Anthrax Oxford Academy 14-03-12


First up were Obsessive Compulsive from 4 piece with a female vocalist from Manchester who’s thrashy with a slight punk edge went down well during their 25 minute set.

Then we had Diamond Plate from Chicago who were a very young thrash 4 piece who have released one cd. Their come on love us attitude won the large crowd over even though at times their playing was not quite top drawer. Put them in the one to watch draw.

I first saw Anthrax way back in 1987 on the “Among The Living Tour” and remember quiet clearly how they and Testament nearly demolished the Oxford Apollo that night.

6 years since their triumphant gig in Oxford on the warmest night of the year they are back in support of last years quite fab “Worship Music” cd and here’s what they played:

Earth On Hell
Fight Em Till You Can’t
Caught In A Mosh
Antisocial
The Devil You Know
Indians
In The End
Got The Time
Deathrider
Medusa
Among The Living
Encores of N.F.L.
Madhouse
Metal Thrashing Mad
I Am The Man(up to the first chorus)
I Am The Law

Over the course of 100 minutes we returned to the days when thrash was king.

One of the “Big 4” was playing in a small club in Oxford and the place went mad.

We raised our fists, we sang along to all the choruses and those young enough to mosh did.
Led by Joey Belladonna who is now in his third stint in the band and  who doesn’t appear to have aged at all. He sounded superb too.

Charlie Benante is one of the finest drummers on this planet. His double bass work was exceptional. His rythym teamwork with Frankie Bello on bass is up with the best!

Scott Ian riffed and stomped his way around the stage leaving Rob Caggiano on lead guitar to play many highly melodic solos.

That’s the thing about Anthrax in the midst of all that riffing they hit you with a chorus and solo that is always highly melodic!!

The 4 new songs all fitted in superbly with “Fight Em” and “Devil You Can’t” going down the best.

I could go on and on.

In all this rubbish we all have to deal with there is nothing better than going to a gig and just forgetting it all and just hollering out one of your favourite songs at the top of your voice and this gig was right up their with the best.

They left us wanting more and telling us they should return later in the year for a full UK tour.

We can start queuing now!!

Brilliant.

ME

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