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The year is 1992; Anthrax, a band of paramount importance in the history of heavy metal, after a few masterpieces and a couple of less fortunate episodes, find themselves at a crossroads. The choice is radical: the historic singer Joey Belladonna is dismissed to welcome the much more talented John Bush, from Armored Saint. The repercussions on the band's sound are inevitable and considerable, leaving a good part of their most ardent followers disappointed and giving birth to one of the most controversial and important chapters in the New Yorkers' discography, namely "Sound Of White Noise," which comes out the following year.
From the outset, the evident change is apparent: no more epic rides and comic attitude, not even a shadow of the joviality of the past; instead, more serious tones, darker atmospheres. Grunge is all the rage, and Anthrax decides to keep up with the times: thus, the first single "Only" has nothing in common with past hits, with its powerful and measured pace, its granite riffs, and a rough, angry singing, with a vein of pathos that is in no way traceable in previous works.
However, Anthrax does not become another band: everything changes, the song-writing is more committed, the arrangements more sober and refined, even in the more intense tracks, it is the new composure that dominates, see the initial "Potters Field", the edgy "Hy Pro Glo", and especially "Room For One More"; yet Charlie Benante's drumming remains percussive, compact and driving, the aggressive riffing of Scott Ian and Dan Spitz's solo work are powerful, with the same, recognizable compressed tone of the distortions; the punk fury of the beginnings channeled into a squareness that at times recalls the solid syncopated rhythms of Helmet and Pantera. The most memorable performance, however, is the intense one of the new vocalist, John Bush, whose personality perfectly fits into the fundamental elements of a sound already established and functioning.
A special mention goes to the superb "Black Lodge", written in collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti, the composer of the Twin Peaks series and inspired by the latter: Anthrax captures the Lynchian atmosphere in an intense, elaborate piece, brilliant in its dark charm.
From here on, Anthrax's path will become uncertain and tortuous: Dan Spitz will leave shortly after, and following subsequent controversial, albeit valid works, John Bush will also be forced to leave, following a series of artistically unfortunate decisions by the group. This album remains the splendid result of a band in a state of grace, who have managed to question themselves more than ever fruitfully, giving life to a mature and simply beautiful work.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
03 Room for One More (04:56)
Fix the mental, as if that changes anything
Your heart is cured now, you're normal once again
One confession, you thought that's all it took
But redemption, doesn't let you off the hook
One of us
Can't erase the past to change who he would be
One of us
On a whim would act, then look for sympathy
Not from me
Hear me say...
One more
Chance to believe in
That you can even the score
One more
Place at the table
Always room for one more
Room for one more
Thinking evil, is that just your normal gig
Fueled by hatred, happy as a stuffed pig
You're so lonely, everyone around you reeks
Of indifference, thriving in their apathy
One of us
Can't erase the past to change who he would be
One of us
On a whim would act, then look for sympathy
Not from me
Hear me say...
One more
Chance to believe in
That you can even the score
One more
Place at the table
Always room for one more
One more
Chance to believe in
That you can even the score
One more
Place at the table
Always room for one more
Room for one more
Your schism, my distress
Your failure is my success
Squeezed out, kept me down
What goes around comes around
I can wait you out
Patience is my virtue
Call it payback, call it proper grounds
What goes around always comes around, always comes around
Hear me say...
One more
Chance to believe in
That you can even the score
One more
Place at the table
Always room for one more
One more
Chance to believe in
That you can even the score
One more
Place at the table
Always room for one more
Room for one more
Always room for one more
06 Invisible (06:10)
I'm wiping the slate spotless
I vow this is your final chance
Almost all but little faith has been thrown out the window
I promise to sustain my stance
You've taken everything from the get go
And you've given nothing in return
Your sadomasochism has reached the ninth inning
Still you're puzzled to see I'm concerned
Struggling, to come to terms with
This god-awful life that I live
Stumbling, but still I try
To get out from under your grip
Transparent in critical moments
You drop me when your hands aren't full
You call yourself my closest friend
Then you make yourself invisible
My simmering blood is rising
Primed and ready to explode
Get off your high horse and come to the party
I'll beat you into overload
Only through your limited viewpoint
You think you know how I exist
Easy to turn my back on the system
Hard not to be an atheist
Back in the days when promises were made
Equality for all
You go by the word from the man who gives it
Never expecting a fall
Struggling, to come to terms with
This god-awful life that I live
Stumbling, but still I try
To get out from under your grip
Transparent in critical moments
You drop me when your hands aren't full
You call yourself my closest friend
Then you make yourself invisible
Transparent in critical moments
You drop me when your hands aren't full
You call yourself my closest friend
Then you make yourself invisible
Make yourself invisible, make yourself invisible
Make yourself invisible, make yourself invisible again
Burn...
I never should've trusted
I never should've trusted
I'm sickened and disgusted
I never should've trusted
What happened to me?
Back in the days when promises were made
Equality for all
You go by the word from the man who gives it
Never expecting a fall
Transparent in critical moments
You drop me when your hands aren't full
You call yourself my closest friend
Then you make yourself invisible
Transparent in critical moments
You drop me when your hands aren't full
You call yourself my closest friend
Then you make yourself invisible
07 1000 Points of Hate (05:00)
I hate you and you hate me
I cannot not look at you and breathe
So full of hate that i can't see
My funny vibe is hard to miss
Your ignorance can't be called bliss
I have to wash my hands of this
My mind has never been so clear
My hate for you, is one to fear
Take a good look what do you see
No friend to me,
Jealously
(It's me) I know how to hurt myself
It's me that makes you hate me
It's me that tries to break free
(It's me) I know how to hurt you
It's me thaat makes a move
With what I say and what I do
You walk through life deaf, dumb and blind
But when it calls you'll have to find
Why must we all be so unkind
I can't believe it's come to this
The marks I make you can't dismiss
I have to wash my hands of this
My mind has never been so clear
My hate for you, is one to fear
Take a good look what do you see
No friend to me,
Jealousy
(It's me) I know how to hurt myself
It's me that makes you hate me
It's me that tries to break free
(It's me) I know how to hurt you
It's me that makes a move
With what I say and what I do
Me, you, who is gonna get it
And you can't let it
Drive you to insanity
Me, you, who is gonna take it
When all this hate explodes
When all this hate starts to explode
Deal with the hate inside
That causes you the pain inside
That turns into the rage inside
That makes you feel like death inside
(It's me) I know how to hurt myself
It's me that makes you hate me
It's me that tries to break free
(It's me) I know how to hurt you
It's me that make a move
With what I say and what I do
It's me (x4)
09 C₁₁ H₁₇ N₂ O₂ S Na (04:25)
If one day you'd backed up a promise you made
We'd have to make it a holiday
'Cause we both know that day would never come again
If one day your word was as good as gold
It'd be too late cos I'd be too old
I don't think a human being could live that long
I never gave a damn
I was never even a fan
The only thing that makes me smile if your pain
I don't even care
When did you treat anyone fair?
To say I'm not enjoying this would be insane
Sodium Pentathol was an idea I had
But what does the truth mean now
To all the lost souls you've grabbed
A mass delusion, there's no confusion
Just a hypocrite
Who'd never cop to it
You're in total control and you're still a liar
I can't drink from the cup
I question your authority
You gotta 'fess up
You're in total control and your faith is tired
I can't drink from the cup
Where is truth in the trinity
You gotta 'fess up
If the affects you it's hard to tell
You spent too many cold days in your cell
Never been one to admit that something, might be wrong
I never gave a damn
I was never even a fan
The only thing that makes me smile is your pain
If I ever had the chance
I'd kick out your chair just to watch you dance
Irrelevant, your vanity prevents change
Sodium Pentathol still sounds great to me
An imitation of life buried in theology
Cop to it
You're in total control and you're still a liar
You're in total control and your faith is still
I can't drink from the cup
'Fess up
10 Burst (03:41)
How much does an opinion weigh
Does it really matter what I say
I can't be reponsible
Be yourself or be a tool
Who cares what you expect
What is politically correct?
All my ideas are in bad taste
Get off my case and...
Judge yourself
No one else
I don't intend to offend
I just offend with my intent
Beauty's in the beholder's eye
I just like the ugly side
Who cares what you expect
What is politically correct?
All my ideas are in bad taste
Get off my case and...
Judge yourself
No one else
See things the way I do
Walk a mile in my shoes
Don't assume and damn it, don't praise me
My thoughts would drive you crazy
See things the way I do
Walk a mile in my shoes
Don't assume and damn it, don't praise me
My thoughts would drive you crazy
Kill someone, save a life
Don't do drugs, drink all night
Worship Jesus, praise Satan
Opinions are all contradiction
It's not a case of wrong and right
You may hate what i like
Vice versa it's the same
Just do it, no pain no gain
Who cares what you expect
What is politically correct?
All my ideas are in bad taste
Get off my case and...
Judge yourself
No one else
See things the way I do
Walk a mile in my shoes
Don't assume and damn it, don't praise me
My thoughts would drive you crazy
See things the way I do
Walk a mile in my shoes
Don't assume and damn it, don't praise me
My thoughts would drive you crazy
Kill someone, save a life
Don't do drugs, drink all night
Worship Jesus, praise Satan
Opinions are all contradiction
11 This Is Not an Exit (06:49)
I know I'll never be free
Change doesn't come easy
And if I'll never be free
You'll live in hell with me
Fear, a contradiction
Co-existense, darkness brought to light
My own skin don't seem to fit me right
Pain is my way, of self expression
A fatal choice that always hangs above
Love what I kill, kill what I love
I run, you run, you stop and then you take it
I run, you run, I stop and then you get it
I run, you run, you stop and then you take it
I run, you run, I stop and then you get it
From me,
The one who's giant steps ahead of where you'd be
What you don't see
I know I'll never save myself
Dying from this immortality
This is not an exit
I can never change it
This is not an exit
It's no way
Out, out of touch with
Mortal thoughts, humanity's a dream
Things are not what they seem
Hungry for you, but not to hurt you
Hunger for the secret of your life
I'm a timeless clock and you kill time
I run, you run, you stop and then you take it
I run, you run, I stop and then you get it
I run, you run, you stop and then you take it
I run, you run, I stop and then you get it
From me,
The one who's giant steps ahead of where you'd be
What you don't see
I know I'll never save myself
Dying from this immortality
This is not an exit
I can never change it
This is not an exit
It's no way out...
I know I'll never be free
Change doesn't come easy
And if I'll never be free
You'll live in hell with me
This is not an exit
I can never change it
You stop and then you take it
I stop and I can't fake it
This is not an exit
Pain is my way of self expression
A fatal choice hangs above
Love what I kill, kill what I love
Love...
This is not an exit
This is not an exit
I can never change it
This is not an exit
Hand over fist
Come and taste my dark trick
Hand over fist
Kill you when I give it
This is not an exit
This is not an exit
I can never change it
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