While You Were Studying / At Work: A Heavy Metal News Update

I had my first final today of my very last finals week at The University of Iowa (and went on-air for my last edition of The Metal Show earlier tonight) and I now am ready to pass out ... but first I wanted to comment on some of the bigs news of the day in case you missed it.

1) It's Offical: Joey Belladonna Rejoins Anthrax



That's right, the crazy-haired metal vocalist with a wide vocal range, that about 50% of Anthrax fans hate and 50% love, is back in the band. Most of the day's talk has been on the topic of Belladonna being the "third choice" for the group and its new album.

If I remember right, it was Belladonna himself that wanted to leave Anthrax after the reunion (although it was probably from the encouragement of Scott Ian and Charlie Benante), so now he is ready to come back because Ian and Benante frankly have no other option.

This means the deal is on Belladonna's terms, which I think works for the band's relationship at this point. This shit is more wild than the Van Halen saga.

Anyways, Belladonna will be joining the band on the Big Four Tour with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer and is set to begin writing and recording an album for an early 2011 release with the band. Who knows, maybe all that tension will make for a hard-hitting thrash record???



2)Death digital albums and the long-rumored second Control Denied album will finally be released.



That's right, Relapse Records announced a partnership with Perseverance Holdings Inc. and Chuck Schuldiner's family to reissue digital releases of the older hard-to-find Death albums (such as Spiritual Healing), in addition to the second Control Denied record (Note: as of this time, not sure when these digital releases will be available in US).

Watch a previously unreleased recording of Death's "Crystal Mountain" below:


3) Twisted Sister's Jay Jay French says band will "never tour again"



The longtime guitarist revealed this news in a recent interview with Noisecreep. Interesting that a band is finally realizing that nostalgia tours aren't always all they are cracked up to be. Although plenty of bands have proven French wrong as well.

Are you frickin' kidding me?!?: Joey Belladonna rumored to rejoin / perform with Anthrax

I just read on Blabbermouth that Joey Belladonna is rumored to be playing with Anthrax at the Sonisphere gig and maybe reunite with the band in time for the Big Four Tour.

Here is what was on the Sonisphere website: (translated from Swedish) "Who is singing? Let's say this: His initials are J.B. And he has one goal: a mosh, for everyone."

Note: John Bush and Joey Belladonna both have the same initials, but Belladonna is more associated with moshin'.

This could just be a bunch of BS, but if not, the overly dramatic saga of Anthrax continues.

The Anthrax Debacle Continues: Still no word on what will happen with "Worship Music"

There's no denying that We've Come For You All is a solid album. And now that John Bush is back in the band, hopefully we can get another one.

So what is the current status of the whole Anthrax debacle? Here's what the Armored Saint/Anthrax frontman had to say in an excerpt from an interview with Metalsucks.net:

MetalSucks: So you think you would be re-recording some of [former ANTHRAX singer] Dan Nelson's vocals?

Bush: That is what they want to do, and it's been a conflict for me, to be quite frank, simply because I kind of felt like I wasn't part of the creation of it. On all the other ANTHRAX records, I was part of it when it happened. I just wasn't involved in this, and it's something that they've already actually completed. I haven't disregarded it completely, and I know it's important to them. I realize they made this record and they're kind of sitting on it. They want to put some of it out, if not everything… at least a single, and we've talked about [releasing] an EP. We're still trying to figure out if we can do that, especially in conjunction with these shows in June. We've just got to kind of iron out some specifics. That's where we're at today, March 15, 2010.

Check out the full interview on Metalsucks.net.

I hope that Anthrax will be able to work things out and release this album, but at the same time, Bush should maintain his integrity and only do the vocals if he actually wants to.

Hopefully Worship Music won't suffer from being left in the cutting room for so long...