Metal Storm logo
Anthrax - State Of Euphoria review



Reviewer:
6.7

570 users:
7.67
Band: Anthrax
Album: State Of Euphoria
Release date: September 1988


Disc I
01. Be All, End All
02. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
03. Make Me Laugh
04. Antisocial [Trust cover]
05. Who Cares Wins
06. Now It's Dark
07. Schism
08. Misery Loves Company
09. 13
10. Finale
11. Antisocial [French version] [30th anniversary edition bonus]
12. Friggin' In The Riggin' [30th anniversary edition bonus]
13. Parasite [30th anniversary edition bonus]
14. Le Sects [30th anniversary edition bonus]
15. Pipeline [30th anniversary edition bonus]
16. Antisocial [Live at Hammersmith Odeon] [30th anniversary edition bonus]

Disc II [30th anniversary edition bonus] [Charlie's archives]
01. Be All, End All [demo version]
02. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind [demo version]
03. Make Me Laugh [demo version]
04. Antisocial [Trust cover] [demo version]
05. Who Cares Wins [demo version]
06. Now It's Dark [demo version]
07. Schism [demo version]
08. Misery Loves Company [demo version]
09. Finale [demo version]

Anthrax have some unfinished business here, and I mean it literally, this album is unfinished.

Hot on the heels of their breakout smash Among The Living, Anthrax were back with a follow up just over a year later; striking while the irons were hot, the band jumped right back into the fray. This quick turn around is something you'll come to regret as a listener; sure everyone wants more material from a band, but you want a complete article, not State Of Euphoria.

If you get a chance to read Scott Ian's I'm The Man, he explains that State Of Euphoria was rushed to completion due to tour obligations, and the band cut corners to meet said deadline. It's nice to get confirmation of something that is staring you square in the face the whole time you listen to this; whether it's ill-fitting verses, generic riffs or choppy cut-and-paste songs, State Of Euphoria is an album that needed more time to live up to its potential.

State Of Euphoria is an album of unfulfilled potential, with tracks that seem to have placeholder riffs ("Schism", "Who Cares Wins" or "Finale") in the final product rather than as a work in progress, as well as choruses that are half assed ("Schism", "Make Me Laugh") and seem rushed alongside songs that are overly long and repetitive to a flaw ("Who Cares Wins"). The songs feel rushed to completion with the band making rash decisions rather than natural refinements.

The production given to this album only adds to this overarching sense of incompleteness, with the band sounding as if they are playing behind an invisible wall. The band are coherent but everything is so quiet that rather than having you as a listener sit back and enjoy the album, you have to make a concerted effort to hear the record; with it already being sub par, it makes it more of a chore than entertainment. Add in that the band don't sound vital and full of life except for on a few choice songs, and the production strangles a lot of the signs of life the songs do have at points.

With all that said, however, the other side of the coin is that these songs do have potential; there are elements in them that just needed to have more refinement, meaning that the songs can't be written off fully. "Now It's Dark" for example is a good skeleton of a song, it just needs some more meat on the bones for it to really stand tall; just some tinkering around here and there to improve everything and it could be a classic rather than a near classic. Each track has some things going for it, it's just a case of connecting the dots and filling in the gaps.

There are some songs here that are complete articles or are so close to being such that they're strong even though they're aren't in their final form. "Be All, End All" is easily the strongest cut here; the riffs, lyrics and structure are all completed and set a standard the rest of the album. Strong, catchy and with good instrumentation, it's hard not to love it. "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind" features a catchy riff that the song works around and takes you on a journey with some great instrumental accompaniment. "Misery Loves Company" sounds like it needed a bit more refinement, but is more than passable in its current form; the riffs are a bit generic but they work alright in their current form.

Of course there is "Antisocial", which is oft regarded as the sole highlight of this album and one of the band's best moments overall. Given that it is a cover and a fully rounded song, it's easy to see why it stands above the rest of the album. It is a instant classic and one that serves to be a highlight should you ever catch the band live, infectious, punchy and all the fat trimmed off.

The band are on good form instrumentally; while the material doesn't allow them to sound as sharp and cutting as on Among The Living, they're still as strong and hard-hitting, even if their sonic attack is more blunted than before. Benante again shows why he should be considered the best drummer in the big 4, with his percussive attack being the one constant highlight throughout the album. Belladonna's voice is strong throughout, but is hampered by having some incomplete material to work with; where the songs are strong he is able to shine.

It's not a total write-off, but I would work your way back to this album rather than start here; Anthrax have done better work before and after this album. State Of Euphoria is an album for fans of the band rather than casual fans.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 6
Originality: 6
Production: 6





Written on 27.08.2020 by Just because I don't care doesn't mean I'm not listening.


Comments

Comments: 6   Visited by: 39 users
27.08.2020 - 17:16
UPDIRNS

I mostly agree with your review score, but I absolutely hate the song Antisocial. I love Anthrax, seen them live 4 times and when they play this song live I go to the bathroom because I hate it so much. That;s just me and my opinion though. I'd rate this as one of their worst albums overall if not their worst. I'd rate this album a 5.5-6.0. For Anthrax that's horrendous.
Loading...
28.08.2020 - 12:12
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Antisocial whit Nico McBrain on drums hehe.
Why Joel Belladona left band later, what was reason
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
29.08.2020 - 02:46
Starvynth
i c deaf people
Written by Bad English on 28.08.2020 at 12:12

Why Joel Belladona left band later, what was reason

Some cruel and opinionated tyrant thought
It was absolutely necessary.
----
signatures = SPAM
Loading...
29.08.2020 - 12:51
JoHn Doe

Written by Starvynth on 29.08.2020 at 02:46

Written by Bad English on 28.08.2020 at 12:12

Why Joel Belladona left band later, what was reason

Some cruel and opinionated tyrant thought
It was absolutely necessary.



I thought it was Joey's heavy drinking (and the consequences of that) was the reason. Scott said it in their Behind the Music episode.
----
I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
Loading...
30.08.2020 - 11:41
Starvynth
i c deaf people
Written by JoHn Doe on 29.08.2020 at 12:51
I thought it was Joey's heavy drinking (and the consequences of that) was the reason. Scott said it in their Behind the Music episode.

I've heard that too, but wasn't that already his third or fourth version of the story?
Seriously, which member of a renowned metal band who got sacked sometime in the nineties was not alleged to be into alcohol and/or drugs?
It's always the same old story, but more often than not, it is just a lame excuse and a cheap way - sometimes even a considerate way - of getting rid of someone without having to reveal the whole truth. For "He's a heavy drinker" has hardly ever been a career killer, as opposed to "He can't sing our songs and he's not representing us anymore".

However, I believe that the 2016 interview is much closer to the truth than anything Scott Ian has said before. He's not trying to single out the sole scapegoat anymore, instead he's also reflecting upon his own mistakes. Maybe that's why I rather (want to) believe this version.
----
signatures = SPAM
Loading...
25.10.2020 - 14:50
Rating: 6
sgtrobo

"a good skeleton of a song, it just needs some more meat on the bones for it to really stand tall"

this describes almost this whole album perfectly. Their weakest effort with Joey, and arguably their worst full-length release
Loading...

Hits total: 1075 | This month: 15