Volume 8: The Threat Is Real is the eighth studio album by Anthrax, released on July 21, 1998 by Ignition Records, and debuted at number 118 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The album was produced by the band and Paul Crook. It includes the song Crush, which appeared in the ATV video game Offroad Fury for PlayStation 2 and on the game’s soundtrack. Other singles from the album included Inside Out, Piss N Vinegar and Born Again Idiot.
Pieces, the hidden track at the end of the album, was written by bassist Frank Bello in tribute to his brother Anthony, who was murdered outside his girlfriend’s Bronx home on March 25, 1996 by an unidentified assailant. The song features Bello’s vocals.
In his 2014 autobiography I’m the Man: The Story of that Guy from Anthrax, Scott Ian said:
“I’m still proud of the songs we wrote for Volume 8: The Threat is Real. They were really diverse and heavy, with a modern sound and a crushing metal groove. 1998 was the year nu metal took over, but we weren’t part of that scene. If anything, we were old metal, so it was hard to get anyone to support us”.
Tracklist:
- Crush
- Catharsis
- Inside Out
- Piss N Vinigar
- 604
- Toast To The Extras
- Born Again Idiot
- Killing Box
- Harms Way
- Hog Tied
- Big Fat
- Cupajoe
- Alpha Male
- Stealing From A Thief
- Pieces (Bonus track)
Anthrax:
John Bush: Vocals
Scott Ian: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Frank Bello: Bass, Backing Vocals on “Pieces”.
Charlie Benante: Drums, Lead Guitar, Percussion
