Anthrax to wrap up album work in June

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By ( Louder ) published

Scott Ian gives studio update – and recalls the first time he heard Metallica's early demo

Anthrax mainman Scott Ian says the band will put the finishing touches to their next album in June.

They will take some time away from the studio to go out on tour later this month, before getting back to work on what will be the follow-up to 2011’s Worship Music.

Ian tells The Metal Voice: “It’s coming along great. We’re gonna take a break. We head out on tour on April 24, we’ll take a break and be able to get away from it, live with it for a while, and then come back right at the beginning of June and spend another month finishing it up.

“We’re in a really good zone creatively, and I think if you liked the last record, you’re really gonna love this new one.”

Ian also recalls hearing Metallica’s early demo in 1982 and how it set the tone for the heavy metal scene from then on. Megaforce Records owner Jonny Zazula believed in the genre and went to great lengths to release Metallica’s music.

Ian adds: “I remember he played me the No Life ‘Till Leather demo at his store one day. It just blew me away – it sounded so cool.

“And he told me he’s bringing them to New York, and he’s gonna make an album, and he’s starting his own record company. He goes, ‘I’ll make it happen somehow.’ And he put his money where his mouth is.

“When it comes to heavy metal, what happened in the US in the 80s was certainly a pretty big deal, and a lot of people worldwide are still interested in us, Metallica and Slayer.

“So it just shows what we were doing as kids in the early 80s has left a big imprint on this planet.”

Ian is the host of this year’s Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards ceremony.

Stef Lach

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.