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Anthrax
with Alien Weaponry
Festival Hall, Melbourne
As the stage dims, the lights go down and Alien Weaponry herald their arrival to the stage with a traditional Māori Haka to signal they’re about to begin.
Hailing from Aotearoa, early comers are here to witness not only a band that creates metal using Māori lyrics, but a band that is half performing, half going into battle. The room is almost full as they wage war on the ears of the audience, giving an exceptional performance.
As anyone would know, Anthrax are the OGs, the God Fathers of thrash metal. As a large curtain covers the stage, Scott Ian begins to play a projection of cartoons is displayed on the screen. The curtain drops and the band emerges, ready to show Melbourne what they’ve got.
Opening with A.I.R, they quickly get the crowd into a frenzy with the mosh pit opening up. It’s furious energy at its best and the crowd are an untamed force.
Moving rapidly through their catalogue of music, Anthrax performs together as a unit, a wall of sound that is so powerful, its impossible to know who to watch. Ian Scott is phenomenal, Jonathan Donais is on fire, but frontman Joey Belladonna is an enigma. Each member of the band brings their own level of showmanship and entertainment, working together to produce an exceptional sound.
Belladonna is captivating to watch, and he plays with the audience, teasing, waving his microphone and blowing kisses. He is a master of stage presence, a genius at keeping the audience engaged and entertained. He makes eye contact with people, he invites them into his world, performing with such passion that it’s infectious.
Playing a wide selection of favourites from ‘ Caught In A Mosh’, ‘ Fight Em Till You Can’t’, ‘ Be All, End All’ the band puts on a solid performance.
Not wanting to take himself too seriously, at one point Belladonna jumps behind the drums, playing along happily with Ian, a grin plastered across his face.
Anthrax are a band that are a group of expert musicians that know how to technically play well, but also bring united skill, showmanship and brilliance together. They’re serious performers who play with perfection.
Finishing up with ‘ I Am the Law’ and the Trust song ‘ Anti Social’, Anthrax have give the audience exactly what they came for- thrash metal at its finest.
Words by Amanda Lee Starkey
