Come on in to read what to expect from the new Anthrax album, ‘Worship Music’!

Scott Ian confirms that Corey Taylor did join Anthrax for 3 months!

This afternoon, Metal Hammer were lucky enough to hear 4 tracks from the new Anthrax record, ‘Worship Music’. In a year that has been absolutely inundated with stunning metal records, this handful of brand new tunes suggests that Anthrax are going to be heavily in the mixer when we’re talking about the album of 2009. Anthrax are back and you had better fucking believe it!

Burn The Past

Similar to ‘Superhero’ from ‘We’ve Come For You All’ in its epic groove and mammoth stomping riffs, it blows all notions that the latest incarnation of Anthrax may be an inferior beast clear out of the water. New vocalist Dan Nelson sounds scarily like John Bush but not in a horrible, pastiche way. It’s just that he’s got a top-notch, hard-hitting yet melodic metal voice. The band have definitely unearthed a talent here and his performance verges on the flawless on every track here.

Ian  also described ‘Burn The Past’ as the band’s ‘Maiden’ moment and during the recording process, the band kept telling each other that they have to make it “more Maiden”. You had better believe that they achieved just that.

Earth On Hell

A tune that Scott Ian describes as “the heaviest thing we’ve done since ‘Caught In A Mosh’” on the podcast interview that you will be able to catch on Metal Hammer this Friday. The biggest shock is the inclusion of quick bursts of blast-beats, but there’s also plenty of the traditional, all-out thrash riffing that one comes to expect from Anthrax. Make no mistake about it, this one is heavy as hell. Nelson applies screams that echo Corey Taylor’s brutal delivery on this sure-fire mosh-pit anthem.

New Noise

A cover of the classic Refused track. Yup, Anthrax have had the balls to cover a Refused track that will be included on ‘Worship Music’. With Anthrax’s huge, crunchy guitar sound, this tune is given new life and Nelson’s vocals are superb yet again.

Bleed

Once more, it’s that inimitable stomp that really stands out. It’s easy to forget just how masterful Anthrax are at inspiring a neck-snapping, headbanging groove, but they remind us all in spades on this one.

Come back this Friday when Scott Ian joins Gill and Beez on this week’s Metal Hammer Podcast.

Anthrax will also headline the festivities on HMS Hammer at this year’s Golden Gods, along with killer performances from Clutch, Trigger The Bloodshed and Malefice.

Trivium, DevilDriver, Amon Amarth, Saxon and Anvil will also be part of this year’s Golden Gods festivities, as they will rock the main stage at our mighty awards bash on June 15th!

Get clicking here to vote for this year’s awards and here to win tickets to the metal party of 2009!