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Anthrax - Among The Living



8.7 | 1076 votes |
Release date: 22 March 1987
Style: Thrash metal

Owners:

1339 have it
73 want it
1 trades it


01. Among The Living
02. Caught In A Mosh
03. I Am The Law
04. Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
05. A Skeleton In The Closet
06. Indians
07. One World
08. A.D.I. / Horror Of It All
09. Imitation Of Life
10. Indians [alternate lead] [2009 deluxe edition bonus]
11. One World [alternate take] [2009 deluxe edition bonus]
12. Imitation Of Life [alternate take] [2009 deluxe edition bonus]
13. Bud E Luv Bomb And Satan's Lounge Band [2009 deluxe edition bonus]
14. I Am The Law [Live in Dallas] [2009 deluxe edition bonus]
15. I'm The Man [instrumental version] [2009 deluxe edition bonus]

Top 20 albums of 1987: 7
Top 200 albums of all time: 157

Additional info
Re-released and remastered deluxe edition released in 2009

Along came DVD: "OIDIVNIKUFESIN (N.F.V.)" containing a live performance from 1987.

Staff review by
jupitreas
Rating:
10
This is Anthrax's best album and easily one of the best thrash metal albums ever recorded. It's way up there along with Master Of Puppets and Reign In Blood. For this reviewer, this is actually the DEFINITIVE thrash metal record.

Unlike Metallica and Slayer, the guys from Anthrax weren't taking themselves too seriously and this resulted in an album slightly on the lighter side than those of their rivals. Naturally, I am referring to the 'feel' of the album, and not to the actual musical 'heaviness' because there is some very powerful thrashing going on over here - "Among The Living" is the fastest Anthrax album and the intensity of the songs is usually just as high as on the afore-mentioned Reign In Blood. Nonetheless, Anthrax isn't afraid to goof around a little bit, as is evident by the pop-culture tributes present on the album. "I Am The Law" is a song about Judge Dredd, and I am sure it would have made the horrible motion picture adaptation of the comic book (starring Sylvester Stallone) so much better were it used as the theme. They also have a song simply about moshing, references to Stephen King as well as a politically correct ode to the "Indians". This is not your usual thrash subject matter but it is what makes this band so unique. It also gives us an idea of the excitement connected with thrash in those early years - something which the uber-serious, tough thrash records of the time fall short of showing after all of these years...

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published 18.04.2004 | Comments (26)

Guest review by
hottercraft
Rating:
10
Among The Living can be a legend of Thrash Metal soon, because this CD is one of the best Thrash Metal releases ever. This amazing sound is completely different than the sound we had listened before, a different concept of Thrash. It sounds like "Spreading the Disease" but these songs are more catchy and furious, with some excellent guitar riffs and with excellent drums, especially in songs like "Indians" which I think is the best song of the CD and one of the best Thrash songs I've ever heard. It has some of the fastest drums I've heard, and it has a guitar riff that is repeated along all the song. Cry for the Indians...

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published 24.09.2006 | Comments (2)

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Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 41   Visited by: 1542 users
27.03.2021 - 07:48
Rating: 6
Vonpire
Wow, Ireally dislike this. Average at best...
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11.09.2021 - 22:02
Rating: 9
Redel
Moderator
I just love how this album opens up.
It's like: Uhhhm, where were we two years ago....? Ah right: "Disease, disease, spreading the diseeeeeease!"
Quite clever I find, to open up an album with the name of its predecessor in the lyrics. Connecting the dots, somehow.
Is someone aware of any other albums where this is done?
Ah right, and of course I should say: What a thrash classic this! Will always be.
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28.02.2022 - 00:44
Rating: 6
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
I liked Spreading the Disease a lot more than this, for some reason. "I am the Law" is the only really great song I like here
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28.02.2022 - 04:58
Rating: 10
Boxcar Willy
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Written by F3ynman on 28.02.2022 at 00:44

I liked Spreading the Disease a lot more than this, for some reason. "I am the Law" is the only really great song I like here

Really? That’s crazy. The first 6 songs are the best Anthrax ever wrote IMO.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

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28.02.2022 - 07:17
Rating: 7
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by F3ynman on 28.02.2022 at 00:44

I liked Spreading the Disease a lot more than this, for some reason. "I am the Law" is the only really great song I like here

I will have to check Spreading The Disease out, apart from a couple of songs here I never really got into this album as much as I would of liked, I think it sounds like a combo of punk and thrash and unfortunately not to my taste.
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24.02.2023 - 09:34
Rating: 9
Growing
I think this is one of the few thrash classics where every member of the band is at a high point: great rythm guitar riffs, great solos that are both dissonant and catchy, great drumming, memorabe vocals. Metallica has lacking drumming, Slayer lacks in bass, and well Megadeth used to have less than impressive production till Rust in Peace, but this record hits high on all points.
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24.02.2023 - 09:53
gavdann
Written by Growing on 24.02.2023 at 09:34

Metallica has lacking drumming.

It's weird because no one ever spoke about Lars being an inadequate drummer in the 80's.
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24.02.2023 - 10:08
Rating: 9
Growing
Written by gavdann on 24.02.2023 at 09:53

Written by Growing on 24.02.2023 at 09:34

Metallica has lacking drumming.

It's weird because no one ever spoke about Lars being an inadequate drummer in the 80's.

I didn't meant to take a dig at Lars since he has enough of that lol, but rather to point how this album has memorable performances from every member of the band, compared to other classics where some element is not as strong as the others ( bass in Slayer, drums in Metallica, production with Megadeth), since it seems that this record lost part of its classic status and is now overlooked. It's not that Lars was bad in the 80s, but rather that his style of playing didn't fit thrash that well, he might have been a great drummer in other genre. I think he was at his best on Justice. But yeah, Among the Living has very good drumming that fits the style of music, cool solos, catchy riffs.
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18.12.2023 - 20:54
Rating: 9
thenomad111
Even though this is not really a style that I enjoy, I have to accept that this album is a masterpiece. Songs are exceptionally well-written, performances are great (especially those drums hell yeah), good lyrics, just in general a great album. There is not even one bad song here.
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24.01.2024 - 16:13
Rating: 9
nonZero
I never used to appreciate Anthrax much until I heard this album in full. I remember playing 'Madhouse' on Guitar Hero 2 back in the day, which was a lot of fun!

9.1/10 for me - The title track is the standout song. 'Caught in a Mosh', 'I Am the Law' and 'Indians' are all also fantastic.
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24.01.2024 - 16:27
Rating: 10
Boxcar Willy
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
AMONG THE LIVING FOLLOW ME OR DIEEEEEEEEE

Great album to toss on at work today. My productivity is going to go through the roof.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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