Photos by Fozz Rock Photography
Review by Kris Peters
It’s been seven long years since Anthrax last toured Australia, and if you don’t think that is a long time, then you obviously weren’t at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall for the opening show of Anthrax‘s four date hit and run mission last night.
But first, let’s pay due respect to New Zealand openers Alien Weaponry, who have been away from these shores for just under half that time. Armed with last years new album Te Rā, Alien Weaponry promised a great show and delivered.
Firing the crowd up by playing Jump in its entirety as the intro song, drummer Henry De Jong soon appeared on stage by himself, the strains of tradional Maori music filling the air as he began the Haka. It wasn’t delivered in the same fierce way that you might see before a sporting match, but the calmer delivery made for a more intimate variation, with Henry‘s brother and guitarist/lead vocalist Lewis and bass player Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds promptly joining him on stage as the trio finished off the tribal chant with devestating three part harmonies that were to become a feature of the band’s set.
The stage looked a touch too big for a three piece, but that didn’t seem to bother Alien Weaponry as they powered through a set that included 1000 Friends, Raupatu, Taniwha and Kai Tangata. Each of the three band members had their moments in the spotlights singing sections of songs, but it was when they all came together that the magic really started to flow. Whether it was a combined singing effort or something more forceful and abrasive, the three voices united to create a sonic impact that could be felt all the way out to the street.
Alien Weaponry drew appreciative applause from a crowd that had only one thing on their mind, and as the countdown to 9.15p.m began the tension in the air was palpable. Murmers rose and fell across the music hall as fans started chants of “Anthrax, Anthrax” before the lights dimmed and the familiar intro of Iron Maiden‘s Number Of The Beast boomed from the speakers. The crowd obliged by singing along throughout the duration of the song, as a massive white sheet obscured the band area from view.
As Number Of The Beast faded the steady ticking of the second hand of a clock rose in its place, the pace increasing rapidly before the white sheet blazed with colour as Anthrax‘s long loved mascot Notman swept into view with an opening cartoon segment that included lots of blood, mischievous intent and what looked like the Delorean from Back To The Future which took Notman on a journey through time and space.
As he crashed from view, smoke billowed across the stage and the larger than life silhouttes of Anthrax appeared from seemingly nowhere, already thrashing away and assaulting their instruments before the curtain collapsed and the crowd roared as one. No bullshit. No welcome speeches. Anthrax were there to play thrash metal and that’s precisely what they did, launching into A.I.R and sweeping their fans into the musical destruction with them.
Frontman Joey Belladonna hit the stage running, his voice on point from the first note as guitarists Scott Ian and Jon Donais played off each other with ease and professionalism, with bass player Frank Bello and drummer Charlie Benante equally at home on the big stage and playing as if they still had a point to prove.
Got The Time followed, with a wicked bass run intro setting the tone for the nights entertainment. Guitarist Scott Ian is very much the public face of Anthrax, but from the outset the band made it clear this was a five man team of musical mercenaries that combine to deliver Anthrax‘s music, not a one man show with a supporting cast.
By the time Madhouse had finished every member had played at least one solo – and nailed the fuck out of it – before the band retreated into the darkness and left Ian on stage alone, toyfully playing with the crowd by teasing a stand alone solo. Benante soon joined in with a thunderous drum fill that reverberated powerfully, descending across the mosh pit like a concrete blanket before the rest of the band added even more layers of heaviness to proceedings, belting out a brutal rendition of Caught In A Mosh that all but took the breath away over the entire room.
Ian finally gave the speech everyone was waiting for, in the process asking who in the crowd loved thrash metal, playfully joking with one fan wearing an Anthrax shirt who failed to raise his hand. For the benefit of that person and the delight of everyone else, he repeated the question, ending by stating “this ones for you” before powering into a blistering version of Metal Thrashing Mad that was delivered as one with the emotional ferocity that only a band who live for their craft can muster.
Other highlights included Keep It In The Family and Medusa before Indians rounded out the set proper with a stirring crowd participation that saw the fans drowning out the band on stage several times.
After a brief moment off stage to refresh, Anthrax bounced back out as though they were readying to start the night, not end it, with Ian assuring the crowd Anthrax stil had a couple of songs left in them. Someone in the crowd yelled out, “play I’m The Man“ which drew laughter from the stage until persistent cries for the song forced their hand and Anthrax launched into the track after informing the crowd they had not played the song in a long time so it would likely be shit. Of course, it wasn’t, but we only got one verse and the chorus before Ian stopped the song and told us that Anthrax would be releasing an album later this year and if the touring cycle brought them back to Australia they would learn and play the whole song just for Brisbane.
I hope you know we have long memories, Scott…
Instead, Anthrax played I Am The Law before the one song they could never leave off the setlist without fear of a riot remained. After an extended intro that was meant to throw fans off the scent – but in reality fooled no-one – the familiar strains of Antisocial filled the room and the crowd exploded one last time.
Belladonna urged the crowd to sing along, motioning for the band to go quiet on three seperate occassions as the crowd sang the chorus, each time growing louder until the band more or less gave up trying to compete.
It was a fitting end to a perfect set, with Anthrax finishing the night with as much venom and ferocity as when they started. The adulation and respect was mutual, with the band basking in the glow directed towards them from the pit, and returning it with a genuine display of appreciation as they threw out guitar picks and handed out drum sticks and skins, lingering as long as they could to soak up the atmosphere.
Let’s hope now that the album cycle does, indeed, lead them back to Australia. Seven years between drinks is far too long…
