This was the second album by Anthrax that I bought after State Of Euphoria, which gets reviewed later. The problem is that I will compare it to Euphoria in this review! This album is darker and nastier than Euphoria. While I consider the first album a summer album Persistence is not a summer album. To me a summer album has a certain sound and feel to it, a lightness, a happiness, a breeze. Persistence doesn’t feel like that. It’s bloody good though.
I think I would have to say there isn’t a bad song on this album. There’s no song I would gladly skip, even the cover version is a rocking song.
“Time” and “Blood” are both good starters. “Keep It In The Family” is brilliant. “In My World” gives me chills. “Gridlock” is great. The way “Intro To reality” merges with “Belly Of The Beast” meant that for years I thought they were just one song.
“Got The Time” is that rare beast, a cover version that knocks socks off the original and a wonder to the ears, high powered and magnificent.
“H8 Red” was the first instance in my awareness of the number eight being used within a word, like in HATE, good song. “One Man Stands” is a good one. “Discharge” for some reason always makes me think vaginal but this is a great song.
Overall this album is a masterpiece. I love it.
Anthrax are the only band of the Big Four I’ve not seen live and that saddens me.