Review Summary: “I know I’ll never save myself, dying from this immortality.”
Where would we be without anger? Anger is portrayed as one of the most negative human emotions, and is usually looked down upon, what we sometimes forget that it is a very necessary and important feeling. Some of the most pivotal moments in history could not have happened without anger, most namely the American and French Revolutions, the writing of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Civil Rights Movement. These moments in history all lead to something peaceful, but none could have happened without the spark of rage. And thus this could be connected to each of the 11 tracks of Anthrax’s
Sound of White Noise. All tracks on the album represent standing up to something, and rejecting the norm; and what may seem like torture to get there, could result in internal peace.
With
Sound of White Noise, the days of writing songs depicting fantasies, Stephen King stories, and western gunslingers from their 1980’s thrash period were over. As far as subject matters and lyrics were concerned,
Sound of White Noise still stands as Anthrax’s most mature release. This is shown on the opening track,
Potter’s Field. While it is never directly said if you can piece the lyrics together the meaning of the song describes a struggling child (or adolescent, it’s never said) dealing with an uncaring, abusive mother. The child is fed up with his mother’s careless ways, and decides to live his own life without her care, and is able to find happiness by finding his true self.
But lyrics are one thing, what about the instruments that the band plays? Well, the new style taken on this album perfectly matches what Anthrax were trying to capture here. Many may complain that Anthrax traded their thrash metal playing for their new grunge sound as a cheap cash grab for the rise of grunge that was happening in the early 90’s. But the fact of the matter is,
Sound of White Noise just would not have worked if it was a thrash metal album. The riffs here are slower but heavier, and they fit the attitude of anger that the album is trying to portray. If the band had made it any faster than what it already was, then the album ultimately would have been too crazy and confused as to what direction it should have gone in. The new lead singer, John Bush taking over the helm of legendary Joey Belladonna, may not be a good “thrash” singer, but he complements this album very well. He spits all of the lyrics out with ferocity and grit, something Belladonna’s clear high notes would not have done as well.
Overall,
Sound of White Noise stands out as a diamond in the rough in Anthrax’s discography. Many are turned away from the genre and style change in the band, but if you go into it not expecting a thrash album along the lines of
Spreading the Disease or
Among the Living, but instead expect an alternative metal album (think of something like Alice in Chains’s
Dirt), then this should blow your expectations. This is a classic album that deserves to be listened to by fans of music and metal alike.
Recommended Tracks
Potter’s Field
Invisible
This Is Not An Exit
