Charlie Benante, drummer for thrash metal band Anthrax, recently opened up about how despite being on tour with Pantera, Anthrax’s long-awaited new album remains a priority. Benante joined Pantera for their reunion tour in 2022, filling in for drums. Since then, Benante has been splitting his time between two influential bands in the metal scene. In a recent interview, Benante said he didn’t want people thinking Pantera was the reason for the delay, according to Blabbermouth.
“It’s always been a priority to finish the new Anthrax album,” Benante said. “It just came down to the fact that some of the material wasn’t finished. We went back and redid some things we were not entirely happy with.”
The album will be Anthrax’s first since For All Kings (2016) and is highly anticipated. According to Benante, the band has recorded around 13 or 14 songs, with some tracks offering a fresh sound that diverges from their typical style. Benante also said that some songs, originally conceptualized before the COVID-19 pandemic, felt outdated and needed reworking.
“It was a unanimous feeling that some of the stuff we were doing just felt out of date,” Benante said. “So we decided to give it some time and revisit at a later stage. We are just trying to make this new record the best that we possibly can.”
Despite the delay, Benante emphasized that the new Anthrax album is well underway, according to Blabbermouth. “We’re working on it whenever we can. I’m constantly writing, and the rest of the guys are, too. It’s not on the back burner—it’s still very much in progress.”
With Pantera’s tour winding down in the coming months, Benante hinted that the pace of the Anthrax album’s production will pick up soon.
“Once I’m off the road with Pantera, I’ll have more time to focus fully on Anthrax. It’s all about finding that balance, and I think we’re getting there.”
Benante also reflected on his experience being on tour with the band. Playing the drums for the late Vinnie Paul Abbott, Benante revealed a personal connection.
“I’ve never told this to anyone before, but Vinnie told me numerous times that he’d taken pieces of my drumming and applied it to Pantera,” Benante said. “When he told me that, I was, like, ‘Dude, are you serious?’ and his response was, ‘Absolutely.'”
The band, with Benante on drums, features original members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown joined by Zakk Wylde. The lineup was assembled to honor late founding members Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, who began performing in late 2022 and toured throughout 2023, including opening for Metallica on select dates.
Photo credit: Boston Lynn Schulz
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