We've Come for You All

by

Anthrax

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After nearly five years, Anthrax are FINALLY back with their latest studio album, and to be perfectly honest, it couldn't have come sooner. This is without a doubt the BEST metal album I've heard this year, bar none. Almost every beat, every riff, and every lick on this album is perfect, which definitely goes to show that the guys of Anthrax certainly didn't sit on their laurels during their long absense. Here are the track ratings, as far as my personal opinion goes:

1.) Contact (3/5) This isn't really a song, but an intro into the rest of the album. At least, unlike other bands, Anthrax makes there intro sound like a song, albeit a very short one. It's still good and serves it's purpose.

2.) What Doesn't Die (5/5) This was the first track that I ever heard before this album's release, and it's still one of my favorites. Charlie boggles the mind yet again with his impossibly fast double-bass drums.

3.) Superhero (5/5) Another really good song. This one is basically your standard Anthrax song, which is in no way a bad thing.

4.) Refuse To Be Denied (4/5) Eh, this song is okay. Not as hard as some of the others, but not the fastest either. Kinda has an almost patriotic feel to it, unlike most metal songs.

5.) Safe Home (5/5) The first single. Sure, it's radio friendly. Sure, it's the softest song on the album. But I'll guarantee that it'll get stuck in your head after a few listens.

6.) Any Place But Here (5/5) What, another ballad? No! That intro is just there to confuse you. This song is actually quite fast, and has a killer chorus to boot. Still, it's no possible match for...

7.) Nobody Knows Anything (10/5) My personal favorite song on the CD. Just about everything about this song is great. I have no idea how Charlie pulled off the drums in this song without his legs falling off. The only thing bad about this song is it's too short, but that can be overlooked.

8.) Strap It On (3/5) I guess this song is okay, but the lyrics don't make too much sense to me. I suppose this one is made more for their older "Belladonna-generation" fans.

9.) Black Dahlia (2/5) My least favorite song on the album. The rapid drums and guitars sound cool, but they're way too off-beat and awkward. That, and again, the lyrics confuse me.

10.)Cadillac Rock Box (4/5) Ah good, another decent song. This one has sort of a southern rock guitar riff to it to please all you Skynyrd freaks.

11.) Taking the Music Back (5/5) Roger Dahltrey of The Who fame guess stars on this track, although he's really not used that much. It's still a most excellent song though, with yet another amazing chorus.

12.) Crash (1/5) Yet another skit, although this seems to be nothing more than Frank Bello mumbling semi-incoherently for about 50 seconds. Thankfully it's short, so you don't have to skip it everytime.

13.) Think About An End (5/5) Just another typical Anthrax song. Just as good as all the others, with an above-average chorus.

14.) W.C.F.Y.A. (We've Come For You All) (5/5) And now we finally have the title track of the album, and it certainly does not disappoint. Needless to say, you'll be shouting out "We've come for you all" along with John after a few listens.

My final verdict is this: If you are a Anthrax fan, a metal fan, or even a rock music fan in general, you NEED this album. It's been a long time coming, but Anthrax have finally come for us all. Let's all join them in heavy-metal nirvana, shall we?

Since the addition of John Bush, I have looked forward to every release with fervor and confidence; confident that the product will be better than average. So I ask myself, after spending weeks with "We've Come For You All", is this the usual better-than-average outing for the Anthrax boys? Well, .......not really.

"We've Come For You All" has the usual gifts that all Anthrax records provide; the incredible musicianship, and the brilliant vocal strength. Possibly the biggest gain by the addition of Bush on the mic, could be his writing contribution to the band. He comes from a different place than old school Anthrax. He puts you in the working class tough guy mode, a non-stop testosterone train; and that hasn't changed one bit for this release. Actually, these tunes may be a little too heavy. I realize that Anthrax is a heavy hitting thrash act; but an act that, since 1992, has had great rhythm and groove. A little bit of that aspect is lost on this record. This is a no nonsense thrash record. No ballads here, folks. I just feel that none of these tracks, other than "Cadillac Rock Box", really blow me away. There really isn't another track that I just have to hear. There are some very good tracks here, but they all start to sound the same after a while. The tracks don't stand real well on their own. Now, I have been this band's biggest fan since '92, so I say these things with much difficulty.

The record starts out with a rip-roaring monster thrasher called "What Doesn't Die", representing the entire record quite well. As you move from track to track, the flow of the record seems to be a little stagnant. It rarely progresses out of the over-the-top thrash thing. There are exceptions, of course; like "Refuse To Be Denied" with its heavy, pounding groove, "Safe Home" with its radio friendly rhythm, or just the sheer brilliance of the album's stand-out track "Cadillac Rock Box". Like I say, these guys can play their respective toys. With Charlie Benante playing his usual drum position, he is also playing half of the guitar parts here. And when you listen to tracks like "Nobody Knows Anything", you realize just how well this guy plays drums. And when you listen to tracks like "Safe Home" or "Cadillac Rock Box", you realize just how well he can play guitar also. The lyrical content of the record is also sufficient, but nothing overwhelming. All in all this is a decent record, but yet it is inferior to the three previous records made with Bush fronting the band.

There are some interesting guest spots on the record also. The Who vocalist Roger Daltrey sings on "Taking The Music Back". Unfortunately, his efforts are so hidden they go without notice. An appearance by ex-Pantera and current Damageplan guitarist Dimebag Darrell is also present here. Even Dimebag's signature guitar sound gets lost here though. He has played on previous Anthrax releases and has been a pleasant presence. He basically goes unnoticed here though, playing lead on "Cadillac Rock Box" and "Strap It On".

Also included on the disc is some CD-ROM material that may be interesting to the Chicago area Anthrax fan. A clip of the band at the outdoor "Rockstock" show from a few years back is included.

OVERALL RATING: 5 (1-10 scale)

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