Persistence of Time
	Produced by Anthrax and Mark Dodson
	Released on August 21, 1990
	US CHART POSITION #24 . . . GOLD RECORD (1/17/91) . . . UK CHART POSITION #13
	Find it at GEMM
846 480-2 cover [high resolution scan]

I picked this disc up at a used record store in New York after a client meeting for some piddly little project I’m sure. Must’ve needed a spine-stiffening injection of testosterone that day, and I got it. Persistence of Time is one of the band’s best. Now, you’re thinking, isn’t metal kind of like jazz in that it all sort of really if you were backed into a corner about it sound the same? And I’d tell you that what makes great metal isn’t inspiration so much as fearlessness. And Anthrax ain’t afraid of nuthin’ here. Like the landmark Among The Living and (to a lesser extent) I’m The Man experiment, the band has left most metal acts behind to follow their own muse. Persistence mixes rap, industrial and all sorts of metal into the final mix without a trace of self-consciousness. The rap and industrial components aren’t as obvious as, say, “Bring The Noise,” but listen closely and you’ll hear them at work in the arrangements. So why wasn’t State of Euphoria this good? I dunno. Some bands inch into the wilderness; Anthrax just seems to wake up there one day. At least that would explain the stylistic leaps that occur between otherwise average albums. I don’t believe the failed State was a few tweaks removed from the albums before (Among The Living) and after (Persistence of Time). But no matter, since Persistence returns Anthrax to the top of the metal pile. They have one of the “freshest” (a word I hope to be able to use again one day without shame) sounds in metal, which would explain how an album from 1990 could torch most metal made in 2006. However, Persistence didn’t pay off for Joey Belladonna, who found himself stranded after the band left Island.

846 480-1 back sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. TIME    6:54
2. BLOOD    7:06
3. KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY    7:07
4. IN MY WORLD    6:23
5. GRIDLOCK    5:08
6. INTRO TO REALITY    3:24
7. BELLY OF THE BEAST    4:46
8. GOT THE TIME    (Joe Jackson)    2:44
9. H8 RED    6:02
10. ONE MAN STANDS    5:39
11. DISCHARGE    5:11
12. (JPN CD bonus track:) PROTEST AND SURVIVE
    
    All songs written by Anthrax unless noted

CREDITS

JOE BELLADONNA --
FRANK BELLO --
CHARLIE BENANTE -- cover concept
SCOTT IAN --
DAN SPITZ --
Mark Dodson -- engineer
Mike Barbiero -- mixing, mix engineer
Steve Thompson -- mixing
Jon & Marsha Zazula -- executive producers
Don Brautigam -- album cover art
Waring Abbott -- photos

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