Review Summary: The last Bush album isn't horrible. But it's still no return to form.
An Anthrax Story:
Episode IX: We've Come for You All
As we very well know, We've Come For You All is Anthrax's final album with vocalist John Bush. The Belladonna/Bush issue is eternal, as fans argue about whether the bands classic albums or more commercial albums are best. It's hard to argue, however, that the Belladonna era always has the upper hand in terms of musicianship: the rock n' roll assault that Ian, Spitz, Bello and Benante delivered together was a force to be reckoned with. The same can hardly be said about the Bush years, when the band only made a few good songs per album, pretty much leaving the rest to rot. No matter how much more money the band made under the Bush years than under the Belladonna years, the band's musical credibility was weak.
The band at this time consisted of:
Scott Ian: Rythm Guitars
Rob Caggiano: Lead Guitars
Frank Bello: Bass
Charlie Benante: Drums
John Bush: Vocals
We've Come for You All, like Sound of White Noise, starts of fresh, with about three good songs at the beginning. Once you get past that, however, both albums get uninteresting, and sadly just don't command the listener to rock out. That's not to say Bush doesn't make any effort: he definitely tries his hardest to make the music good. But he's carrying an uninspired band on his shoulders, which ultimately limits his ability to do the band any good.
Scott Ian's riffs seem more and more of the same. He just doesn't seem to have it in him to make the crunchy, ass-kicking sections he used to make. Another problem is the guitar solos: they are not clean, which definitely spoils overall sound quality. Bello's bass is uninspired as well, and this takes away from the fun atmosphere the band was known for creating. And Benante's drumming is equally routine: an underrated drummer, his work in this album (as in all Bush albums) is by no means representative of his talents. In short, this album is a bad representation of what Anthrax can do.
Anyone with interest in Anthrax's music should check out the band's Belladonna Era (Spreading the Disease, Among the Living, State of Euphoria and Persistence of Time). While the Bush Era has interesting songs, the albums themselves are, plain and simple, a waste of time. Bottom line: you're better off getting all the Belladonna albums, and only the singles from the John Bush Era.
Recommended Tracks:
-What Doesn't Die
-Superhero
-Refuse to be Denied
