Interviews

Charlie Benante Talks New Anthrax Album, Dimebag Darrell’s Influence, and His Dream KISS Collaboration

Anthrax fans have been waiting a long time for new music, and according to drummer and chief songwriter Charlie Benante, the band's upcoming album will be worth the wait.

Speaking with Erin Greatrix while on tour in Europe, Benante opened up about the direction of the new record, explaining that it brings together elements from every era of Anthrax's storied career.

"I think basically we took a lot of that and put it into this record," Benante said. "It's a culmination of different eras, different moods, different ideas."

The first single, "It's For The Kids," was chosen specifically because it represents where the band is today and serves as a message to the fans who have supported Anthrax throughout the years.

"We wanted to put something out first that really represented how we felt, how we sounded, and almost like, 'This is for you. This is for the fans.'"

Benante also addressed the lengthy gap between albums. While many fans have questioned why it has taken so long for a new Anthrax record to arrive, he explained that the creative spark simply wasn't there for a period of time.

"I really didn't have anything to say," he admitted. "I wasn't interested in making new music at that point. I wanted to have something that really expressed where we are."

For Benante, songwriting remains the most exciting aspect of being a musician, even after more than four decades in the business.

"My favorite thing is creating," he said. "If I could do that 24/7, I would do that 24/7."

Some material for the new album dates back several years, including songs that were originally written around 2015. Other tracks emerged from demo ideas Benante quietly stored away before the rest of the band discovered them.

One of those hidden demos eventually became "It's For The Kids."

As Anthrax has begun performing the song live during their current run of dates supporting Iron Maiden, Benante has enjoyed watching it evolve from the studio version into a concert staple.

"When you record a song, you're not thinking about performing it," he explained. "Then there comes a time where it's like, 'Now I have to perform this song. How am I going to pull this off?'"

The drummer also discussed how his work with Pantera has influenced his songwriting. Rather than distracting from Anthrax, Benante believes performing Pantera's material has actually made him a better musician and songwriter.

One new Anthrax track, titled "Watch It Go," carries a strong Dimebag Darrell influence.

"It has a Dimebag feel to it," Benante said. "The title was something that he would say all the time."

For Benante, the song serves as a tribute to his late friend and guitar legend.

"If he was alive, he'd probably be on the record somewhere."

Fans can also expect a particularly aggressive and riff-heavy album. Benante admitted that when listening back to the finished record, even he was surprised by how much guitar work made its way into the songs.

"I didn't know that I played so much on it," he laughed. "It's like I was 27 years old again."

While he estimates the album shares some DNA with 2016's For All Kings, he believes listeners will hear influences from classic Anthrax albums including Among the Living, Persistence of Time, and Sound of White Noise.

Another standout track is "Edge of Perfection," one of the earliest songs written for the record. Benante described the band's collaborative approach to arranging songs, noting that every member contributes to refining the material before vocalist Joey Belladonna adds his parts.

Benante had particularly high praise for Belladonna's performance on the new album.

"Joey sings so good on this record," he said. "He sounds awesome."

Despite his long list of accomplishments, Benante still has a few musical dreams left to pursue. When asked about a dream collaboration, he immediately pointed to KISS founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

"My personal thing that I would love to do is get in a room with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley and write an old-school KISS record," he said. "Something like Destroyer or Rock and Roll Over."

As for the new Anthrax album, Benante's message to fans is simple: take the time to absorb it.

"We really took our time for a reason," he said. "We really wanted it to be very special."

After years of anticipation, Anthrax appears ready to deliver one of the most ambitious albums of their career.

Anthrax: Cursum Perficio tracklist

Persistence of Memory
The Long Goodbye
It’s For the Kids
Everybody’s Got A Plan
The Edge Of Perfection
Infectious
NYC93
Cursum Perficio
T.O.M.B
Watch It Go
My Victory