ANTHRAX has released “The Devil You Know” performance video from the thrash giant’s 40th-anniversary livestream concert, “Anthrax XL“.
The release drops in North America on Blu-ray, CD and digital on July 15 (Megaforce), and will have a European digital release on July 15 (Nuclear Blast), followed by a Blu-ray release later this year.
“The Devil You Know” was the first official single released from ANTHRAX‘s highly acclaimed 2011 album “Worship Music” and was a stand-out track with the media. Rolling Stone referred to it as “a relentlessly heavy number… as aggressive and punishing as you would expect from the band, but with a touch of old-school AC/DC swagger thrown in for good measure,” while Loudwire wrote it was “addictive and propulsive… Scott [Ian] unleashes what might be the riff of the year.”
July 18, 2021 marked the 40th anniversary of thrash metal pioneers ANTHRAX. The celebration began in May of last year and culminated on July 16-17 with a global livestream event shot at the Los Angeles soundstage/studio The Den. For two-plus hours, ANTHRAX performed an extensive set of hits and deep cuts pulled from their vast catalog.
“Anthrax XL” will include the entire performance, plus never-before-seen rehearsal footage and guitarist Scott Ian’s New York City “walking tour,” pointing out the spots that played a role in ANTHRAX‘s formation and history.
“Forty years doesn’t feel like 40 years,” said drummer Charlie Benante. “Sometimes, I have to remind myself about how long this strange trip has been. I enjoy playing these songs, they’re such a huge part of my life, and I know for a lot of our fans, they play a big part in theirs as well.”
From the night of the livestream, bassist Frank Bello recalled, “For me, each song was like reading through a scrapbook of my life and the band’s career. Specifically, ‘Madhouse‘, one of my first recordings with the band, and then to where we are now with ‘Blood Eagle Wings‘. What a great ride it’s been. I’m very grateful.”
“Even though we were performing in a studio with just the crew there, we played that set like we were in front of 50,000 screaming fans,” said vocalist Joey Belladonna. “I felt like we made a full-on connection with everyone watching from their homes or wherever, and that they connected with us. It was quite an intense experience.”
Currently, ANTHRAX is about six months into its 41st year, and the band — Belladonna, Ian, Bello, Benante and guitarist Jon Donais — doesn’t quite have their 40th-anniversary in the rear-view mirror. Said Ian, “We had planned to do a big 40th-anniversary world tour last year, but because of COVID, we couldn’t. So we’re doing our 40th anniversary this year, our 41st. We’re starting in America in July, going out with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and HATEBREED, and then we headline a U.K. and European tour this fall. We’re all really looking forward to being out on the road, playing shows and some deep cuts to celebrate our 40th with our fans.”
ANTHRAX “Anthrax XL” Blu-ray / CD / digital tracklisting:
01. Time/Fight Em ‘Til You Can’t
02. Madhouse
03. Caught In A Mosh
04. Metal Thrashing Mad
05. Got The Time
06. I Am The Law
07. Keep It In The Family
08. Lone Justice
09. The Devil You Know
10. Be All End All
11. Now It’s Dark
12. Antisocial
13. In The End
14. Medusa
15. Evil Twin
16. Indians
17. Skeletons In The Closet
18. Blood Eagle Wings
19. Bring The Noise
20. A.I.R.
21. Among The Living
