Anthrax’s ‘Among the Living’ Reissue Offers Peak at Songwriting Process

Reissues are reissues. They have bonus material, new photos, videos and other standard rigmarole. When thrash pioneers Anthrax elected to reissue 1987's 'Among the Living,' they went above and beyond tweaking the cosmetic end of the album.

"There is a version of a B-side that we did when we had this side band -- Satan's Lounge Band -- and we did the song and it's never appeared on CD, so we put it here," drummer Charlie Benante told Noisecreep. "There is also an alternate lead in the song 'Indians,' that I love. The one that made the record originally is the 'one,' but this lead is really good too, and it's interesting, too."

It's like a sneak peak into the songwriting process of a seminal metal band, allowing fans to hear parts of a song that were changed and didn't make the cut. It's almost like those 'choose your ending' books!

"There are some basic tracks with no vocals, just guitar, bass, drums that didn't make the record, and we didn't put it on this reissue because of the time constraints on the CD," Benante said, revealing there are even more in the archives! Perhaps a deluxe of the deluxe when the album turns 32 years old? "There is a bonus disc of a live concert from London in 1987, too," Benante said.

As for his opinion on why the album is revered as their best and a classic, Benante said, "It is the record that broke out for us. It was the record that really signified that we were here. That's why it qualifies. When people talk about us, they mention it. We felt what better record to do it with, than that? We were 100 percent from start to finish it was really good."

The deluxe edition of 'Among the Living' is out Nov. 10 via Universal.