Stomp 442 [Original recording reissued, Import]

Anthrax originally released STOMP 442 in 1995, and it couldn't have been at a worse time (this is a re-release); 1995 was a hard time for metal, if one wasn't Metallica: old school metal was passe and New Metal was in Kindergarten. All of the other established bands were finding it hard to find a place in the era of post-grunge inbred clones (or, rather, the record company marketing execs were looking for the next inbred offspring of Nirvana and ignored the metal bands in their roster). Corporate upheavals severed the relationships that led to the signings of metal bands to big labels in the early nineties. Hence the mid-90s abandonment of so many great bands, like Prong, Biohazard, and C.O.C., all of whom came up from the underground scene to the majors in the early 90s to be subsequently dropped by mid-decade.
Anthrax, of course, is on the very short list of ground-breaking and influential metal bands of the 1980s. In addition to being one of the fathers of "speed-metal", their tongue-in-cheek renditions of the Beastie Boys way back in 1987 and their collaboration with Public Enemy certainly planted the seed for the "rap-metal" style of young metallurgists a decade their junior. When these kids mockingly throw around the term "Addidas Rock", do they know what they're referencing (credit must also be given to RUN D.M.C.)?
By 1992 Anthrax had evolved to a such a point creatively that they parted ways with long-time vocalist Joey Belladonna. In Armored Saint singer John Bush they found a jolt of creative and energy and began, or so they had hoped, a new era for the band. They signed a lucrative three-record deal with Elektra, home of Metallica. 1993's SOUND OF WHITE NOISE was a creative, critical, and chart success.
Unfortunately, Anthrax was no exception to the above scenario. The people who signed them at Elektra had departed by the time 1995's STOMP 442 was released. The execs in suits didn't see them as viable in the musical climate of the time, and therefore ignored them. Consequently, STOMP 442 was neglected, not promoted at all, and criminally ignored by the buying public. Scott Ian, the rhythm guitarist, has said that "Random Acts of Senseless Violence" (STOMP 442's frontal assault) is "Heavy. Too bad no one heard it". Ian has also said that Anthrax's last three records (including 1998's VOLUME 8: THE THREAT IS REAL, another unseen masterpiece now out of print due to the label closing its doors! Hopefully to be reissued as well) have been the most satisfying creatively. Again, a crime they haven't reached many ears, ears that, in my view, would eat this stuff up.
Flash forward to 2001. In the April issue of Rolling Stone (Julia Stiles cover), STOMP 442 was NUMBER 20 on the Reader's Poll!! In the same list as the BEATLES!!! As a flabbergasted Ian said, "who knew?!?!" So there are people out there who know of STOMP 442, have heard it, and like it. Unfortunately it has been out of print. But now it and 1993's SOUND OF WHITE OF NOISE are back and better than ever, remastered with extra goodies!!
Probably as far back as 1996, with the launching of OZZ-FEST, metal has been back en vogue and harder than ever (had Anthrax been on the bill....). Iron Maiden makes a double-barrel comeback. New Metal with all its trappings has helped make metal relevant again. And now Anthrax is busy and ready to bust @#$! up. New label, tour (with Judas Priest), record in the works, collaboration with John Carpenter on the score to GHOSTS OF MARS (great stuff--check it out, if only for their contribution). The Elektra records are finally back, from their new label, Beyond Music, remastered with extra tracks and Ian-penned liner notes. What more could a metal fan ask for?! Content-wise, this stuff has aged better than fine wine. More like a strong small-batch barley wine. It packs a punch harder than ever. Case in point: it had taken me 5 years to get into this record.

This material is so relevant today, in this stale musical climate. STOMP 442 features tighter arrangements than ever before; tight, crunching musical statements in 5 minutes or less. Emphasis on songwriting: Simple yet whiplash-enducing riffs, melodies and hooks that leave a bootprint on your brain. And John Bush's vocals: he had fully integrated himself into Anthrax's sound. Hopefully now that time has given us some perspective, STOMP 442 will finally get the attention it deserves. If the Rolling Stone poll is any indication, there are hungry ears waiting to devour this addictive slab of metal. In short: BUY IT. IF YOU ARE A METAL FAN, OR JUST LIKE GOOD MUSIC, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?! ....

Anthrax is my favorite band, so my opinion may be biased, but this is an underrated classic, probably because it goes in a much more aggressive direction than SOWN does. "In a Zone" and Drop the Ball" are two of the heaviest songs they have ever done. They alone are worth the price. "Nothing" is a melodic song in the vein of "Only". "Bare" is a nice ballad, but not up there with "Black Lodge". This album expands upon the sound they created with "Persistance of Time" by mixing churning, crunching riffs with melody lines that are much darker than those found on State of Euphoria.

If We've Come For You All is half this good, It would blow me away. From beginning to end blistering riffs. "Tester" and "In a Zone" rule...

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