Review Summary: The last great Anthrax album. There's nothing else to say.
An Anthrax Story:
Episode V: Persistence of Time
After having recorded State of Euphoria, the band was really feeling the effects of being a leader in the thrash metal underground. An underground which was no longer so "under" as music videos and radio airplay were gradually exposing these bands (between 1987-91). So, you could say the thrash titans were selling out at this time.
Anthrax would thus release their last thrash classic:
Persistence of Time. Taking off from where we last saw our heroes, we're pretty much clear that in no way could they top their past success; they could only follow it. However, the band had already made three albums that were on the loud and fast side of things, and another such release would only make the band seem to replicate themselves. That's why there needed to be a change. Such a change could only be achieved by toning down this formula. The lyrics would be changed as well.
This is why
Persistence of Time is very different from it's predecessors: the songs are longer, the tempos are more moderate, and the album purposefully lack the more straightforwardly consistent structure of those earlier albums. It takes the patience of a monk to hear this, but it's well worth the trial.
The best known song here is
Got the Time, a catchy and fun song, but in no manner an Anthrax classic. Truthfully, the best songs here are:
Blood, which speaks of human brotherhood;
H8, which criticizes the use of violence; and
Keep it in the Family, which speaks of the evils of keeping dangerous secrets.
Overall, this is easily the most serious Anthrax album; it's also the most difficult listen of the Belladonna Era. But, once given the time, it shall sink in. Pitifully, Belladonna would exit the band soon after, and there was no way to go but down.
Recommended Tracks:
-Blood
-Keep it in the Family
-Belly of the Beast
-Got the Time
-H8
Next up:
Episode VI: Sound of White Noise
