ANTHRAX”Sounds of White Noise” Elektra* *Amazing how...

ANTHRAX

“Sounds of White Noise”

Elektra

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Amazing how the simple switch of singers can totally transform a band. By replacing the urban street attack of fired Joey Belladonna with the suburban operatics of former Armored Saint vocalist John Bush, the New York-originated group goes from creative, if erratic, metal pioneer to predictable, if dynamic metal mainstreamer.

This no longer sounds like the band that broke ground by collaborating with Public Enemy--though PE scratcher Terminator X does make a guest appearance on “1000 Points of Hate,” one of the album’s intense highlights and a welcome break from ponderous lyrics. There are other equally solid moments on the album, including hypnotic stun-guitar work on “Room for One More” and the dreamy, though not quite spooky enough “Twin Peaks” tribute of “Black Lodge” (inspired and orchestrated by “Peaks” musical director Angelo Bandelamenti).

Burns’ overbearing vocal posturings, though, detract from the sharp music, without offering enough character to compensate. He’s just too much in the same Ian Gillian-David Coverdale-Ronnie Dio school as thousands of other metal singers. The cool thing about Anthrax used to be how it steadfastly stood apart from that crowd.

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