Sound of White Noise

Sound of White Noise is a great transitional work on which Anthrax, welcoming the new vocalist John Bush, known from Armored Saint, brought heavier groove and shaded singing into the thrash frame. In contrast to Belladonna’s high, piercing voice, Bush’s rough yet melodic voice gives the band a new tension particular to the 1990s. The guitar, while chopped hard, deftly changes the distribution of space and pressure from song to song. From the catchy, powerful melody of the hit single “Only” and the drama of “Potter’s Field” to “Black Lodge,” inspired by David Lynch’s world, every song is engaging, while cuts like “Room for One More” and “Invisible” convey the work’s fullness. By this new voice layering over the rhythm section’s thick drive, a sure tension wholly different from before is born. A record with sure conviction that, by deftly taking in the heavy, gloomy sound of the 1990s while never erasing the band’s own sure edge, does not end the change as a mere shift of direction. Rather than merely expecting speed, one wants to carefully turn one’s ear to the sure tenacity of the groove and the uneasy shading Bush’s voice creates. A powerful, fulfilling work announcing the start of a new era for Anthrax.