State of Euphoria

State of Euphoria is the fourth album on which Anthrax, using high-speed riffs, bouncing rhythm and Joey Belladonna’s clear voice, beautifully makes thrash metal’s sure weight and overflowing fun coexist. Following the finest masterpiece Among the Living, while keeping its aggression, it never closes too much, and the songs always have a sure openness that powerfully draws in the audience. A record where the band’s distinctive humor shines. The taut tension of the opener “Be All, End All” and the immediate catchiness of “Antisocial,” a hit cover of the French band Trust, well express this album’s two sides, while cuts like “Make Me Laugh,” “Now It’s Dark” and “Who Cares Wins” convey the work’s fullness. In particular, “Antisocial” became one of the band’s signature songs. A truly Anthrax-like record that brings sure playfulness and chorus strength to thrash metal, a genre prone to becoming serious. While aggressive, its own appeal — somehow positive and accessible — is in full bloom. A powerful, engaging, fulfilling work strongly showing the band’s strengths, distinctly characterful even among the “Big Four” — a record where the band’s brightness shines.