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Anthrax

Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by rhythm guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. The group is considered one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene from the 1980s and is part of the "Big Four" of the genre.

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  • 3 Public media records
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About Anthrax

Anthrax is an American heavy metal band formed in Queens, New York, in 1981 by Scott Ian and Dan Lilker. They became one of the leading bands of the 1980s thrash metal movement and are recognized as part of the genre’s Big Four alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer.

The band gained widespread recognition with albums including Among the Living (1987), State of Euphoria (1988), and Persistence of Time (1990). After vocalist Joey Belladonna departed in the early 1990s, John Bush joined the band and debuted on Sound of White Noise (1993), Anthrax’s highest-charting album at the time.

Belladonna eventually returned, appearing on Worship Music (2011), For All Kings (2016), and Cursum Perficio (2026). Throughout their career, Anthrax have remained influential for their combination of thrash metal, hardcore punk influences, and willingness to cross genres, including their notable collaboration with Public Enemy.

Admin Note: While Anthrax isn’t strictly a nu-metal band, three of their albums contain enough nu-metal influence to warrant inclusion in the archive. Their other releases fall outside that scope and will not be added.

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