
PREJUDICE, Something we all can do without
Cause a flag of many colors is what this land is all about!!!!
We all see black and white
When it comes to someone else's fight
No one ever gets involved
Apathy can never solve
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Cry for the Indians
Die for the Indians
Cry for the Indians
Cry, Cry
Cry for the Indians...
08 A.D.I. / Horror of It All (07:49)
It's just to damn easy, to die in this life
Who's making the decisions ?
Tell me, who's got the right ?
[BRIDGE:]
WOH, OH, OH, My grief turns to anger
WOH, OH, OH, It's time to ...
[PRE-CHORUS:]
Say good-bye, It's a horror
Memories, Nothing's harder
I know that there's no answer, I mean what'd
I expect
So many unanswered questions
I can't believe, I can't accept
WOH, OH, OH, My anger turns to hatred
WOH, OH, AH, OH, It's time to ...
[REPEAT PRE-CHORUS]
[CHORUS:]
OOOOOH, AAAH, OOOOOH, The horror of it all
The horror of it all, I'm gonna break
The horror of it all, Tell me why
You're not supposed to question, but why's there so much pain
When someone's taken from you
What can you do or say ?
WOH, OH, OH, My hatred turns to violence
WOH, OH, AH, OH, It's time to ...
[REPEAT PRE-CHORUS]
[REPEAT CHORUS]
[LEAD BREAK]
[END VERSE]
The horror of it all
The horror of it all
The horror of it all
The horror of it all
Say good-bye, It's such a horror
My memories there's nothing harder
Anger and hatred fill the page
So smash the walls it's time to rage.
09 Imitation of Life (04:21)
There's nothing I hate more, than all these plastic people,
With all there plastic promises, and all there plastic deals.
They just can't be themselves, and live their own lives out.
They're just an imitaiton of what life's all about.
Because of me you are who you are,
So sign your name and you'll go for.
I'm your friend: I think you should,
So sign your name, it's for your own good.
How many times have you heard this today?
Some boguns piss on saying 'Let's do lunch babe.'
For them this bullshit, that's their whole life.
Cut through their bullshit with a knife!
*Chorus*:
Imitation of Life!
OH! OH! OH! ANGER BURNS!
IMITATION OF LIFE!
Living out a lie, you'll never be right.
IMITATION OF LIFE!
WHY ARE YOU HERE? TAKING UP MY SPACE!
The new imperfect race;
IMITATION OF LIFE!
Still call him a friend.
Bands dress like women with hairspray and lace,
I'd pass an image law, stick it in your face!
Let's see how long they keep dressing this way,
Wearing this image twenty four hours a day!
CHORUS
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Other reviews
By trapano
The album is an extraordinary cocktail of speed, power, anger, but also class.
Belladonna’s voice perfectly matches the outbursts of Benante and the hard riffs of Spitz and Ian.
By sofficino
This is Anthrax’s best album, a cornerstone of thrash metal, as well as one of the best albums.
The melodic voice of Joe Belladonna stands out; truly an extraordinary singer, in my opinion, and underrated by many.
