Band:	Anthrax
Album:	Sound Of White Noise
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	May 25, 1993
Guest review by:	omne metallum

01. Potters Field
02. Only
03. Room For One More
04. Packaged Rebellion
05. Hy Pro Glo
06. Invisible
07. 1000 Points Of Hate
08. Black Lodge
09. C11 H17 N2 O2 S Na
10. Burst
11. This Is Not An Exit

Not every thrash band crashed and burned come the turn of the 90's; Anthrax are among the exceptions to this rule, transitioning to the new era of music with a bang.

Sound Of White Noise is the continuation of Persistence Of Time and yet a new being in and of itself, seeing the band evolve into a new stage in their career; it is an enthralling listen and one that challenges your preconceptions of the band. The Bush era of Anthrax starts on a strong foot as it leaps across the sea change that was the early 90's, similar enough for fans of their thrash work and strong enough to attract fans of alt metal.

From the off, "Potters Field" introduces listeners to the new sound that Anthrax embrace and master here; gone is the all-out thrash sound of old, and in comes a restrained but crushing metal that combines the intensity of old yet a found emphasis on groove and rhythm. Sure, there are thrash elements and tones that lurk under the surface to give the songs an aura of menace and power, but it's no longer in the spotlight. "Burst" is an aptly named example, seeing the song take the energy and riffs of old but channel them through a groove sound that is just as heavy but is heavier by its thickness of sound and crushing weight.

This newfound sound is supplemented by the band making each chorus a sing-along moment where the track pays off the work up until then, building each track to serve as a ramp to launch the chorus into the stratosphere and to then provide a smooth landing before reloading. "Room For One More" is a fine example of this and works brilliantly, providing a release valve that sees the pressure blow in controlled blasts rather than leak the energy over the whole track.

Each track is solid and works towards creating a solid whole but there are moments I can't help but enjoy more than others: "Only", "Packaged Rebellion", "Invisible" and "C₁₁ H₁₇ N₂ O₂ S Na" are the moments that see the newfound sound crystallize and shine brighter than the tracks around it. Not to diminish the rest of the album, but these are just that little bit more than the rest of the album. "Only" builds up perfectly and has a menacing undercurrent that is combined with a strong chorus. "Packaged Rebellion" is built for getting crowds moving and will see you unable to sit or stand still as it plays; these four tracks are instant classics.

Bush is an excellent addition to the band, his voice has a natural power that fits the mood of the music perfectly; having power with restraint, it sums up the newfound musical aesthetic the band had adopted, complementing it perfectly. Benante is the link between both eras of the band; while he focuses less on speed and more on different rhythmic patterns, he still throws in some fills and rolls that hark back to the Spreading The Disease era of the band, building the songs up from the bottom to give the music a solid place to place their groove tendencies. Bello, Ian and Spitz take a darker tone and use it in place of speed, letting the weight of the riff crush the listener rather than slam into them like a train going at full speed as before.

The album isn't without its flaws however, with moments where the band zig instead of zag and leave you watching them veer off as you're left waiting for them to come back. "Black Lodge" and "This Is Not An Exit" are moments that aren't awful, but they don't fit the feeling of the rest of the album and sound out of place as a result. "Black Lodge" is a dark and eerie song that trades in crushing riffs for an emotional weight to appeal to the listener; as a stand alone track it works perfectly but it does cause a bump on the flow of the album as a whole. "This Is Not An Exit" seems meandering and doesn't commit to a direction during its runtime; ironically mirroring its content, it moves forward going nowhere fast rather than picking a slip road to end up somewhere specific.

Anthrax took the option of evolving rather than dying; the newfound sound sees the band flourish and rewards listeners who may have been skeptical with an album with as much power as their 80's output and plenty of strong tracks to wrap your head around.