Among the Living
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Among the Living
- Artist: Anthrax
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1987
- Total Time: 50:13
- Type: Lyrics are included with the album
- Genre: Rock
Review
Generally considered the band's best album, Among the Living broadened the scope of Anthrax's subject matter with socially conscious lyrics addressing prejudice, violence, drug abuse ("Efilnikufesin [N.F.L.]," a rip on John Belushi), and the hollowness of the music business, as well as a politically correct ode to the "Indians." However, the band refuses to take itself too seriously, also recording tributes to Stephen King and Judge Dredd. Musically, the band delivers a powerful, aggressive roar driven by impossibly fast riffing and the changing tempos and collectively shouted vocals of hardcore, especially on the classic "Caught in a Mosh." The brutal rhythm guitar work of Scott Ian and the explosive drumming of Charlie Benante relentlessly push the songs along while still maintaining a solid groove, and more than make up for some lyrical awkwardness. Among the Living remains arguably Anthrax's foremost achievement. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi| Among the Leaves (2012 Album by Sun Kil Moon) | |
| Among the Living (2001 Album by Sons of Maxwell) |
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Among the Living
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Among the Living
This article is about the album by Anthrax. For the 1941 film, see Among the Living (film).
| Among the Living | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Anthrax | ||||
| Released | March 22, 1987 | |||
| Recorded | October–November 1986 | |||
| Genre | Thrash metal | |||
| Length | 50:13 | |||
| Label | Island Records | |||
| Producer | Anthrax, Eddie Kramer | |||
| Anthrax chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Among the Living | ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [3] |
| BBC | positive[4] |
| Kerrang! | [citation needed] |
Among the Living is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax. The album was released in March 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/Island and is certified gold by the RIAA.[5] The BBC has described the album as "arguably their big breakthrough", and "often cited by fans as their favourite Anthrax album".[4]
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Contents
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Album information
The album was produced by Anthrax and Eddie Kramer. The album includes the singles, "I Am the Law" and "Indians". The video for the song "Indians" received substantial rotation on MTV.
The cover of Among the Living depicts the Rev. Henry Kane, antagonist from the Poltergeist series of films. It has also been speculated that the cover is an homage to the character Randall Flagg, the antagonist from the Stephen King novel The Stand, as this character is the subject of the album's title track.[6] "A Skeleton In The Closet" is also inspired by a Stephen King novella entitled Apt Pupil.
This was the final Anthrax album to feature songwriting contributions from original bassist Danny Lilker, who, despite having left the band after 1984's Fistful of Metal, was credited as the co-writer of several Anthrax songs for the next two albums. On Among the Living, he is credited as the co-writer of the songs "I Am the Law" and "Imitation of Life".
The album was dedicated to the memory of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton, a highly regarded figure in the thrash community who died six months prior to the album's release.
In 2000, the album was re-released in Germany as a double album along with Persistence of Time.
On Anthrax's 2005 reunion tour with vocalist Joey Belladonna, the majority of their concert set consisted of material from Among the Living. On their 2006 tour they sometimes performed the album live in its entirety.
On November 10, 2009, a deluxe edition of the album was released which included a bonus concert DVD. The deluxe edition featured alternate takes of several album tracks; live versions; and "I Am the Law" b-side, "Bud E Luv Bomb And Satan's Lounge Band".[7]
The first six songs of the album are included on the Compilation CD Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991).
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Anthrax except "I Am the Law" and "Imitation of Life" by Anthrax and Danny Lilker.
| No. | Title | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Among the Living" | 5:16 | |
| 2. | "Caught in a Mosh" | 5:00 | |
| 3. | "I Am the Law" | 5:57 | |
| 4. | "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)" | 4:54 | |
| 5. | "A Skeleton in the Closet" | 5:32 | |
| 6. | "Indians" | 5:40 | |
| 7. | "One World" | 5:56 | |
| 8. | "A.D.I./Horror of It All" | 7:49 | |
| 9. | "Imitation of Life" | 4:22 |
| 2009 Deluxe Edition[7] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | |||||||
| 10. | "Indians (Alternate Lead)" | Anthrax | ||||||||
| 11. | "One World (Alternate Take)" | Anthrax | ||||||||
| 12. | "Imitation of Life (Alternate Take)" | Anthrax, Danny Lilker | ||||||||
| 13. | "Bud E Luv Bomb And Satan's Lounge Band" | |||||||||
| 14. | "I Am the Law (Live in Dallas)" | Anthrax, Danny Lilker | ||||||||
| 15. | "I'm the Man (Instrumental)" | Joey Belladonna, Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Charlie Benante, John Rooney | ||||||||
2009 Deluxe Edition Disc 2
| "Oidivnikufesin (N.F.V.)" DVD. Recorded live in London, England, 1987.[7] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Intro" | |||||||||
| 2. | "Among the Living" | |||||||||
| 3. | "Caught in a Mosh" | |||||||||
| 4. | "Metal Thrashing Mad" | |||||||||
| 5. | "I Am the Law" | |||||||||
| 6. | "Madhouse" | |||||||||
| 7. | "Indians" | |||||||||
| 8. | "Medusa" | |||||||||
| 9. | "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)" | |||||||||
| 10. | "Armed And Dangerous" | |||||||||
| 11. | "A.I.R./I'm The Man/A.I.R." | |||||||||
| 12. | "Gung Ho" | |||||||||
Personnel
- Joey Belladonna – Lead vocals
- Dan Spitz –Lead guitar, Acoustic guitar on A.D.I
- Scott Ian – Rhythm guitar, Backing vocals
- Frank Bello – Bass guitar, Backing vocals
- Charlie Benante – Drums
Song information
- "Among the Living" is based on the Stephen King novel The Stand. "The Walkin Dude" is Randall Flagg, the main villain in the book, and the beginning verse: "Disease! Disease! Spreading the disease!\With some help from Captain Trips\He'll bring the world down to its knees" refers to the virus that destroys most of the population in the novel. The song was released as downloadable content for the Rock Band series as a master track.
- The rerecorded version of "Among the Living" from The Greater Of Two Evils is used as a background to the Clerks 2 teaser.[8][9]
- "Caught in a Mosh" is ranked number 29 in VH1's "40 Greatest Metal Songs."[10] A cover version of the song is included in the game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s[11] and the master recording of the song is included in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits and in Rock Band 3.
- "I Am the Law" is about the comic book character Judge Dredd.
- "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L)" is about the life of John Belushi. Efilnikufesin is "Nise Fukin Life" ("nice fucking life", phonetically) backward.
- "A Skeleton in the Closet" is based on the Stephen King novella "Apt Pupil" in the novel Different Seasons. It has since been made into a movie.
- The A.D.I in "A.D.I/Horror of it All" stands for Arabic Douche Intro.[citation needed]
- "Indians" was released as downloadable content for the Rock Band series as a master track and is included in the game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.[12]
- "Imitation of Life" is a remake, of the S.O.D. song "Aren't You Hungry?".
References
- ^ http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Anthrax/I_Am_the_Law/12820
- ^ http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Anthrax/Indians/12821
- ^ Among the Living at Allmusic
- ^ a b "BBC Music Review". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5j9p. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
- ^ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search Results". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Among%20the%20Living&artist=&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
- ^ "ANTHRAX's 'Among The Living' Digitally Remastered And Expanded For CD+DVD Deluxe Edition". http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.Net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126977. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ^ a b c "ANTHRAX's 'Among The Living' Digitally Remastered And Expanded For CD+DVD Deluxe Edition". Blabbermouth.net. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126977. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
- ^ "ANTHRAX: 'Among The Living' Featured In 'Clerks II' Trailer - Jan. 10, 2006", blabbermouth.net, http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=46625
- ^ Clerks 2 trailers, http://www.clerks2.com/teaser/
- ^ "40 greatest metal songs (40-31)". VH1. MTV Networks. http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/103446/episode_this_list.jhtml. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ "Gunner" (2007-08-22). "Guitar Hero Encore - Rocks the 80s". Gameplanet.co.nz. Gameplanet. http://old.gameplanet.co.nz/mag.dyn/Reviews/3213.html. Retrieved 2008-01-26. "Songs included in this release include: Caught in a Mosh (Anthrax)"
- ^ Fahey, Mike (2010-06-04). "The Curtain Rises On Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock". Kotaku.com. Kotaku. http://kotaku.com/5555374/the-curtain-rises-on-guitar-hero-warriors-of-rock?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
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