Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Another 80s rock band who I thought would be incomprehensible but were actually very articulate. Love the insult “talking to you is like clapping with one hand”.
Drokk it!
I'm a bit torn about this. Metal, especially Thrash Metal are usually not my cup of tea. Anthrax's delivery is very energetic, and very angry and it is done in a very coherent and fitting way.
Great album to end the work week on. Especially since my entire company went down this morning with the Crowdstrike/Microsoft update, but I had my laptop off so I was spared. You could say that I'm Among the Living. I enjoyed reading that they opened for Metallica for a while because they sound similar, in a good way. Sort of longer songs, but their vocalist reminds me more of Iron Maiden in some ways (they even have a similar song about Native Americans). Either way, this was a great album.
Was expecting some super thrashy metal based on the name, I don't know much about Anthrax aside from I guess "Bring the Noise." A couple tracks I'll be keeping, but otherwise, this one's just alright. Favorite tracks: Caught in a Mosh, I Am the Law. Album art: Pretty cool, it's a weird old guy lifting his hat in a crowd of mophead dudes all looking down. Some sort of message about conformity I assume. Very cool art style though. 3/5
4.5/5 Outstanding metal, which is written, performed and produced fantastically. There are no bad songs, and the album flows really well. Among The Living 3.5/5 Caught In A Mosh 4/5 I Am The Law 4/5 Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) 5/5 A Skeleton In The Closet 4/5 Indians 4/5 One World 4.5/5 Medley: A.D.I. / Horror Of It All 5/5 (FAV) Imitation Of Life 3.5/5 (LEAST FAV)
Much better than other thrash metal, but still nothing I am interested in listening to.
At least Thrash is well represented for the metal on this list. I can see why this would be important at the time but it's really only step up from punk and I don't care for punk. 2.66.
Couldn’t name an Anthrax song or album to save my life. Not going to search any of this out but it was a good listen and be able to say “I’ve listened to some of their stuff”. Speedy.
Not my thing
Not for me
Some tasty licks
Guitars were cool, singing not so great.
I love the music but can't stand the vocals. It's too glam-rocky or something. It's a shame cause the songs go hard af.
I enjoyed this more than expected. Really nice example of 80s metal, and you can hear some of the things that push the genre into the 90s with the slightly more modern sounds out of the guitars and the mixing. Caught in a Mosh was the highlight track for me, but the whole album stays quite solid.
Felt very Master of Puppets. Not really my genre, but I can appreciate the genre-building they were doing. Two stars.
The best thing the album's got going for it is its energy.
Yeah. Uhm. I lose interest in this very quickly. I mean. It's not total shit, it just doesn't interest me, and I'm not entirely sure why this is considered a groundbreaking album. So. 1 star? 2? 1 seems unfair.
As someone fairly new to the metal genre, I found this to be quite accessible. The tracks were all unique (if a bit long) and it was pretty engaging and interesting overall.
AAAAAH CRAZY FUN ALBUM, LEG WAS SHAKING THE ENTIRE TIME! AM I OKAY? PROBABLY NOT.
Appreciate the conscious lyrics, but Anthrax’s type of thrasher metal continues to be not my thing. 3/5
Why are they so angry? Why am I angry??!! Why do I suddenly hate my dad and authority?? I remember Anthrax from my younger years. Back then I thought they were overly whiny with no actual musical talent, just the ability to repeat chords very quickly whilst shouting. I still think the same. This album did energise me to be fair, but it’s a bit too angry at its dad for me.
I’m not a huge thrash metal fan but this was actually really good. I loved the high octane wild energy and this has honestly potentially introduced me to a genre I never would have been interested in if it weren’t for this album.
A lot of screaming apparently makes Trash Metal.
2,3 songs sein richtig nice aber fml war des anstrengend
I really liked this album. It's an upbeat combination of punk and metal with those soaring 80s vocals.
Bangin
Sounds like the Aquabats with whinier lyrics and less Mooncheese.
Apparently I’m into thrash metal nowadays
Anthrax are justifiably in the top 4 thrash bands of the 80s, if not all time. This album was produced in a clean, no-nonsense style that allows all of the guitars, drums and vocals to be well separated and clearly audible. The lyrics cover environmental collapse, grief, the plight of native Americans, as well as two tracks based on Stephen King stories and a phenomenal song about Judge Dredd from someone who is a mega fan of 2000AD. Enormous fun!
I'm somehow much more familiar with Slayer and early Metallica than with Anthrax, that I always saw as second fiddle in the genre. Glad 1001albums changes this situation. I love Reign in Blood and Master of Puppets, and Among The Living deserves its rightful place at their side. Everything is really good: strong rhythm section, fast and precise guitar riffs, good singing (although I find it sometimes a bit too prominent). Really enjoyed this time Among the Living.
Classic metal
Really enjoyed, solos and vocals a bit much at time, but really solid sound and message throughout.
Liked this more than I thought! Couldn’t help but head bang to a few haha, Indians was a standout. This is a great example of “metal heads are kind people pretending to be mean”
Great thrash
I listened to a lot of Metallica in my teen years. I guess it just feels right to get into heavy, fast metal music like that when you're going through puberty. Anyway, I was still aware of other bands like Megadeth and Slayer in my periphery, but Metallica was my go-to. It wasn't until the concert film The Big Four that I had realized the legacies that these band held. Among them was Anthrax, and that was my first official introduction to them. If we're going to measure dicks, Anthrax started about three months before Metallica did, but Metallica had the first demo out. But none of that matters because we're talking about Among The Living here. For my money, they're at their best when they play faster. That's the root of thrash for me, and it's especially good when Anthrax kicks it into high gear. Which is kind of rare. Most of the appeal here is in the political commentary and I can appreciate that much, although the song One World is certainly cheesy in it's ultimate message. Probably the most underwhelming of the big 4 in thrash. Occasionally great, often not.
noxious
Fifty minutes of what kinda feels like the same song. There is a *little* range here, but mostly lacking in that department. Every song rocks out fucking hard, though. As a metal album, it kicks ass and definitely gets the job done. As an album just in the world, however, could have been better. 3/5
While it slaps at high volumes and has an amazing uplifting message, it's the same song nine times and only slaps at painfully high volumes. No thanks.
Siempre sólidos
Didn't really think thrash metal would be for me and.. it's probably not, but I liked it more than I thought. The fact that the vocals are sung and not so shouty helps
Craptastic
I bet this is hellish fun live. Those high vocals reminds me s little of Judas Priest. This is an album I'd have to listen to if I were in a certain mood. 3.5 stars
Stellar record deservedly cementing Anthrax as one of the Big Four.
Easily the most underrated of thrash metal’s Big Four. The classic Anthrax lineup is a powerhouse and they never seemed more fully developed than on Among The Living. Their New York-inspired punkier approach to the genre makes Anthrax quite distinct when compared to the other heavyweights - and makes for some perfect stadium singalong choruses.
It's honestly pretty listentoable metal. I'd keep listening to this!
There some really good hard rock in the music here. After listening to napalm death, it is refreshing to hear an attempt at a driving groove and crunch from the guitars, bass and drums. Caught in a Mosh is pretty good, and NFL is entertaining... my biggest issue is the lyrical delivery seems like more of a distraction and detractor from the music. A Skeleton just sounds dumb. And sadly, Indians and I Am the Law just come off as either insincere and corny/cartoony. The music is heavy, the lyrics and delivery are poor.
A lot of the riffs here are great, pummeling stuff. But a lot of the lyrical content paired with Belladonna's vocal style really doesn't do it for me. This is more of a three and a half but I think there are plenty of other thrash albums that would easily make it to four over this one. Apologies to Scott Ian.
It's funny how time tames music - this is nowhere near as extreme sounding today as I'd remembered from when I first delved into thrash. It's so much like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, sped up for sure, more aggressive with a punk/hardcore influence, but the same basic premise: hard chugging riffs, discernable hooks, powerful drums, and a singer with some serious pipes. Anthrax keep it pretty tight - the sound is dialed in and focused, the guitar solos are concise and scarce, and the songs come in quick and heavy. They mastered the thrash template they co-created and set the machine to full blast. But it's a bit samey as a result. This definitely goes hard - can't go wrong if you're looking 50 solid minutes of blasted riffs and belted out vocals.
Wow, I need to explore more Anthrax. A really good 80s thrash metal album!
Yeah, still great.
Wow, that was an amazing album. For some reason I always ignored them, but this was a great listen.
Quite acceptable thrash.
Honestly, I'm not 100% sure I would like thrash rock, but the background drum and guitar kept me into listening in the tracks far more than the singing...
Don’t like metal but this was cool
I rarely listen to Thrash Metal but I enjoy it when I do. It's like rolling down a hill or riding a rollercoaster. Feels dangerous and exciting but quite safe, really.
kinda lame
Yeah this shit slaps
Three stars for the best musical tribute to 2000AD and ol stony face himself. Two stars for the rest of the album which does at least frequently touch something like a tune despite being thrash through and through. So 2.5 and not feeling generous.
Not as good as the rest of the big 4. Caught in a Mosh is a nice track and none of the other tracks are especially bad, but they don’t leave much of a lasting impact and feel quite generic.
They were never a favourite back in the day. I appreciate how they bring the noise, but still not a fave.
I can't believe this is on this list, when I Am The Law is the only good song here. There's so much better in terms of metal around this time, and with better sounding frontmen. I was on a decent roll of good albums too.
Metal
Interesting 80s metal sound, lyrics kind of ruin it
Not my music
Liked this one a lot more than I was expecting. Though the lyrics bounced between serious topics at times and utter crap at others, the music itself shreds. Will likely listen again.
METAL!
among the living i am the law indians one world a.d.i./horror of it all
I’ve learned that I generally like higher pitched metal vocalists than lower ones from this project (like this or Iron Maiden). This is just a fun album to listen to - who doesn’t like a good metal album?
So much music is both comprised of and decorated with vagaries, subtleties, and ambiguity. There's a lot of cognitive load trying to parse meaning, to unwind a metaphor, to extract contextual clues - like riding the train to someplace you've never been. {That's an analogy not a metaphor} While sometimes interesting and entertaining (appeals to taste notwithstanding), the effort can be exhausting, especially when traveling to a frontier where you must have your wits about you at all times, aware, ready for surprises of all kinds, friendly or otherwise. Sometimes it's really nice to avoid all that and just get blasted with a straightforward message in a forceful way. Back it up with technical mastery and you've hit a sweet spot. Anthrax doesn't hit that spot for everyone all the time, myself included. But today, nailed it. No complaints.
This ROCKS 5/5
Thrash metal was just what I needed. High energy and a blast to listen to.
Top shelf 80's metal. It is propulsive and unrelenting, just a total badass headbang the whole way through. And this is an iconic album cover, I love the artwork. I've never listened to Anthrax before, but I think I should have been paying more attention. I always knew Scott Ian was a cool dude (because of seeing him on rock 'n' roll jeopardy), but I just didn't feel compelled to pick up any Anthrax records. I'm digging it though. I feel like I could punch a hole through the bullshit and conquer this day!! FUCK YEAH!
I dunno, pretty basic metal sounding. Nothing fancy pulls me into liking this very much. 2 stars.
I am the Law! And I sentence Antrax to be forgotten by me right away, another boring Metal album in this 1001 list, hope some interesting classic US noise will be in list again, like Sonic Youth/Husker Du/Pixies/Stooges, with more brain cells and originality.
This made me feel like getting trampled in a mosh pit
I don't get it. They're making a statement. 2/5
You can see the huge Metallica influence in this album. Unfortunately it feels like something is missing. For me that's the shredding guitar solos. There's a decent one at the end of the album but for the most part it's pretty much just thrash. When Metallica does it, the building thrash sets up the solos and that's what makes it great. So for me, while I thought it was alright, it does fall a little flat.
no fuckin thank you
I like that the bad guy from poltergeist 2 is on the cover
Given how repetitive and fast paced the songs are I found this a good album to work to. Not sure if that is the intention of the album
Very meat and potatoes thrash, pretty silly. By far the worst band in the big 4.
I like how high-energy this album is, but all the songs sound pretty much the same.
really like that thrash metal sort of sound - still has the high energy and the great riffs
Suena bien el disco, tiene unas intros tremendas; pero es el metal super pesado que no hay chance que me guste. La voz es bien de heavy insoportable.
I could not even listen until the end. And I usually love metal. But well. Not this kind apparently, feels like redneck metal somehow.
I always like the idea of metal but never actually like it when I listen to it. It’s a shame because I really want to like it. I usually enjoy the themes and subject matter, but the actual music does nothing for me. I did enjoy the title track and I Am the Law as I am a fan of Stephen King and Judge Dredd, respectively.
Other than not thinking much of Belladona's ability to carry a tune, I think the band is fantastic. Great metal, cool guitar harmonies. Just struggle to listen to the lack of vocal melodies.
I like it :)
Um
First 2 songs are standard thrash metal songs that aren’t really distinguishable. However “I am the law” tears the first two songs up. Great transitions, vocals and lyrics.
Ez dump on metal. 4.5
4 for bri ish guy list, 3.5 for rym
Good soft 4
There's talent here but it didn't grab me in the least. Noise
Metal just isn’t my genre but this seems like good metal for those who like it
Some technically impressive guitar and especially drums, but probably not something I'll return to as I've learned I'm not a thrash metal fan. Seems specifically engineered to appeal to men who would sooner dress like our man on the cover every day than listen to anything that doesn't feature guitar or that might express feelings other than anger or lust.
Wasn’t terrible just not my thing
Turn between a 3 and a 4 for this one. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and go for a 4... liked the start of the album but felt it drifted a little and some of the songs are too long.
Bleh
This album came out a year after Metallica’s Master of Puppets and I can’t shake the resemblance. Anthrax executes thrash metal well, and I enjoyed the album, but it just seems like they’re not pushing the genre forward. That could be own ignorance here, but with other bands of similar genres, they often use each other’s albums as starting points to go forward (such as The Beach Boys and the Beatles).
Still what I would consider heavy metal, but at least not scary heavy metal
Also classic but in a different way.. it’s hard to appreciate Loretta Lynn and Anthrax without a palette cleanse. Still pretty efing good though.
I had several days' worth stacked up and noted this in the queue. I'd honestly been kind of dreading it but it wasn't the screaming, thrashing mess that I somehow thought it would be. Vocals are pretty clear, melodies are involved, and the guitar is slappin'.
Enjoyed this, never heard Indians outside of Guitar Hero.
I’ve been enjoying the metal albums so far but I did not care for this man’s voice, so I was disappointed. The rest was cool though!
Incredibly frantic and not really worth listening to twice.
This absolutely whips ass.
Anthrax are probably the member of thrash metal’s “Big Four” that listeners outside the subgenre are least familiar with. If they wished to remedy that, though, this is where they should start: a bruising collection of alternately humorous and biting songs.
The biggest surprise of the project so far for me. Never thought I’d find any level of metal I’d love. Let alone thrash metal! Brilliant! Great drums, great guitars and vocals that actually let you listen to that. Marvellous - will be a time and a place album to play but over the moon i now have it in my arsenal 3.6
Definitely goes hard.. nice head-banger that can hang with the likes of Metallica and Megadeth. Wasn’t sure if I’d like it as much as I did, although it could have used a reprieve from the high octane chugging. 4/5
More approachable than most
I mean, it’s good if you like this genre.
Fun metal. Bonkers lyrics at times.
No thanks. I do not know how to objectively rate metal.
This has some of the worst vocal mixing I've ever heard. It sounds like a bunch of teenagers in a bedroom. In a bad way.
I did actually like this, I wasn't sure if I would. I've never listened to Anthrax before but my brother is a big metal fan and has been in local thrash bands for a couple of decades now. So I got some context and that made me really appreciate this. Indians hit different when you know the singer is Iroqois, for example. This was more fun than other metal I've listened to, I might listen again.
Not my music.
Nr. 152/1001 Among the Living 3/5 Caught in a Mosh 2/5 I Am the Law 2/5 NFL 3/5 A Skeleton in the Closet 2/5 Indians 3/5 One World 2/5 Medley 3/5 Imitation of Life 2/5 Average: 2,44 Just goes too hard for my personal taste.
Okay if your thing is loud incoherent screaming.
I can’t believe I used to listen to them and love them. Damn I am Getting old.
scawy
I appreciated the album just not my style of music.
Thought I would hate this one but turns out I liked it a lot. Liked the music and the lyrics.
Ga ga ga ga junga ga junga. My inner Beavis is shining. I enjoyed this more than I expected. Doubt I'll ever listen to it again, but I am glad to have heard it before I died.
I wish the double bass pedal would be uninvented
No soy muy fan del trash metal, pero cuando un disco suena bien, con la tradición del heavy metal detrás, consigue transmitir algo cercano a la emoción. "Among the Living sigue la biblia del estilo, con la rapidez como principal mandamiento. Destacaría "I am the Law", titulo inspirado en el comic de Juez Dredd, "Indians", sobre la dureza de la vida en las reservas indias, o "One World", sobre los peligros de una guerra nuclear. Pero no podemos dejar a un lado el tema que muchos consideran un clásico del estilo, "Caught in a Mosh". De lo mejor del disco.
Bit of thrash metal. Not super keen. Obviously there’s always some good guitar work in these albums but there’s not enough of a melody and the drums are so fast it just feels exhausting. Not for me.
Cools punks used "Reign in Blood" to get into metal; dorky punks used "Among the Living." I have always been a dorky punk, and I think this may be my favorite thrash album. If you were a preteen who liked comic books, Stephen King, and were a bit too politically informed for a middle schooler, you're going to like this album, even if you're now a full-on adult. I'm this album's target audience. My biggest gripes with it have always been the mixing being a bit muddy (your producer was right, guys), and that the songs are a bit too long, but that's more a critique with them being a thrash band instead of a punk band, which is a personal problem, and not a valid critique. This said, I don't think there's a bad song on here, it's just pieces of songs that I would rearrange, which is a testament that this is great if the critiques are mostly about personal preference. Easily my favorite thrash metal album.
I mean, I've honestly been trying to get into metal and like in a lot of it.However this is just fucking unlistenable
Pretty good!
Ehh not my thing. Like the other metal albums on this list, I enjoy the instrumentation but when they start singing it's just so wimpy.
This alum was Anthrax awaking as a Big-4 Thrash band (Metallica; Megadeth; Slayer). It was filled with hardcore kick ass but unlike their Big-4 counterparts Anthrax also liked to have fun. My first introduction to them was the succeeding EP called I’m the Man, where they became the first rap-metal band. I use a gavel in my classroom that is inscribed with I am the Law” from this album. Indians might be considered cultural appropriation today but back then it was a stadium anthem to get the crowd cheering. Anthrax when one to create other better (and worse)albums but this one still stands the test of time. Of their eleven albums I’d put this at #5, which should be a “3”. Personal bias stealing this from my brother on cassette included and four great tracks, I’m going to give this a 4!
Pretty rad album. Indians and A Skeleton In The Closet were standouts for me. I'd listen to this one again in the future.
Thrash metal is terrible
Anthrax is on the mt rushmore of thrash, but unlike megadeth, metallica and overkill I could never appreciate Joey Belladonna voice.
Thrashers unite. As a naive pre-teen when this album broke, I was intimidated by the aural ferocity. If you had told me that the songs were about social activism, the death of John Belushi, and Judge Dredd - I probably still would have been scared off.
vocals are atrocious, but the rest is a pretty good fuck you to hair metal of the time. 3.1
Didn't hate this like other thrash albums, in parts it was ok. 7/10
It’s been some week
80s hair metal, with the yelling and chugging guitars. Not bad, has the flavor. Just not my music.
Another good addition to the list. I'm not a fan of whatever this is classed as and when the growling started I braved myself for a slog. But there was a surprising amount of tune in these and it seemed very well done. It reminded me of some of the American punk that I listened to in the late 90s when I was a teenager, but with more darkness and depth.
Really good thrash metal. Some of the pioneers. Clean and fun
If you wanna thrash I'm sure this is great. However I cant point to any particular song that stands out. All the ingredients are there for an album like this, but it lacks that little extra push to make it great. I'm sure actual metalheads will disagree
Not really for me. Talented musicians and song writers though! I’d just rather listen to Iron Maiden if I was ever in the mood for this kind of music
Fun listen, though not my typical fare. At 55, I think I missed my window for headbangin', but had enough fun listening that I went for it and ended up needing aspirin for the neck pain afterwards. I'm not sure except for a few songs I'll revisit, but I respect the complexity of the music, specifically the tempo changes. Also liked the surprising depth of some of the lyrics and subject matter.
Fucking dreadful
Fellas, is it gay to like melody? But seriously even though there's not much interesting melody or progression, there's plenty of energy, talent, and catchy lyrics to make this a fun listen
I get it - hard, fast, loud. Really nothing musical about it, but I guess that is the point. I'm sure teen-age boys love it.
Bleh. Good metal anyway
It's got Maiden's dual-guitar threat, Megadeth's killing speed, and all of the mosh-ready aggression of hardcore punk. I think 50 minutes is a bit much, but I can't really find a track I didn't enjoy. Call it a 4.5. Favorite tracks: "Among The Living", "Caught In A Mosh", "Indians"
7.5/10
My life is a mess right now so this couldn't have come at a better time. Noise to drown out my screams.
Great metal banger.
Many of the guitar intros sound the same. Good for head banging.
Not my thing but a decent listen.
what a nice and relaxing album
Best Song: A Skeleton In The Closet. The double-kick drums set a blistering pace, especially on the back half of the track. Worst Song: Indians. I get that it's lyrically well-intentioned, but Jesus if this doesn't come off as patronizing. Overall: Anthrax has some of the best instrumentals of any of the Big Four thrash metal bands, but often has some of the worst vocals. It's a shame, because otherwise this has a decent groove, but the vocals just never meet the intensity of the rest of the music.
The main problem I have with this is that it is terriblely boring. Once you get the central gist of it, it's just relentless, aggressive two-drum, guitar thrash. This is a 50 minute album with 9 tracks - so not only is it boring, it's long. I can't fault their execution of the genre, they are adept and do what they set out to do. It just bores the tits off me.
I'm just not the target market here. Can't fault it technically, has the emotional range of my 15 year old son.
Music was fine until singer came in. 1/5
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Indians
Great sounding guitars, but the vocals were weirdly mixed. Never had this critique before.
I know of Anthrax, but possibly never heard a complete track from the band. I knew of their tribute to Judge Dredd ("I Am the Law"), and their cover of Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" (not on this album). I can recognize Scott Ian from all of his pop-culture appearances, but Among The Living was my first venture into actually listening to Anthrax. Thrash metal is not my jam. I made it through the album, but I had a hard time distinguishing between tracks. I could not imagine sitting down to listen to this record more than once. My brain was trying to tune out before the album was over. I couldn't even pay attention to the lyrics, so I might have additional reasons to be dissatisfied with the album. I'm not upset that I listened to the album, but once was enough (¿more than enough?).
Noise
My friends and I used to have a joke when going to see metal bands. There was always a headliner, and usually an opener who was a band that toured with them and was known. Then you'd sometimes have a bonus local opener who no one ever knew of and they were always called And Guest on the poster. So we said it was the same band and that And Guest was a touring band and changed their style and look every show but always had the same 100% energy and no real quality vs everyone else performing with them. These guys feel like And Guest.
I'm not sure these songs have any reason to be around 5 minutes each. Some fun tracks but like 3 minutes or less per track would make this an overall better experience.
i surprisingly really like it!
Meh
Album 314 of 1001 Anthrax - Among the Living Rating : 4 / 5 A bit harder than I'm usually into but sometimes it hits the spot, perfectly.
This is heavy meh-tal at its worst. Just noise and not good. I understand why it’s on the list to an extent, but I don’t like it at all.
Well... That was thrash metal. It's not all bad, but maybe just didn't totally click for me.
I didn't think I would like this album. Expected a much heavier thrash piece. Overall I found it very tame compared to my expectations, and that may be part of the reason for a 3 rating. Some amazing vocal runs, the instrumentals were great. Not my favourite genre, but I liked well enough.
Kan setta pris på harryfaktoren, men har liksom bedre alternativ
time is no gentleman for any kind of excess.
The crossover from hard rock/metal to skate punk. It’s good if a little one note. Kinda crazy how much this just sounds like generic hardcore from today. A testament to how influential it is
THRASH METAL??? ODD ALBUM BUT ENJOYED IT. Made my driving bad.
Inte helt min grej. Blir och sakna lite mera melodiska riffs och hooks. Tycker också albumet är lite konstigt mixat eftersom allt är ganska tyst och blir lite i bakgrunden. Vokalerna är inte heller helt i min smak. Helt tuffa gitarr solon!
A fine album that only has a few standout moments, showing a clear reason why Anthrax are definitely 4th amongst the Big Four of Thrash.
Not my jam but a plus one for the listening experience with the legendary hammer fist!
A metal album that did exhaust me. I actually enjoyed listening to it a couple of times. "Indians" was a little weird though.
instruments are good, vocals not so much. except for TNT- still great song
Lourdeur, rapidité, voix de tête, mythologie propre au genre: tout ce que j’attends d’un album de métal
Excellent music, angsty 6th grade lyrics
More enjoyable than most thrash metal albums.
I know Anthrax from Tony Hawk Pro Skater, only a couple of songs. This album contains some metal songs that are truly on par with Metallica.
I've been super into the thrash picks, but to me this felt like a slightly worse Metallica. Something felt a bit off, but it was still solid nonetheless.
Not for me. Super hardcore
meh metal
Great album
Good metal album
I forget that I really like metal if there's no lyrics. I wonder if there's a version of metal that's just instrumentals. Honestly, this really isn't my genre no matter how much I listen to it, but I did like this! I found it a very compelling listen.
Awesome - like a New York young Metallica
Metal. Heavy or speed... play loud. It's good for what it is, not something I'd play often anymore. Standouts: Caught in a Mosh, Indians, I Am the Law, 3.5
hell yeah
The were trying so hard to be edgy it was embarrassing. The guitar was really good but the rest of the song ruined it
Not my cup of tea. I do appreciate the talent specifically drums and bass. Definitely one of those you have to be in the right mood to listen and for me - I am never in that mood.
Too heavy
Great metal. I liked it. Lots of topics.
Headache inducing. Not my cup of tea.
Oh dear god, please remaster this. I can hear the mold spores flying about as I listen to this. The production is so flat and quiet it makes the album sound boring, despite the fact that they're ripping some nasty ass riffs. Also a weird criticism probably, but it sucks that this album (and Anthrax) in general doesn't have any big hit. I guess "Caught in the Mosh" would be the most well-known song on here, but it just doesn't have the same bang like Metallica and "Master of Puppets" or Slayer and "Raining Blood". Meh. I don't love it and I don't hate it. Serviceable thrash metal, nothing more.
Great intros but then I get bored when he’s singing
Great. I played this a lot when I was young. They're the most fun of the big 4. Favorite song: Skeleton in the closet.
i really liked the instrumentals of most tracks, but the vocals were not really my thing, their melodies sounded the samey - 2 adds
Verry loud, verry metall, verry speedy
Silly but good
Meh, not terrible though some songs were annoying. But not actively bad.
metal med lynhurtige trommer, skarpe guitarriffs,
Im pretty certain I’ve heard Anthrax before, but I couldn’t say which songs. I definitely remember expecting them to be a screamy/growly band and being surprised that they were not. It should hopefully be fun to hear an album in full, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Caught In A Mosh, I Am The Law, Indians What if all those hippies who sang about wanting peace and love went a different route and instead started a thrash metal band? The answer is Anthrax. This whole album has the running theme of wanting peace and getting rid of all discrimination, but it goes about it angrily instead of with acoustic guitars and vocal harmonies. There is not a single bad song on this album. The vocals are great (I was less keen on the high pitched power screams, but otherwise they’re great), the guitars and bass are low and dirty, and the drums are like machine guns. Loved this album.
Heavy riffage
One of the forefathers of 80's Thrash Metal. Their music definitely has an 80's quality to it, but it still stands the test of time. ROCK ON!
Du bon métal qui cogne bien !! 4.80
No
I’m trying. I’m really trying to appreciate metal. But when I listen to it, I don’t feel any excitement or interest, I just tend hear hyper-masculine posturing. There’s something weirdly empty or sparing about this album. Like, it all sounds too samey. Everyone is good at their instruments I guess. But I don’t really like it. I do appreciate the political nature of the lyrics on this album, rather than the typical metal imagery that I find so dorky. So they get some bonus points for that.
Solid 80s thrash
Thrash metallin kulta aikaa. Caught In A Moss ja Indians Anthraxin parhautta ja Among The Living ja I Am The Law taisi kanssa olla tuttuja.
So this was not my favourite album but I can see why people might enjoy this music. Not for me at all but not the worst thing ever.
Nah. Thrash metal I just don't like at all - the double-kick drum speed and relentlessness of it... I know that's the point. It really is a jackhammer to the skull. Not taking anything away from these guys who - holy crap - are fantastic musicians. Credit to them for the talent and complexity, as well as the obvious Stephen King nods - and I can usually sit through a track. Usually. It's just not my thing musically at all. 4/10 2 stars.
Its not Music, its just noise.
My initial take on this was that if there was no singing, this would rule. There is a lot of singing, though, and it’s ridiculous. Still a fun album, though, and the dual leads on guitar are great. There is a lot to like here and a fair amount of absurdity should be expected from this era.
Riffs are good, no idea why every fucking song is 5+ minutes. 2.5/5
"Among the Living" is the third album by heavy metal band Anthrax. It is considered their breakthrough album and thrust them into the thrash metal top four bands which also included Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. The album was dedicated to Metallica's bassist Cliff Burton whom they were friends with. Anthrax members include Joey Belladonna (lead vocals), Dan Spitz (lead guitar. Vocals), Scott Ian (rhythm guitar, vocals), Frank Bello (bass, vocals) and Charlie Benante (drums). Commercially, the album hit #62 in the US and #18 in the UK and critically, received much acclaim. Guitar and thunderous drums open "Among the Living." A standard metal-sounding slow pace and then Kaboom! The pace drastically picks up and we're into thrash. A crazy guitar solo. Lots of crazy guitar solos throughout this album. Their anthem "Caught in a Mosh" has a similar slower start with a strumming acoustic guitar before the thrash onslaught. Comparing the mosh pit to life struggles. Drummer Benante standing out. "Efilnikufsin (N.F.L)" doesn't even bother with a slow start. An epic guitar solo. A protest test song about drug abuse. No not the football league but read it backwards (nice f'n life). Side two begins with "Indians." Thrash with a decent melody. Die, cry for the Indians. "A.D.I./Horror of It All" is a tribute to Cliff Burton. And, yeah this does sound like Metallica circa "Master of Puppets" era. A song split into acoustic and thrash halves. Yeah, this is a great album and worthy of elevating them into the thrash elite. Great drumming,. Great guitar. Great vocals. Pace changes. Interesting and different lyrics for this style. An album to put your children to be to? Well, not quite. Annoy your neighbor? Absolutely.
Ok thrash metal
Been a while Anthrax... Not since the infancy of my Metallica fandom have I revisited any of your records. For once, it was me, not Tred, who struggled with the production. My ears have grown so used to excellent metal production, that hearing a thrash metal album from this era made me pine for days when I simply enjoyed angry man making sounds. Slightly inferior to Metallicas thrash albums of the same era, but I respect this band. Also, Indians is a less awesome Run To The Hills, thematically.
Great metal album. A lot more interesting than I expected. Thought I'd hear thrashy noise, but there are a lot of cool parts in songs. Thick, full rhythm guitar tracking, great bass lines and tone (a la Iron Maiden), and cool. Headbanging all the way.
I don't have much to say about this album as I listened to it passively while working. Anthrax is pretty alright by me though and I've listened to them in the past, this album felt pretty middle of the road so I'll give it a 3.
Felt like the same song over and over again.
The worst band of the big 4. I'd put testament in their place instead. Musically very sound but the vocals suck ass. Other contemporaries embrace the fact they can't sing but anthrax does the opposite. They try to add some catchy singable lines but it just does not work out at all. Musically a 4 Vocally a 1 That leaves me hanging between a 2 and a 3. Because I will not revisit it gets a 2
Metal but faster, what’s not to love. Not fully power metal and also not so defined by subject matter as to feel like a gimmick.
Eu me diverti até metade do álbum, depois ficou mais do mesmo.
Eu ja gostei muito mais de Anthrax mas esse álbum me deu tanta sensação de que é batido, não vi tanta graça, não teve muita mudança pra mim entre uma música e outra
Great thrash metal. Didn't notice the progressive lyrics back in the 80s but I do now. 4.44 stars.
Good job with the drums I suppose. Not for me.
Not for me.
Just no.
I once saw all of the 'Big Four' thrash metal bands (Metallica, Megadeath, Slayer and Anthrax) on the same bill (Sonisphere 2011). All four put on good shows, but Anthrax' set was perhaps the least memorable. This album has leaves me with a similar feeling. It's competent and well made, but missing a bit of magic. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Indians Date listened: 21/11/23
Of the big 4, Slayer was my favorite musically, and Anthrax was my favorite attitude wise. But I never really liked the Joey's sung vocals and I really never like chanted slogan style vocals from Joey and Scott. This is a 5 star album for sure. But I really struggle to get past the singing. But I don't think that should be a black mark against Joey. He seems like a great dude and he has done a great job of sperating himself from the pack.
Relatively enjoyable but a bit forgettable
Some really solid thrash for today's album. Anthrax are one of the "big 4" of 80's thrash metal (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth). The drums are super tight on this album, and the vocals are fantastic! By times you can hear influence from early punk in the speed and delivery of the guitar parts. Overall, a fantastic record. Admittedly, I haven't given Anthrax much attention before now. No real reason why, I just focused more on Metallica and Slayer than Megadeth or Anthrax. Maybe this will be my sign to listen to more of Anthrax's catalog. Favourite songs: Indians, Caught in a Mosh, I Am The Law, Among the Living, Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.), Imitation of Life, A Skeleton in the Closet Least favourite songs: One World 4/5
so fucking fast and loud! Love it. I've never loved Anthrax as much as their big time contemporaries, Slayer, Metallica, or Megadeth. Something about the vocals... which makes me want to give this a 4. But they deserve the 5!
The only thing I know about Anthrax is Scott Ian's beard from when he was one VH1 back in the day. I was expecting to hate this, but I'm having a blast. The '80s metal wailing, the thrash rhythms, the punk essence all add up to chaotic fun. The lyrics are pretty clever and funny - with references to Stephen King and Judge Dredd. Apparently Anthrax are somewhat controversial in parts of the metal community for being included in the media- dubbed "Big Four" of thrash with Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer. I'm not a metal head so I can't speak to any comparison, but this was super fun to listen to and the drummer is a fucking animal. Standouts for me were "I am the Law" and "NFL" which is about the death of John Belushi.
Thinking about the album compared to their peers it feels a little lacklustre and not in the same league, good for a once off but it didn't make a fan out of me.
Not my type at all
Imitation of Life! Didn’t expect to like this as much as I did.
Metal just really isn't my genre. Even songs whose tune I can kinda jive with tend to overstay their welcome. It was nice to have an album with some energy to it cuz the last couple have been really slow but even still not a big fan.
I don’t do thrash metal, it’s just noise
Record someone tapping pencils on a desk whilst someone else thrums a rubber band and shouts a lot. Now put that recording through a noise gate and distortion filter, and play it through a 10kW stack. You now have this album.
I'm not the biggest fan of metal in general, but I did kinda dig this album. I like the switch up that would happen in each song it kept it kinda intriguing throughout and it kept my interest. Nothing more than that however. Cool riffage though tbh
A decent shredder of an album, appreciated a heavy, guitar-oriented album after some lighter fare over the last few months. Fatigue does set in a bit past the 40-minute mark (these guys aren’t really reinventing the melodic wheel from track to track), but for the genre and what it is I was A-OK with throwing this on for a listen today.
\m/ My face meat did not slough off of my skull. My eyes and ears did not spontaneously bleed black bile. I did not find myself somehow pregnant with Our Holy Lucifers own child. I did have a good time tho.
Not bad but not for me
Not too bad
Very good metal.
Even if I was in the mood for some thrash and even in the best of times you have to force me to listen to Anthrax. There's so much Metallica and Motorhead on this list, it's all starting to blend together. I'm at home sick and the last thing I wanted to hear was some high speed heavy metal pounding in my head, so I honestly wasn't in the mood. The music is fine and it's not the worst thing I've heard here, but why is Anthrax considered essential?
rawkin' good time. 4 stars.
good
Liked this way more than expected. More punk and hardcore than other thrash metal, which suited me. Also more fun than the other overly serious big four thrash acts, and metal in general. I like this better than every Metallica album I’ve listened to. A lot of surprising turns and speed shifts in the songs and less indulgent guitar wankery than feared. Powerful, tightly packed bursts of thrash. I also like the political lyrics and varied singing styles, especially the hardcore-styled back up vocals. Even veers into rap rock territory and does it right. Surely inspired hardcore I like. Chuga-chugg-chugg have a surprise five!
Kind of fun?
Ich hätte es gerne gemocht. Ein paar Riffs sind easy, aber diese whiney ass Gesangsstimme war echt scheisse
One world, indians+
Man, this one feels like a dud. Not interesting AT ALL, the fact this is one of the first metal albums I get makes me a little concerned that they're going to be a lowlight of this list. Also shoutout to the fact I got Marvin Gaye after this. 3.5/10
Kids loved it
Anthrax are very much spot 4 when it comes to the Big 4 of Thrash, but you can’t go wrong with the original recipe stuff from the 80s
Among the Living is the third studio album by American thrash metal band Anthrax, released in 1987. The album is considered one of the band's best works, as well as one of the most influential albums in the genre. It features some of the band's most popular songs, such as "Caught in a Mosh", "I Am the Law", and "Indians". The album showcases Anthrax's signature style of fast, aggressive, and catchy riffs, combined with humorous and socially conscious lyrics. The band also experiments with different influences, such as hardcore punk, rap, and horror movies. The album is praised for its production, musicianship, and songwriting, as well as its energy and attitude. However, not everyone may enjoy this album, especially if they prefer other thrash metal bands such as Metallica. Some may find the album too noisy, chaotic, or silly. Some may also dislike the vocals of Joey Belladonna, who has a more melodic and clean voice than other thrash metal singers. Some may also prefer the darker and more serious themes of other thrash metal albums. Among the Living is an important and worth listening to album for any fan of thrash metal or heavy metal in general. It is a classic and influential album that showcases Anthrax's, but personally I’d listen to Metallica over this if given the choice, and I’m not a big enough metal head to come back to this one.
Aii, wat een taaie shit en gedateerde sound.
Wel aardig, maar veel te gedateerd.
Hahahahaha.......hahahahahahahaha...... nee maar nu effe serieus.... jongens, kom op. Kan dit niet gewoon uit de muziekgeschiedenis geschrapt worden? Niemand zou dat missen, toch?
Lollig.
Meh, it's alright. As far as thrash metal goes, it's not my favorite, but I think that's mostly the vocal styling. Not a huge fan of gang vocals, and this feels like an early version of that. Maybe I'm more of a Megadeth girl?
Ah, fuck it, lots of energy on this one, this gets a 4.
When I first heard about the 1001 Albums book, this was one of several albums that I bought from the list. I'd heard of Anthrax before, thanks to their collaboration with Public Enemy appearing in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, and seeing Scott Ian on several of those VH1 I Love the... shows, but I'd never listened to any of their albums (wait, I think "Caught in a Mosh" was on a Guitar Hero game). I remember appreciating it back when I first listened to it, but it wasn't the sort of album that I would revisit often. Listening to it today, I still feel the same way. I think it's a great album, and I appreciate its significance in the history of music, but it's not something I'd listen to a lot. Thrash metal is not something I enjoy often, but man, Anthrax can indeed thrash. The guitars are loud, abrasive, and fast, and the drums come at you like a mortar shells fired from a machine gun. I loved the use of fierce vocals and politically charged lyrics that are typically found in hardcore. At a time when thrash metal was peaking in popularity, Anthrax managed to stand out, even when bands like Metallica were finding a wider audience. I didn't come away from this album with a favorite song, but I still thought it was a great and valuable listen.
Another classic. Love the first half of this album and enjoy the second half to a lesser extent. “Talking to you is like clapping with one hand” is burned into my brain from my dad. Also s/o for talking about the mistreatment and evil done to Native Americans, this and Run to the Hills by Iron Maiden were the first concepts in my young mind that the US is historically fucked
Not my kind of metal but it's a classic for a reason
enjoyed the intense instrumentals, all blended together and sounded the same though. instrumentals good the rest not super attention grabbing
Thrash Metal. They seem to like long intros. The songs range from fast tempo to blazingly fast tempo - often in the same song. There must be a dozen tempo changes in “Among The Living” on the track. Vocals are just okay. Lyrics are meh. Rhythm guitar work is tight. The bass and drums are amazingly in synch. Not my thing but I can appreciate the musicianship.
I wore this tape out when it was new. Killer album. An all time thrash metal classic for me. Listened thru twice and it still holds up. One of the greats in this genre. Dedicated to Cliff Burton. 'Nuff said.
A rather basic thrash album - context is key here. Knowing that these guys were the among the first, entertaining crowds before they even recorded their first studio album, makes the album worthwhile. Other than that, it is basic thrash metal that has me wondering if it stood out in 1987, and makes me think there is a reason Anthrax is the least memorable of the Big Four of thrash metal.
You know what this is
I don't think I can make any argument that these guys are better than the likes of Black Sabbath or Pantera or a pantheon of others. But they're also not notably worse. Sometimes you want some uptempo shredding, and today this fit the bill perfectly.
Fav: Indians LF: Caught In A Mosh Low 7
I've never liked Anthrax and this only affirms my dislike of them
The painting of Among the Living has been the subject of discussion, because it was long believed to depict the character Rev. Henry Kane, the antagonist from the film Poltergeist II: The Other Side, while others thought it depicted Randall Flagg, the subject of the album's title track and the antagonist from the Stephen King novel The Stand. Drummer Charlie Benante, who conceived the concept for the cover, explained: "It was just about how much evil there is amongst us. I wanted to show just the same type of person on the cover. The same type of people and then, the one person that was sticking out kind of giving you a wave, like a 'hi!'".
LP
Wow so cool and deep.
I tried really hard to get through this album but I just couldn't make it. Sounded like a machine gun set to auto-fire and gave me a headache.
This album sounds like Metallica if you stripped that band of melody and exceptional guitar playing. The solo on “Horror of it all” was pretty good but was more about speed than taste, which lots of hard rock/thrash metal suffers from. Not for me.
An ok listen. Really nice to hear while I'm working because despite it's noise, it doesn't command too much attention. I won't go back but it's fine.
Metallica albums and rust in peace are the high water marks for me in this genre and this one fell far far short of the mark. It had some of the most annoying vocals of any of these thrash albums—which is saying something—and there weren’t any songs where the guitar work/production stood out to me
Not my jam. But really good for what it is. More melodic than I anticipated.
Of the so-called “Big Four” of thrash metal, I’d say these guys rank 5th.
Interesting piece dedicated to the death of Metallica's Cliff Burton. They seem to have lost their friend but found their own sound amongst the grief as this was the album that propelled them to arena metal. I enjoy the elements of punk and other hard core material, but the album begins to drag, especially with every song being nearly 5 minutes or longer
Couldn’t get through the whole album, drums are excessive and that’s probably intentional and the point but for me it disrupts the rest. Singing is actually quite clean and impressive, sounds a bit like an Ozzy Osbourne impression and probably inspired by Sabbath and tried to put their spin on it.
Not for me
In case you’re planning your next vacation the four cities where Anthrax is most popular are Santiago, Sao Paulo, Mexico and Bogotá. This apparently is the LP that launched them into the Big Four of Thrash Metal elite.
So much better than I anticipated...might be my favorite thrash album I have ever heard. Catchy choruses and great driving riffs. 3/5
Just not in the mood for 80s metal. There's better genre music before and after this. Pretty dull, uninspired and generic.
god, this is so lame I’m sorry but I can’t rate this any higher than a 4/10
can't really get into this but that's ok! most songs banged until the vocals came in...
Some good moments. A solid metal album
It was like listening to the same song for 50 minutes. Sorry, guys. 2