Collectibles: Singles, Imports and Bootlegs Anthrax-Fistful of Metal/Armed & Dangerous (SPV) 1984/85
European re-issue of Anthrax's first two discs, released in 1998. For some reason the record company decided that the cover to "Fistful of Metal" was to offensive to print in it's entirity on the cover. However, they did include full booklets for each of the two CDs. Actually the booklets included here are nicer than the ones included in my Megaforce discs. It seems to me that this disc may also have been remastered as the overall volume is a bit louder than my Megaforce copies. Nothing new or unreleased here. Just a disc for Anthrax die hards like myself or for those who have been unable to track down the band's first two discs. For a complete review of each of these two albums, check the Official Anthrax CDs. Picked up this disc for only $6 at a used CD store. Anthrax - Madhouse (METALP 062)
12" vinyl bootleg features live tracks taken from two different shows, as well as some early pre-Belladonna demos. The demos are quite cool and are a fun listen. I'm not sure of the source of these demos. The sound quality isn't bad, but since I've not heard the original demos I don't have a point of comparison on the sound quality. The live recording is about what you would expect from a bootleg. The live tracks on the first record sound as if they could be an audience recording. The sound quality improves a bit on the second album, as I assume these tracks were a radio broadcast. Frankly, this is just one for the fanatic Anthrax collector This one sat in a local record shop for years. Every time I went in I looked at it and passed it up as it was priced close to $50. Finally, the store lowered the price to $10.99 and I grabbed it.
Anthrax - Axedream (CDM/G-53 22) 1994 1. "Anthrax"
(3:46) A bootleg compilation featuring various live performances, as well as some early demo recordings with original vocalist Neil Turbin. The sound quality various from song to song, but overall isn't to bad. I was most interested in hearing the old demo recordings ("Anthrax" and "Soldiers of Metal"). Anthrax/UTFO - Lethal (Select Records) 1987 SIDE A 12" vinyl single that was actually released as a single for UTFO. The title track, however, features Joey Belladonna and Dan Spitz. This is a pure 80's rap with only a slight metallic sheen. However, this track is not as heavy or intense as the Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise". A vital collector's item for the Anthrax die-hard but not much else. Anthrax - Got the Time (Island) 1990 1. "Got the Time"
[edit] (2:14) Nothing more than a promotional single sent out to various radio stations across the globe. A nice collector's item for the Anthrax fanatic like myself, but nothing more as it contains nothing new, other than a shortened version of "Got the Time". Personally I prefer the album version.
A friend pointed this one out to me a number or years after it was released. Of course by that time this single was impossible to find. How I missed this one as a new release is a mystery, as I am a big Anthrax fan, as well as a fan of both Kiss and Thin Lizzy, the two bands who are covered on this single. Both covers are great and to make things better, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons make guest appearances on the Kiss song as well. A little note on the bottom of the disc says that all proceeds from "Love Her All I Can" will be donated to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. (Good cause.) The Thin Lizzy song is sort of humorous. Hearing John Bush sing "I am just a cowboy. . ." is pretty funny. Well, as luck would have it, I finally found a copy for myself at a used cd store for only $3.99 only a few months later. Sometimes I just get lucky. There is also a different version of the "Black Lodge" single that does not have "The Cowboy Song" but has "Pottersfield" (HypoLuxa/HermesPan Remix) instead.
Anthrax - Hy Pro Glo [European Tour 1993 CD] (Elektra) 1993 1. "Hy Pro Glo"
[edit] (3:58) A collector's disc that features the non-album track "London" originally by the Smiths and a smokin' live version of "Room For One More". Anthrax - Only (Elektra) 1993 1. "Only" [radio
edit] (4:13) Man there were a lot of singles released for "Sound of White Noise." To bad that Elektra didn't put as much promotion into "Stomp 442". In anycase, this maxi-single features a shortened version of "Only" plus the Thin Lizzy cover "Cowboy Song" and "Sodium Pentathol," also from "Sound of White Noise." Not sure why they called it this on the single and "C11 H17 N2 O2 S Na" on the album, but they mean the same thing. Anthrax - High Octane (promo pre-release) (Elektra) 1995 1. "Random
Acts of Senseless Violence" (4:03) A nice little advance cd. Nothing really new on it, but it's a rare collector's disc. This advance promo had me excited for the new disc, but it ended up that these three songs were the best songs on the cd. Picked it up for $2.99. Had one offer for it for $25. Didn't sell! Anthrax - Austalasian Tour E.P.-Nothing (Elektra) 1996 1. "Nothing"
(4:43) Cool find! I was a bit bummed when the re-issue of Stomp 442 didn't include the bonus tracks "Remember Tomorrow" and "No Time This Time". After all, the Japanese version of Stomp came with all the bonus tracks on the reissue plus the two aforementioned covers. Anyhow, I found this EP at SecondSpin.com for $5.99 and despite not knowing exactly what it was, I decided to snag it. Lucky for me it contains the two tracks I had been looking for. "Remember Tomorrow" is a screaming version of Iron Maiden's classic. "No Time This Time" is cover of The Police. This song is ok, but not as good as I had hoped. It almost seems like it was recorded more as a joke. This EP also features an excellent remix of the single "Fueled" as well as the Anthrax originals "Nothing" and "Grunt & Click." "Grunt & Click" was not on the original Elektra release of 'Stomp' but is added to the recent re-release as a bonus track. Anthrax - Safe House (Nuclear Blast) 2003 1. "Safe House"
[radio club edit.] (4:19) German pre-release single for "We've Come For You All". Nothing unreleased on it, other than a shorter version of "Safe House", but a collector's disc for the Anthrax die-hard like myself.
Excellent collector's disc that was only released in Europe to support the band's European tour. Disc one is "We've Come For You All" with two bonus tracks. The acoustic version of "Safe Home" is actually pretty cool. It is just an acoustic guitar and John Bush singing. "We're A Happy Family" is a heavy punk tune that I believe was originally written by the Ramones. Disc Two features all the bonus tracks off the expanded versions of "Sound of White Noise" and "Stomp 442." Also included is an extra booklet that includes letters from each of the band members, tour dates and photos. The entire package is wrapped in a slipcase, pictured above.
Second single released in Germany for the "We Have Come For You All" album. As with the "Safe Home" single, this CD was only released in Germany. Not sure why Anthrax's American label, Sanctuary, isn't putting as much into promoting the band as their German label. In anycase, this EP features three non-album tracks, "Ghost" an Anthrax original that I assume is a cut recorded during the "We Have Come For You All" sessions, "Exit" a U2 cover, and "Next To You", which is a charged up cover of the Police classic. Can't say that I have ever been a big fan of U2 or the Police, but I do like these heavy Anthrax covers. Two videos for viewing on your PC are also included.
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