New Anthrax DVD a Must-Have for Metal Fans

Anthrax fans rejoice! This week marks the release of the New York thrash pioneers’ new DVD, “Chile On Hell,” and it’s a must-have for any self-respecting metalhead. The 1-hour 45-minute show was filmed in May 2013 before thousands of rabid fans at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile. It’s an extremely high-octane show, with band and fans feeding off each other’s extraordinary energy and whipping each other into a frenzy. Anthrax delivers a simply superb performance.

The show documents the band on its massive tour supporting its latest release, “Worship Music” (2011. The album, arguably Anthrax’s best, garnered immense critical and fan acclaim. “Worship Music” was so successful, and the demand for Anthrax so great, that the band only recently wrapped up its touring cycle. It’s only appropriated that the tour be documented on DVD.

“Chile On Hell” also marks the documented debut of guitarist Jonathan Donais, who handles the band’s classic riffs and solos with aplomb and fits right in alongside singer Joey Belladonna, guitarist Scott Ian, bassist Frank Bello and drummer Charlie Benante. The setlist leans heavily on the band’s classic 1987 album, “Among the Living,” with Anthrax performing six of the record’s nine songs. There’s also plenty from “Worship Music” and a few older treats as well.

We spoke with Bello.

What made the band choose Chile for the DVD?

Chile is just amazing. We’ve had great shows there before. They sing every lyric. It’s an amazing, passionate audience. They started singing as soon as the intro music to the first song (“Among the Living”) started. You have to document that. I’m watching it now and everything clicks. It was such an intense show and I think that translates on the DVD. The band was on fire, and that’s expected of us. We have to meet that intensity of the crowd.

Does your approach toward a show change when you know it’s being filmed for commercial release?

First and foremost it’s always about the show, no matter where you’re playing. But when it’s being recorded you do want to play great and make sure you’re hitting all the notes. None of us did any overdubs for this. But at the end of the day, even if there are some bum notes, that’s good. It shows you’re human and I love that fact. For this show I wanted to perform to the caliber of the audience.

Anthrax puts on a high-energy show, and you in particular run around onstage a lot. Do the extra cameras onstage make it more difficult to perform?

We had so many cameramen on stage it was like bumper pool! After the first song I had to tell them to stand back a little. At one point they were blocking the mic when I needed to do background vocals. But everything ended up working really well technically.

You’ve had a remarkable past three years with the release of “Worship Music,” playing Yankee Stadium as part of The Big 4 Tour and given a Key to the Bronx, where you grew up. Would you say its been the highpoint of your career.

There are so many high points. We did 207 shows over the past three years, to constant packed houses. We haven’t done that type of touring since the 80s. We’ve also attracted a whole new generation. Our fanbase is a really nice blend of a young and older. I think we gained a lot of younger fans from The Big 4 shows. The audience is anywhere from 13 to 60. People are bringing their kids to show them the music they grew up with. Some people have called it a comeback but we’ve always been here. At the end of the day Anthrax is a blue-collar group and we work hard for it. We also know how fortunate we are.

Are you working on your next album yet?

I was actually writing when you called. We’re really excited with the new music. Charlie and I are really going at it (songwriting). Some of it has been really hard to play, which I love. Scott and I will be jamming demos at rehearsals and at the end of the song we’re waving our hands around to get the blood flowing again. We can’t wait to play these songs live. I’m so psyched about the new music. I want every fan to hear the songs and walk away saying, “Yes!” That’s how I feel about them. We want to put the album out in 2015.

Do you feel extra pressure to produce something really special given the massive success of “Worship Music”?

We know we have something to live up to but at the same time you have to breathe. But I live for that pressure. I think it’s the New York mentality. The success of the past three years has made me hungry. I can’t wait until we do it all over again.