I’ve always been a fan of old-school metal (for lack of a better term), so I was among the many fans who were thrilled at the prospect of seeing the classic Anthrax lineup from the 1980’s reunited at last. The tour promoters very wisely paired Anthrax with one established, yet still relatively new, band (God Forbid) and two young metalcore bands (Manntis and Sworn Enemy). Thus, the Anthrax fans got to hear some more recent directions in metal, while new (and younger) fans now had an opportunity to see a band that influenced pretty much anyone they could listen to in metal today. I caught the last show of their North American tour at the Avalon in Hollywood, CA on January 21, 2006.

The opening slot (which in this case was an astonishingly early 6:30p.m.) can be a difficult and thankless spot to fill, but Southern California natives Manntis pulled off the job well. The crowd was into their performance from the first note, although they were understandably subdued, saving their energy for what was to come. Vocalist Jake Sirokman’s frequent pleas to the audience to start up a pit may have been largely ignored, but the audience was clearly enjoying the show. This was my first exposure to Manntis, and I was definitely impressed with the guitar work of Adair Corley and Jeremy Swanson, as well as with the band’s solid rhythm section. I couldn’t understand what the hell Sirokman was saying at any given moment, but that is only a minor quibble.

Up next were Queens, New York natives Sworn Enemy, another metalcore band from the Century Media (Abacus) fold. What appealed to me about Sworn Enemy was their stripped-down simplicity: straightforward lyrics declaimed over a tightly-knit rhythmic groove. The band played really well – strong, focused, and energetic. Like Manntis the guys from Sworn Enemy, fronted by vocalist Sal Lococo, put on a much more accomplished and confident show than one typically expects from an opening act. They were also really freaking loud, which doesn’t hurt.

The third band up was the biggest personal discovery for me: God Forbid. It’s almost embarrassing to admit that I’d never heard this band before this date, but I was completely blown away by every aspect of their music and performance. The bulk of God Forbid’s set was rooted in their latest album IV: Constitution of Treason, a fascinating concept album on the (impending) apocalypse and its aftermath. Frontman Byron Davis owned the crowd completely, and the dual melodic leads of brothers Doc and Dallas Coyle added an unexpected melodic twist to the vaguely metalcore base. Drummer Corey Pierce and bassist John Outcalt provided an unyielding foundation to what amounted to one of the most intense and impressive performances I’ve seen by any band in any musical genre. Their inclusion of Pantera’s “Mouth for War” toward the end of their set was a real crowd-pleaser, as well. Needless to say, I went out the day after the show to pick up their CD and it’s been on heavy rotation in my car ever since.

At the end of the brief interval between God Forbid and Anthrax the intro music began to pipe in over the P.A. with Cab Calloway’s introduction of Jake and Elwood Blues from The Blues Brothers, a hilarious moment that would have seemed gimmicky had it been done by any other band. The guys jumped over the taped intro with “Among the Living”, the first song of a set made up of the band’s best-known songs from the mid-1980’s through the Persistence of Time record.  For those who haven’t heard, the ‘reunion’ lineup of Anthrax consists of Joey Belladonna (vocals), Dan Spitz (lead guitar), Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Frank Bello (bass) and Charlie Benante (drums). The only missing member of the Anthrax lineup this evening was Charlie Benante, who had recently become a father and was at home during this show. Drummer Jason Bittner from the band Shadows Fall did an amazing job of picking up the band’s songs in a very short time span, a feat that Joe Belladonna very graciously pointed out on multiple occasions. I’m not entirely sure the audience completely understood how hard it can be to play a show with a new drummer, but Anthrax (and Bittner) pulled it off without a hitch or a dropped beat.

A casual observer would never have noticed that these guys hadn’t been playing together for years until recently. Musically, the band was as precise as a band who has played together nonstop for the last ten years, and they also had an onstage chemistry that was surprising for musicians who had previously gone their separate ways. A short while ago, I saw a show on Urge Overkill’s brief reunion tour, and they were nowhere near as cohesive a unit as Anthrax was when I saw them.

It hardly seems necessary to list the band’s strengths from the show, but it suffices to say that Joey Belladonna’s vocals have a fantastic melodic and expressive range, Dan Spitz’s solos are both virtuosic and melodically interesting, Scott Ian’s playing redefines the phrase ‘rhythm guitarist’, and Frank Bello makes bass-playing fun and exciting as only he and Steve Harris of Iron Maiden fame can. Bello was all over the stage, standing on the monitors and jumping around while laying down tight rhythmic bass riffs with his fingers (something I, as a bass player truly appreciate). Scott Bittner really managed to get Charlie Benante’s drumming style down, a style that is every bit as rock and roll as it is metal. I quickly forgot that he isn’t a regular member of the band – the best compliment one can give someone who fills in as he did.

I joined the rest of the crowd in singing along to such classics as the aforementioned “Among the Living”, “I Am the Law”, “A Skeleton in the Closet” (which hadn’t been performed live since 1985), “N.F.L.”, “Antisocial”, and the Joe Jackson cover “Got the Time”, among others. The show was an interesting way of revisiting the past while looking ahead to future music from the band. As Scott Ian said at one point, ‘Imagine us all wearing skintight black jeans and big white high-tops while we’re playing this song,’ and added, ‘this song is older than some of you, but that’s cool.’ He also promised a new record with this lineup in the near future, something that I can’t wait to hear. If a band can come together after so long apart and play like they played at this show, I can see nothing but great things in their future.

-David Van Kley