Anthrax announce new live album ‘XL’
ANTHRAX have announced a new live album!
Titled XL, the upcoming live album from the thrash metal giants captures last year’s livestream as part of the band’s 40th anniversary, and is scheduled to be released in July this year, via Nuclear Blast Records.
The live performance was 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 catalogue. The live album will feature the performance, plus never-before-seen rehearsal footage, and Scott Ian’s New York City “walking tour” pointing out the spots that played a role in the band’s formation and history.
“Forty years doesn’t feel like 40 years,” says 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 recalls, “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,” says 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.”
Alongside the announcement of the new live album, the band have released a new live music video for a song taken from the upcoming live record; Aftershock.
Watch the official live music video for Aftershock here:
Also, you can view both the track list and artwork for the upcoming live album below:
Track List:
- Time/Fight Em ’Til You Can’t
- Madhouse
- Caught In A Mosh
- Metal Thrashing Mad
- Got The Time
- I Am The Law
- Keep It In The Family
- Lone Justice
- The Devil You Know
- Be All End All
- Now It’s Dark
- Antisocial
- In The End
- Medusa
- Evil Twin
- Indians
- Skeletons In The Closet
- Blood Eagle Wings
- Bring The Noise
- A.I.R.
- Among The Living
Currently, ANTHRAX are about six months into their 41st year, and the band – Belladonna, Ian, Bello, Benante, and guitarist Jon Donais – don’t quite have their 40th-anniversary in the rear-view mirror. Scott Ian says, “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 UK 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.”
XL is set for release on July 15th via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-orders are available now and can be purchased here.
For more information on ANTHRAX like their official page on Facebook.
