ANTHRAX have provided an encouraging update on their long-awaited new album, confirming that recording is well underway and generating palpable excitement among the Big Four thrash metal veterans. The follow-up to 2016's "For All Kings" has been in development for several years, delayed by the global pandemic, various members' side projects, and the logistical challenges of coordinating five busy schedules. But based on the latest reports, the wait appears to be nearing its end.
Guitarist Scott Ian, never one to mince words, confirmed that the band has "over 20 songs written" and is in the process of narrowing them down to the strongest material for what will be their twelfth studio album. The abundance of material suggests a band that has been quietly stockpiling ideas throughout the extended gap between records — a creative reservoir that Ian described as the result of "years of riffs piling up on voice memos and demo sessions."
Producer Jay Ruston is helming the sessions, continuing a partnership that proved fruitful on "For All Kings." Ruston's approach — capturing the band's live energy while maintaining the precision that modern thrash demands — was widely praised on that album, and his return suggests ANTHRAX are confident in the working relationship. The production style on "For All Kings" struck an effective balance between raw aggression and studio polish that served the songs well without sacrificing the band's inherent intensity.
A 2026 release is targeted, though no specific date has been set. The timing would position ANTHRAX's new album alongside releases from fellow Big Four members MEGADETH (whose final album drops January 23) in what is shaping up to be a landmark year for thrash metal's founding generation. With KREATOR, EXODUS, and others also delivering new material, 2026 could see a thrash renaissance rivaling the genre's late-1980s golden age.
The band's current lineup — vocalist Joey Belladonna, guitarists Scott Ian and Jonathan Donais, bassist Frank Bello, and drummer Charlie Benante — represents one of the strongest configurations in ANTHRAX history. Benante's recent health challenges have been a concern, but his commitment to the recording process has been unwavering. ANTHRAX's legacy as the most stylistically adventurous of the Big Four suggests the new album may contain surprises that push beyond pure thrash orthodoxy.