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Anthrax - Among The Living



8.7 | 1049 votes |
Release date: 22 March 1987
Style: Thrash metal

Owners:

1320 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

Comments: 41   Visited by: 1493 users
03.03.2011 - 20:58
John Shock
Do You Really Want a comment about this album?

Them you have it...

I love this album, it's the perfection of 87's! Like hottercraft said: "Among The Living can be a legend of Thrash Metal soon, because this CD is one of the best Thrash Metal releases ever", and for me it's true!
But on the other hand we have the so few work they did past years! It's really disapointing to me a band like this not to keep going along the years making albuns like this one! But like i always say, keep the Metal alive!

Metal Forever \m/
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05.08.2011 - 22:35
Lit. Metalhead
Account deleted
Bud E Luv Bomb and Satan's Lounge Band is hilarious. They should've used that as an opener to the album. Would've worked on so many levels.
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05.08.2011 - 23:44
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Guest on 05.08.2011 at 22:35

Bud E Luv Bomb and Satan's Lounge Band is hilarious. They should've used that as an opener to the album. Would've worked on so many levels.


But wasn't on the album. It was orignally only on the b-side of the I Am The Law 12"
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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03.11.2011 - 03:19
Rating: 9
I just recently bought the anthrax anthology compolation album and 6 out of 9 of the songs from this album is on it. From what I've heard so far this album is ass kicking awesome.
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03.11.2011 - 05:32
Rating: 7
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
If I were to buy an Anthrax compilation of 9 songs I'd want all 9 songs from this album on it. Really fun thrash... The kind of humor that gets into your bones.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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04.12.2011 - 22:59
Rating: 9
Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.11.2011 at 05:32

If I were to buy an Anthrax compilation of 9 songs I'd want all 9 songs from this album on it. Really fun thrash... The kind of humor that gets into your bones.

yah, Anthrax has to be the happiest thrash band ever
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07.02.2012 - 13:59
Rating: 9
grasmus
Killer Album by Anthrax
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10.05.2012 - 16:37
Rating: 9
musicalkaratekid
A monumental album, and the songs are even better when played live. I went to see the band play at hammerfest recently and they absolutely slayed, playing song after song from this album itself. So much energy seemed to go into this.
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04.11.2012 - 19:18
megadeath13
Account deleted
Obviously the best Anthrax Album. Classics like I´m the Law, Indians or caught in the mosh are in this masterpiece.
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10.01.2013 - 00:17
Rating: 9
Angelic Storm
Melodious
I am in a minority who find this album to be weaker than it's awesome predecessor "Spreading The Disease", which I consider to be Anthrax's finest album. "Among The Living" is a good album however. "Horror Of It All" and "Skeleton In The Closet" are two songs from this album that don't get much attention, but which are amazing songs, whilst "N.F.L." is without doubt, one of thrash metal's most intense and frightening anthems.

It isn't as good as Spreading.... but it's still for the most part, a great album, with many thrash gems on it.
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10.01.2013 - 00:31
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Angelic Storm on 10.01.2013 at 00:17

I am in a minority who find this album to be weaker than it's awesome predecessor "Spreading The Disease", which I consider to be Anthrax's finest album. "Among The Living" is a good album however. "Horror Of It All" and "Skeleton In The Closet" are two songs from this album that don't get much attention, but which are amazing songs, whilst "N.F.L." is without doubt, one of thrash metal's most intense and frightening anthems.

It isn't as good as Spreading.... but it's still for the most part, a great album, with many thrash gems on it.



no you're not alone in that. I am of the same opinion. Just a shame that ANthrax went downhill so quickly after this one only to redeem themselves for one release when Bush joined, namely Sound Of White Noise.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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10.01.2013 - 19:22
Rating: 9
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.01.2013 at 00:31
no you're not alone in that. I am of the same opinion. Just a shame that ANthrax went downhill so quickly after this one only to redeem themselves for one release when Bush joined, namely Sound Of White Noise.


Well, you know we don't share the same opinion on "Persistence Of Time", though I would agree that "State Of Euphoria" was a step down from the previous two albums. I'm quite surprised though, pleasantly, that you seem to rate "Sound Of White Noise". I wouldn't have thought you'd like that album at all!
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10.01.2013 - 19:28
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Angelic Storm on 10.01.2013 at 19:22

I'm quite surprised though, pleasantly, that you seem to rate "Sound Of White Noise". I wouldn't have thought you'd like that album at all!


probaby has to do with that I am a huge Jon Bush fan due to his work in Armored Saint, whom I have always regarded as one of the most underappreciated bands ever. When they ht the scene everyone here on mainland Europe thought they would make it big.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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10.01.2013 - 19:34
Rating: 9
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.01.2013 at 19:28
probaby has to do with that I am a huge Jon Bush fan due to his work in Armored Saint, whom I have always regarded as one of the most underappreciated bands ever. When they ht the scene everyone here on mainland Europe thought they would make it big.


Oh, I'm with you as far as John Bush and Armored Saint goes! I do agree that they were very underappreciated, and I was very sad when they split up after "Symbol Of Salvation", which really should have shot them into the big league, but sadly it didn't.

Not even John Bush could rescue Anthrax from the 2 dire albums which followed SOWN though. No matter how great the singer, if the material being worked with isn't good, then it's not really going to make any difference...
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10.01.2013 - 19:38
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Angelic Storm on 10.01.2013 at 19:34



Oh, I'm with you as far as John Bush and Armored Saint goes! I do agree that they were very underappreciated, and I was very sad when they split up after "Symbol Of Salvation", which really should have shot them into the big league, but sadly it didn't.




a bit more off topicness, Delirious Nomad should have already shot them into the big league. Symbol Of Salavtion came to late because by that time one of the important song writers, Dave Pritchard had already passed away. You can clearly notice he's missing on the 2010 release La Raza.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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10.01.2013 - 21:27
Rating: 9
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.01.2013 at 19:38
a bit more off topicness, Delirious Nomad should have already shot them into the big league. Symbol Of Salavtion came to late because by that time one of the important song writers, Dave Pritchard had already passed away. You can clearly notice he's missing on the 2010 release La Raza.


Quality wise, I would have to agree. "Delirious Nomad" is an amazing album, but I guess Symbol was a bit more marketable, song wise. A little more accessible. Although Dave Pritchard had sadly passed away before Symbol's release, he did write a lot of material for that album. I do wonder if Dave Pritchard had lived, whether John Bush would have still left for Anthrax... I think he likely would have, though that is something now that we'll never know. The two comeback albums by Armored Saint are definitely inferior to their classic 80's works, and Symbol Of Salvation. They are both good, especially "La Raza", but neither are particularly great albums. It's hard not to think that could have been had Dave Pritchard still been alive and in the band...
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25.02.2013 - 04:01
Rating: 10
svartberger
Best thrash metal album ever...yes EVER
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27.09.2014 - 15:53
Rating: 5
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
God this is so bad. So much punk. Yuck...
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27.09.2014 - 17:15
Lit.
Account deleted
Written by LeKiwi on 27.09.2014 at 15:53

God this is so bad. So much punk. Yuck...

No way you're listening to the same album as the rest of us.

"Punk?" Seriously? This is pure thrash; in fact, one of the few early thrash album that actually deserves all the praise it gets.
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27.09.2014 - 17:31
Rating: 8
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
Contributor
Written by Guest on 27.09.2014 at 17:15

No way you're listening to the same album as the rest of us.


Agreed. Sometimes I wanna slap LeKiwi right in the vagina.
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rekt
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27.09.2014 - 18:36
Rating: 5
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by Guest on 27.09.2014 at 17:15

No way you're listening to the same album as the rest of us.

"Punk?" Seriously? This is pure thrash; in fact, one of the few early thrash album that actually deserves all the praise it gets.

Am I correct in assuming that thrash evolved from punk? The drums are punk-influenced, as are the vocals. Yeah, it's thrash, but a lot of the thrash from that age sounded punky.
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02.12.2014 - 08:31
Dr. Strawberry
Written by Guest on 27.09.2014 at 17:15

Written by LeKiwi on 27.09.2014 at 15:53

God this is so bad. So much punk. Yuck...

No way you're listening to the same album as the rest of us.

"Punk?" Seriously? This is pure thrash; in fact, one of the few early thrash album that actually deserves all the praise it gets.


This is NOT a pure thrash metal album.
Early Anthrax was cross-over thrash so this is Punk + Thrash = Cross-over Thrash
But the problem is they elongated the lenght of each track made me restless.
I prefer Agnostic Front and Suicidal Tendencies' style more than Anthrax.
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16.07.2016 - 22:46
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Still better than STD
----
Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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15.11.2017 - 15:10
Maco
Pvt Funderground
They played a lot of songs from here last night. They nailed it.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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03.01.2019 - 09:37
Rating: 3
Maasai Mara
The weakest of the big 4 and pure joke of a band. Weakest album with a thrash label, half assed riffs and pop like tunes. Listen to this on youtube and don't waste your $2.37 buying this. Not even worth 20cents
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You are not metal enough until you visit Kenya. The cradle of mankind, where man learnt first to work with stones and first enjoyed the sounds produced by banging stones which later influenced metal in all its sounds and genres.
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04.03.2019 - 19:20
JoHn Doe
Written by Kangaroo Jury on 04.03.2019 at 18:31

Predictable and lacks cutting edge.


not when it was released.
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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31.05.2020 - 06:44
Rating: 8
TSRodriguez
I bet in its time this must have been mighty impressive, but nowadays it sounds kinda dated... Still, it is an excellent album though, my fav tracks I would say... Indians, Caught in a Mosh and ADI
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25.02.2021 - 17:29
Rating: 10
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
If "I Am The Law" comes on and you don't feel like destroying the room you're in, thrash metal is not for you.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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25.02.2021 - 18:19
JoHn Doe
Written by Boxcar Willy on 25.02.2021 at 17:29

If "I Am The Law" comes on and you don't feel like destroying the room you're in, thrash metal is not for you.


so is your room destroyed right now?
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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25.02.2021 - 22:10
Rating: 10
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by JoHn Doe on 25.02.2021 at 18:19

so is your room destroyed right now?

Not quite, but I felt like destroying it
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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