384. Anthrax / Fistful of Metal. 1983. 3.5/5.

The band Anthrax was formed in New York in 1981 by guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Lilker, and Dave Weiss on drums. The band was named after the disease of the same name which Scott saw in a biology textbook and chosen because it sounded "sufficiently evil". The band went through a number of line up changes through its initial period. Names such as Scott Setari, John Connelly, Paul Kahn, Kenny Kushner, Dirk Kennedy, Greg D'Angelo and Jason Rosenfeld are all early members of the band as it set itself up and tried to find its place in the metal world. Eventually, with Danny Lilker moving from lead guitar to bass guitar through a lack of viable options, the band brought in Greg Walls to play lead guitar, who was then instrumental in convincing Ian's former schoolmate Neil Turbin to join as lead singer in late August 1982. Apparently Turbin later said Walls was "the best guitarist Anthrax ever had". The band with this lineup recorded its first demo tape during this time. This lineup played regularly in the New York–New Jersey area over the next several months. Anthrax was also on the same bill as the up-and-coming Metallica for several shows in the spring of 1983.
But the band line up changes were far from complete. Guitarist Walls left Anthrax that summer because of friction with Scott Ian, and drummer Greg D'Angelo left a month later. Turbin said he was seriously considering leaving because of the loss of Walls and D'Angelo, but he stuck it out for another year. After another flurry of in-and-out replacements, Dan Spitz was brought in as lead guitarist, and drummer Charlie Benante replaced D'Angelo in September 1983 after a several-month courtship by Ian. Thus was completed the line up that would go forth and record the band’s first album.
By this time, Ian and Lilker had befriended New Jersey record store owner Jon Zazula, to whom they had given their demo tapes to critique. Zazula's new record label Megaforce Records had recently released Metallica's debut album “Kill 'Em All” to great success. In late 1983, Zazula agreed to sign Anthrax and the band recorded the "Soldiers of Metal" single, which was produced by Ross the Boss of Manowar. The B-side was the song "Howling Furies" which was taken from a previous demo with Greg D'Angelo on drums which was his only recording with the band. On the back of this single, the band went into the studio and produced their debut album, titled “Fistful of Metal”.

In a comparison to the debut albums of the wave of thrash metal bands that were coming out of the United States at this time, this might not be spoken of in the same breath but still holds up remarkably well. The opening scourge of “Deathrider” is an instant classic, throwing itself out of the speakers at you and getting you in the mood from the outset. Even after 40 years it is one of those Anthrax songs that is instantly recognisable and beloved. It is sorely underplayed in all Anthrax set lists. This is followed by another all time classic, “Metal Thrashing Mad”, a perfect song for the day and not only a great concert song but a fan singalong song as well. In the traditions of “Whiplash” and “Rattlehead” from their contemporaries this is a song that described their fan base and immediately joined them as one.
Perhaps the one song that is a little out of place is the cover of Alice Cooper’s “I’m Eighteen”, which seems like a strange song for a burgeoning new thrash metal band out of New York to cover. I admit that the first few times I played the album I found it a real disappointment after the amazingness of the opening two tracks. However, over the years it has grown on me, and I do not have the same reservations about it as I initially did.
Side One of the album is completed by the wonderful “Panic” which again lifts the tempo and returns the album to the speed and thrashing guitars that had come at the top of the vinyl, and “Subjugator” which runs along parallel themes.
“Soldiers of Metal” opens the second side of the album and kicks everything along just as nicely as the first side. “Death From Above” follows and is enjoyable but perhaps overstays its welcome a tad, clocking in at a touch over five minutes long – not unusual for the band going forward, but the longest song on this album by some distance. The band title track “Anthrax” is a terrific song and very much lost in the mists of time when it comes to the band. It fell out of vogue on live playlists very quickly and barely rates a mention when it comes to the band’s best songs in any conversation. Indeed, many aren’t even aware that there is a song CALLED “Anthrax” by the band! The short instrumental “Across the River” quickly segues in to the closing track “Howling Furies”, another great song that rarely gets its dues, and is a great way for the album to come to its conclusion.
After the release of the album, former guitarist Walls said he was shocked that the album was released without giving credit to himself as the primary songwriter on "Panic" and "Metal Thrashing Mad", as well as smaller songwriting contributions throughout the album. The price you pay I guess when you are fired from a band. Ask Dave Mustaine how he feels about those early Metallica songs…

This album is often much maligned, mostly by fans who came into the band following this album, and mostly due to the fact that Neil Turbin is the vocalist here for his one and only appearance, and those fans are used to Joey Belladonna in particular. But snubbing this album due to the singer would be like dismissing Iron Maiden’s first two albums because the singer wasn’t Bruce Dickinson, or Dream Theater’s first album because the singer wasn’t James Labrie, or any of another dozen examples of this. Okay, so maybe Turbin’s vocals aren’t your cup of tea, but that is no reason to ignore the terrific list of songs that appear on this album. And Turbin’s over the top screams or change of pitch at different times is part of the fabric of this album. It’s okay if you prefer later versions of these songs that were performed by other singers for the band going forward, but don’t dismiss this outright.
I didn’t hear this album until almost the end of the 1980’s decade, and was probably a little guilty of ignoring it initially as well, but this was more because I was getting all of the albums up to that point at the same time, and others attracted my ears more than this initially. But how can you not love the opening riff of “Deathrider”, the majesty of “Metal Thrashing Mad”, and other brilliant tracks such as “Panic”, “Howling Furies” and “Anthrax”? And I don’t deny that I don’t listen to this album as much as I do other Anthrax albums. But when I pulled it off the CD shelf a couple of weeks ago and started listening to it again, I was immediately drawn back in to this brilliant piece of thrash metal history. I haven’t air drummed this much in ages, and this album brought all that back as well.
Tensions were building between Lilker and the rest of the band for various reasons, eventually leading to the band firing Lilker before the tour to promote this album began. He would go on to form the band Nuclear Assault with former Anthrax vocalist John Connelly. Lilker was replaced by Benante's nephew and roadie Frank Bello. The band then went on a successful US tour opening for Raven and others to support “Fistful of Metal”.
In August 1984, Turbin and Anthrax went their separate ways after long-standing personal issues. In his book covering his time involved in heavy metal, music journalist Eddie Trunk admits pressuring Jon Zazula, Scott Ian and the band into firing Turbin because of his own personal taste in vocals. How much this influenced the eventual decision and how much was already in the works following their initial tour to promote this album, only the band themselves would know. And while Belladonna then came on board, and they produced the amazing follow up “Spreading the Disease”, this album is still a terrific album to listen to, and just appreciate it for what it is.