Charlie Benante Announces New LP Release Date, Specs

Courtesy: Megaforce Records

Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante will release his new album this spring.

Silver Linings is scheduled for release May 14 through Megaforce Records. While the record sees Benante as the primary figure in its presentation, he stressed during a recent interview, that the album is not a solo record.

“This isn’t a solo album,” Charlie said, “This is a record of my favorite songs done with some of my friends during a very dark time.  We found a shining light and this is the result of that light.  I was really happy that my musician friends came on board and helped make this record what it is.  I appreciate all of them, and they all did such a fantastic job.  Despite all of the darkness we’ve experienced this past year, there are ‘silver linings,’ that’s why I chose that title for the album.”

He added, the album’s creation came about through the advice of someone close to himself.

“Back in February of last year, with COVID and all the other B.S. that was going on, I was glued to the 24-hour news cycle on the TV and my phone, and I started to get really depressed,” he said.  My girlfriend said I needed to turn off the news and suggested I do something creative, whether it was art or drumming or writing new songs, and she was right.”

According to information provided about the 14-song record, it will feature an all-star cast of guest musicians and performers, such as guitarist John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson), Alex Skolnick (Testament), and Corey Taylor (Slipknot).

Also featured on the new record are Run DMC member Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Rob Caggiano (Volbeat), and Ra Diaz (Suicidal Tendencies). The group recorded the song “Run-DMC Medley,’ which is one the songs featured in the album. The group premiered the song’s quarantine video in June 2020.

The whole of Silver Linings‘ track listing is noted below:

* “City of Blinding Lights”/U2 – Frank Bello, Mark Osegueda, Charlie Benante

* “Chloe Dancer / Crown of Horns”/Mother Love Bone – Mark Menghi, Mark Osegueda, Charlie Benante

* “Teardrop”/Massive Attack – Carla Harvey, Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante

* “Run DMC”/Run DMC – DMC, Rob Caggiano, Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante

* “Rhiannon”/Fleetwood Mac – Mark Menghi, Jennifer Cella, Randy McStine, Charlie Benante

* “Yer So Bad”/Tom Petty – Carla Harvey, Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante

* “Transylvania”/Iron Maiden – Snake Sabo, Frank Bello, Jon Donias, Charlie Benante

* “Presto Vivace”/U.K. – Ra Diaz, Alex Skolnick, Jordan Rudess, Charlie Benante

* “Bad Guy”/Billie Eilish – Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante

* “Jimmy James”/The Beastie Boys – Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante

* “All The Way”/KISS – PJ Farley, Joe McGinness, John 5, Charlie Benante

* “Mr Speed”/KISS – Joe McGinness, PJ Farley, Charlie Benante

* “Public Image”/Public Image – Hank Von Hell, Dave Brownsound, Jason “Cone” McCaslin, Charlie Benante

* “Funny Vibe”/Living Color – Ra Diaz, Corey Glover, Henry Flury, Charlie Benante

More information on Charlie Benante’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:

Website: https://charliebenante.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharlieBenanteOfficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/skisum

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Anthrax Discusses Its “Sixth Member” In New Behind-The-Scenes Video

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

Anthrax is giving its fans another look behind the scenes in the making of its new album For All Kings.

The band released a new behind-the-scenes this week. This latest video sees the band switching gears from discussions on songwriting to working with producer Jay Ruston. Ruston manned the boards on the band’s most recent album, 2011’s Worship Music. He also helmed this new recording from the veteran thrash metal band. Over the course of the video, which runs just over three-and-a-half minutes, the band discusses working with Ruston on Worship Music and how that influenced their decision to have him on the boards again for this record. There are plenty of positive comments to be had as he is called the band’s “sixth member” and even the proverbial “Fifth Beatle.” As guitarist Scott Ian notes of Ruston, “He’s become an integral part of our process, that’s for sure. It’s cliche, but he really has become a sixth member.”

Ian’s comment is just one that stands out in the new discussion. There is also a note of Ruston’s ability to keep the band from going over the top in recording the songs featured in this record. In other words they trust him because of his ability to motivate the band yet also keep it from doing too much with any given song. Perhaps the best and most illustrative description of why Ruston helmed this record is Frank Bellow’s comment that he “knows how to make us shine.” There is much more discussion throughout the video. Audiences can check it out now online via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1DEUJ-xGec&feature=youtu.be.

Courtesy: megaforce Records/Nuclear Blast Records

Anthrax is currently on the road in support of For All Kings. The album will be available in stores and online on Friday, February 26^th. The band will be in Nashville, TN today. It will then make its way East to Norfolk, VA, where for a show on Friday. Shows in NY and CT are currently slated to round out the weekend, weather permitting. The band’s current tour schedule is listed below.

 

JANUARY

20   Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN

22   Constant Convocation Center, Norfolk, VA

23   Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, NY

24   Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT

26   Starland Ballroom, Sayerville, NJ

27   Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH  (HEADLINE DATE)

28   Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI

29   Egyptian Room at Old National Center, Indianapolis, IN

30   Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL

31   Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, MI

FEBRUARY

2   Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland, Kansas City, MO

3   George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville, AR  (HEADLINE DATE)

4   Revention Music Center, Houston, TX

5   Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX

6   Concrete Street Pavilion, Corpus Christi, TX

8   ACL Live at the Moody Theatre, Austin, TX

9   Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK

10  Sunshine Theatre, Albuquerque, NM  (HEADLINE DATE)

11  Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, NV

12  Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA

 

More information on For All Kings is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and tour updates at:

Website: http://anthrax.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anthrax

Twitter: http://twitter.com/anthrax

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Chile On Hell Is A Hard Rocking Music History Lesson From Anthrax

Courtesy: Megaforce Records

2014 is almost over.  But even as the year’s last months start to wind down, things haven’t cooled down in terms of the year’s new live recordings. As the year’s final months wind by, critics everywhere will begin firming up their annual “Best Of” lists for publication later in December.  Most critics will focus mainly on the year’s best overall movies and music.  And then there will be those critics and writers that will focus on specific lists such as the year’s best new pop albums, rock albums, hard rock albums, etc. It would seem that among all of the lists that are compiled, one category that doesn’t necessarily receive the attention that it deserves is that of the year’s best new live recordings in terms of DVDs and Blu-rays.  This critic’s personal list of the year’s best new live recordings is already firming up quite well.  There are still at least a couple of spots left open on that list, though.  And one of those spots will most definitely be taken up by veteran hard rock/metal band Anthrax’s new live DVD Chile on Hell.  This new live recording is one that any long-time Anthrax fan will appreciate and enjoy first and foremost for its set list.  While this concert is not necessarily what one would call a “career-spanning” show, it is one that both the band’s original fans and its newest fans alike will appreciate.  The next aspect of the DVD that audiences will appreciate is the band’s stage presence.  Some might consider this something minor.  But in reality, it is just as important in keeping audiences at home fully engaged.  And last but most definitely not least of all worth noting is the concert’s collective audio and video mix.  The two together present a certain raw look and sound that are just as impressive as any more spit shined and perfected recordings that are currently available to audiences.    Each of the factors noted here play their own important role in the overall enjoyment of Chile on Hell.  Altogether, they make this DVD a dark horse candidate for a spot on at least this critic’s list of the year’s best new live recordings.

Far too often, the term career-spanning is tossed around when it comes to live recordings.  Sadly, very far too few of those recordings live up to such hype.  That isn’t to say that no recording lives up to that label.  Rather, far too few live recordings live up to said label.  Thankfully, neither Anthrax nor Megaforce Records make any attempt to call Chile on Hell one of that mass of overly hyped recordings.  Rather, they let the recording speak for itself.  And the statement made is loud and crystal clear as audiences will see in the show’s set list.  The nearly two-hour show includes some of the material included on Worship Music and the band’s recently released EP Anthems.  But by and large, the set list presented in Chile on Hell takes audiences back to the band’s earlier days.  To be more exact, the band largely reaches back to its 1985 and 1987 albums Spreading The Disease and Among The Living for this concert.  1990’s Persistence of Time of also represented here courtesy of the song ‘In My World.’  Such a mix of classics and more recent songs will bring in both the band’s original fan base and its newer and possibly younger fan base at the same time.  One could argue that in presenting such a set list, the band is paying respect to its original fan base while teaching a valuable music history lesson to those younger and newer fans.  Even if this was not the original intent on the part of the band or of Megaforce Records, it is one of the results.  It makes the set list even more solid as the DVD’s center.

The set list and the potentially latent function of said list are together a solid starting point in the success and enjoyment of Chile on Hell.  Just as important as the set list and its effects is the band’s stage presence.  It goes without saying that the band’s stage presence in this stage is full-on.  Front man Joey Belladonna and founding guitarist Scott Ian exude so much energy; so much in fact that even audiences at home will find themselves wanting to sing along and head bang with them.  Such a powerful translation even on-screen is quite a statement.  Belladonna’s band mates add their own energy through their performances.  Whether through Charlie Benante’s pounding drumming, the spot on shredding of Shadows Fall guitarist Jonathan Donais (who replaced Rob Caggiano) or even bassist Frank Bello, the band collectively keeps the audience in attendance at the recording fully engaged from start to finish.  And home viewing audiences will feel that energy themselves, leading them to be fully engaged throughout, too.  That the band’s stage presence could translate so well and have such impact even on home viewers is a tribute to the band itself.  And coupled with the show’s set list, the overall effect of the show is made even stronger, thus making the recording in whole all the more enjoyable for all of the band’s legions of fans.

The set list arranged for Anthrax’s show in Chile and the band’s stage presence combine to make Chile on Hell an impressive addition to any Anthrax fan’s personal collection.  The recording’s collective audio and video mix is the final touch to the whole presentation.  The video doesn’t have the spit shined look of so many other live recordings before it.  Rather, it has a grainier, more raw look.  Yet that look actually plays into the overall presentation.  That is because it actually serves to help heighten the energy exuded by both the band and the audience.  Staying on that topic, audiences will enjoy the camera attached to the end of guitarist Scott Ian’s guitar.  That angle and the others used throughout the concert are used at just the right moments to make for a wonderful impact.  And despite being recorded at an indoor venue, the concert’s audio mix turned out impressive in its own right, too.  Balancing audio levels at indoor venues always has and always will present its own challenges.  In the case of this concert, those charged with balancing the concert’s audio levels both at the show and in post-production are to be commended for their efforts.  The end result of their work is a concert recording in which neither the vocals nor the music overpowered the other.  And together with the equally professional work on the concert’s video mix, it proves to be a concert experience that any of Anthrax’s legions of fans will enjoy no less with each watch.

Those charged with handling the audio and video mix for Chile on Hell are to be highly commended for their high quality of work in this concert.  The band and its label are to be commended, too.  The set list serves a dual purpose.  And the band’s stage presence will keep audiences fully engaged from start to finish.  All three of these factors come together to make Chile on Hell a concert that while bare bones, is one that any hard rock fan and any Anthrax fan will appreciate and enjoy.  The DVD will be available Tuesday, September 16^th via Megaforce Records.  Fans can find out more about this upcoming live recording and keep up with all of the latest updates from Anthrax online at http://anthrax.com, http://anthraxarmy.com, http://twitter.com/anthrax, and http://www.facebook.com/anthrax.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Anthrax Guitarist Announces Departure From Band

Long-time Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano has left the band.  But he won’t be going very far from the music business.  While Anthrax legions the world over won’t be seeing his name on the band’s albums anymore, they may very well end up seeing his name on their albums, as he has decided to pursue his other love.  That other love is producing.  Proof of his abilities on the boards is a Grammy nod for the song, ‘I’m Alive’ from the band’s most recent full length studio release, Worship Music.  The song garnered the band a Grammy nod for “Best Rock + Metal Performance.”  While it would appear his immediate future is working behind the glass, Caggiano has hinted that he does eventually intend to get back on the road in some form or fashion.

Caggiano released a statement regarding his departure from the band.  The following is what he had to say.  “I’m extremely proud of my time in Anthrax.  Actually, that’s an understatement!  We accomplished so many great things together over the years and I shared some of the best times of my life with these guys.  As a band, we weathered quite a few storms along the way.  It’s been a wild ride (to say the least) from Day One and I wouldn’t change one single thing about the last 12 years.  This is an extremely difficult and emotional decision for me to make but my heart is just steering me in a different direction right now.  I’ve always been one to follow my heart in everything that I do and while this might have been one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, it feels like the right one for me at this time.  Scott, Charlie, Joey, Frankie (and John Bush) will always be part of my family and this decision doesn’t change the way I feel about that in the slightest.  I would also like to say thank you to all the amazing fans I’ve met and hung out with worldwide over the years.  You guys always were and always will be the reason I make music!  In this day and age, being a musician isn’t always easy–also an understatement—but the fans truly make it worthwhile for me.  I hope to see each and every one of you again really soon.  The fact that Anthrax is at the top of their game right now and totally ‘out for blood’ after all these years is a testament to this band’s longevity and conviction!  I’m truly honored to have been a part of their brilliant legacy!

This isn’t all that Caggiano had to say with his statement.  He went on to discuss his future plans, including the possibility of recording and hitting the road again.  Here is what he had to say:  “I can’t wait to get back in the recording studio again!  Over the years, I’ve been blessed with the privilege of working with a wide range of great bands/artists from Anthrax and Cradle of Filth all the way to Bruce Springsteen, and I look forward to a hopeful continuation of that side of my career while I figure out my next move as an artist.  BTW in case anyone was wondering after reading all of this, I do FULLY intend to get back out there on the road very soon in some way shape or form…it’s in my blood!  Please feel free to follow me on Twitter @RobCaggiano for any and all updates on what I am up to.

“The band has also commented on Rob’s announcement in a statement.  The band responded to this announcement with its own statement saying, “Rob has been an integral part of Anthrax for so many years, as our lead guitarist, in a production capacity, but most of all as our close friend.  His contributions to the band have been enormous.  While we are sad that he is leaving, we wish him nothing but great success going forward, and hope to share the stage with him again sometime down the road.

 

With the Metal Alliance Tour on the horizon, we have been considering several lead guitarist options, and will be making an announcement on that shortly.”

ANTHRAX – Charlie Benante, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Joey Belladonna

 

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