Among The Living - Anthrax (1987)
I have this thing I keep noticing about, I guess I’d call it the granularity of time.
I thought Among The Living was about the coolest thing I’d ever heard when it came out in 1987. Partly because I already had Master Of Puppets in my life, partly because liked the self-aware cheekiness that Anthrax projected rather than the ultra-seriousness of a lot of thrash bands. But also I was still 13 years old when I heard it, and everything is new and exciting when you’re 13.
Two years separate Among The Living from the recently-upwritten Lenny Kravitz, which is a hallmark of a much more mature–or at least less thrash-metal-about-skateboarding-and-comic-books–musical taste.
That two year stretch from 1987 to 1989 was probably no big deal to my parents. They were essentially the same people on both ends of it. But I changed so much that it seems like an eternity to me.
The granularity thing I’m trying to point up is related to this. I can remember very clearly if something happened in 1987 or in 1989. But I might not be able to tell you if something happened in 2007 or 2018. While my life as an adult isn’t entirely stationary, I don’t have that rapid progression to go off of. I can sort of base things off of where I was working at the time, although I’ve only really had 3 jobs in the 21st century. My kids’ ages are sometimes relevant, but not always attached to non-kid memories. Time doesn’t move faster now than it did when I was a kid. But it’s harder to keep track of.
So anyway, Anthrax. This was the year I discovered the thrash metal underground, mostly because it wasn’t particularly underground after Master Of Puppets and Reign In Blood. But that summer it got to South Dakota, and to my friend network, and I was here for it.
Great guitar work, a locked in rhythm section, Joey Belladonna’s soaring vocals. The band’s sound was fresh and exciting even compared to their thrashy peers, and legendary hard rock producer Eddie Kramer made sure that it was all committed to tape in great detail.
Anthrax would keep making music for a long time and at a pretty high level, but this era will always be what people like me remember.
Tracks I Liked
Caught In A Mosh - A great tune that probably didn’t resonate with me like it did with kids who were actually rebellious.
I Am The Law - a headbanging explainer on the background and recent history of Judge Dredd comics
Efilnikufesin (NFL) - the cautionary tale of John Belushi’s too-short life
Indians - There are several 80s metal songs about America’s abysmal treatment of Native Americans (including one by a Swedish band). I’m never sure if there was genuine intent to highlight social injustice, or if it was just some epically gnarly shit to write a song about.
