Anthrax have announced that their new eight-track EP, Anthems, will be released March 19 via MRI/Megaforce.
They've also posted the cover art, which you can see at left.
The EP, a tribute to some of the band's favorite acts from the 1970s, features covers of songs by Rush, Thin Lizzy, Boston, Cheap Trick, AC/DC and Journey.
"These are all bands I grew up with and have listened to forever," said Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna. "It's just great music. I had fun singing these songs and I was happy recording together with Anthrax, doing classic rock songs. Fun stuff!"
Here's the complete track listing:
01. "Anthem" (Rush)
02. "Jailbreak" (Thin Lizzy)
03. "TNT" (AC/DC)
04. "Smokin'" (Boston)
05. "Big Eyes" (Cheap Trick)
06. "Keep On Runnin'" (Journey)
07. "Crawl" (album version)
08. "Crawl" (special remix)
On "Smokin'," Anthrax brought in keyboardist Fred Mandel, who has played with Alice Cooper, Queen, Elton John, Cheap Trick, Supertramp and on Pink Floyd's The Wall.
"If ever there were a perfect first album, it's Boston's first album," said Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante. "The harmony leads they did would later be heard by Iron Maiden, which of course would lead to thrash metal."
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The EP will be available on CD and via iTunes (and other online retailers).
Anthems was produced by Anthrax, Jay Ruston and Rob Caggiano and was mostly recorded in 2012 all over the world: at Benante's home studio, in Ruston's New York studio, on the band's tour bus while on last summer's Mayhem Tour, in hotel rooms, and backstage at their Berlin show last December.
Anthrax will tour in support of Anthems on February 16 with dates in India and Australia, and then return to North America to headline the Metal Alliance Tour that kicks off March 22.
For all of these dates, Anthrax will be joined by Shadows Fall guitarist Jon Donais, who is filling in for the departing Rob Caggiano, who recently announced his exit from the band.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
