The Rock Tribune

LOS ANGELES, CA – Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – “Worship Music“, (Megaforce) Anthrax’sfirst studio album in eight years and its first with vocalist Joey Belladonna since 1990’s “Persistence of Time,” blasts onto next week’s Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #12, the band’s highest chart debut in two decades, and second-highest in its career, selling 28,500 copies.

And if that’s not enough, “Worship Music” debuted at #4 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Chart, #3 on the Hard Music Core Chart, and #2 at both the Indie and Indie Core Stores charts.

“I am most proud of our fans who came out and gave us the amazing support they did,” saidAnthrax’s Charlie Benante. “To have our record debut at #12 is a great accomplishment.”

Added the band’s Scott Ian, “I’m absolutely thrilled with the fact that our Anthrax Army came out in force this week to show the world that good music matters. Thank you to all our friends, old and new! It’s a privilege to do this for you.”

While the recording of “Worship Music“ was challenging and at some times difficult, it was at the core of an extraordinary experience for a band that had questioned its very future. Anthrax’s turning point took place in 2009 at a Cleveland hotel bar with Metallica’s Lars Ulrich when he first brought up the idea of The Big Four. That led to Anthrax’s decision to get Belladonna back in the band on a permanent basis, and to the complete refashioning of the previously-recorded tracks for “Worship Music” with Belladonna’s inimitable vocal stamp. Pre-release reviews of “Worship Music” hailed the album as not only a career-best for Anthrax, but “the metal album of the year,” and last week’s New York homecoming concert at Yankee Stadium as one of the original architects of speed and thrash metal with Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth – The Big Four – only added to Anthrax’sremarkable renewal.

Anthrax hits the road beginning October 14 on a five-week, coast-to-coast tour with Testament andDeath Angel.

Dates are listed below.

10/14 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Orbit Room

10/15 Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater

10/16 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

10/18 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion

10/19 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall

10/22 Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theater

10/23 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield

10/24 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

10/26 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater

10/28 Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall

10/29 Austin, TX @ Emo’s East

10/30 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

11/1 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues

11/2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution

11/4 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues

11/5 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore

11/6 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore

11/8 Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights

11/10 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory

11/11 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium

11/12 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom * NEW

11/13 Huntington, NY @ The Paramount * NEW

11/15 Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom

11/17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE

11/18 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues * NEW

11/19 Milwaukee, WI @ Rave Ballroom