Chapter 5: Among the Living
1987 was the year that changed everything in metal. Many experts point to 1987 as the year that glam died and thrash became more accepted by mainstream. There were many landmark thrash metal albums in 1987, but none were more significant than Anthrax’s Among the Living.
Anthrax Usurps the Throne
“Anthrax was more accessible than Metallica, but they were no less heavy. They are easily one of the greatest metal bands to ever strap on a guitar.” – Kurt Cobain, 2006
“I think what really helped Anthrax was the fact that they had the total package. Charlie Benante and Frank Bello were such a tight rhythm section, Scott Ian and Dan Spitz provided the dual guitar threat, and then you had a guy like Joey Belladonna who could sing very well.” – Cozy Powell, 1999
Coming off a successful US tour with Led Zeppelin and a short European tour, Anthrax returned to the studio in October to record what would be their breakout album. Among the Living hit the shelves in March 1987 to tremendous buzz and it debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200. Backed by the singles “Indians,” “Caught in a Mosh,” and “I Am the Law,” Anthrax shot up the charts and racked up album sales, reaching double platinum by the end of the year and quadruple platinum by the end of 1988. Anthrax became the first thrash metal band with a #1 album on the Billboard 200.
“We were all blown away by the success of that album,” Scott Ian recalled in 1999. “It wasn’t just us because that album exploded all over MTV.”
Anthrax also released an EP that year titled I’m the Man. The title track is considered the first rap metal song and the EP was also certified platinum by the RIAA. Thrash had arrived.
Rise of Thrash Metal and the Decline of Glam Metal
“Kids were returning their Bon Jovi, Poison, and Mötley Crüe records and buying Anthrax,” recalled Nikki Sixx. “We just couldn’t compete with that level of intensity. After that, there wasn’t much room for us.”
With the success of Anthrax, many thrash metal bands were coming out of the woodwork and enjoying success. Exodus released their sophomore effort Pleasures of the Flesh, which was the album that propelled Exodus to major success.
“Bonded by Blood, Pleasures of the Flesh, and Fabulous Disaster,” said Kurt Cobain in 2006. “Those are three of my favorite metal albums of all time. We toured with Exodus after we released Bleach. We love those guys.”
Overkill released the album Taking Over in 1987, which would be certified gold by the end of the year. The band toured with its fellow East Coast thrashers Anthrax in the United States. From the Bay Area scene, Testament released its debut album The Legacy. A popular band in the Bay Area, Testament became a nationwide success follow the release of that album and their follow up album The New Order in 1988.
“It was a metal revolution,” said Cliff Burton in 1996. “You had bands like Overkill, Testament, and Death Angel really start to take off. All of a sudden, people weren’t paying so much attention to the Sunset Strip anymore. People thought they were scared of bands like W.A.S.P., but when these people went to an Exodus show or a Slayer show, they usually shit their pants.”
“Oh, the P.M.R.C. thought they knew what they hated,” Overkill frontman Bobby Blitz recalled with a laugh in 2001. “Then they saw some thrash metal lyrics and it blew their minds.”
“Thrash metal was dangerous to some people,” said Chris Jericho in 2004. “It wasn’t like seeing cross dressers on your tv like you got with glam metals. These guys looked like they came from the streets and they could kick your ass. After Anthrax and Metallica, I think everyone got it. It influenced a lot of those bands that were forming in Seattle and some glam metal bands were rebranding themselves as thrash metal bands.”
“Concert promoters at these major arenas didn’t know what to do,” recalled Kerry King. “We were going from the clubs to the big arenas and it scared the shit out of them. Kids were buying our albums and we reaching new levels of popularity. Arena tours were inevitable.”
Even Metallica joined in the fun that year, releasing The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited, their first official recording with new guitarist Zakk Wylde. The German trash metal kings Kreator found the beginnings of moderate success in North America with the release Terrible Certainty. Metal pioneers Anvil released Strength of Steel, which helped revive their musical fortunes.
For glam metal bands, the shift could not have been more dramatic. Bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, and Cinderella who were beginning to pick up steam saw a major halt in their fortunes. It did not completely destroy the careers of more established bands like Mötley Crüe or W.A.S.P., who still retained their edge and respectable success.
“All of a sudden, you saw bands like Anthrax, Exodus, and Overkill all over the new Headbangers Ball,” recalled Dokken guitarist George Lynch. “We dug what they were doing, but the thrash metal bands always made no secret that they hated us and what we stood for. The critics liked them and hated us. It was a time when you didn’t get those hooks and melodies. Sure Anthrax had them, which was why they became so huge. But if you couldn’t get a mosh pit going or really shock someone, those were tough times.”
“We stayed together and kept soldiering on,” said Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P. “Our songwriting was becoming more intelligent and I think that helped us a lot.”
“It was a big deal for us,” said Skid Row guitarist Snake Sabo. “We were friends with Bon Jovi and the music scene was changing. We had to evolve or die. I think Anthrax and Metallica pushed us to be better musicians, but that music also buried a diverse music scene.”
Skid Row as not the only band forced to quickly retool its sound. Pantera, a moderately successful glam metal band from Texas, was already shifting towards a thrashier sound. Terry Glaze, their lead vocalist, was no longer in the band. They discovered Razor White vocalist Phil Anselmo in New Orleans, who fit their group better and helped take the band in a new direction.
For Megadeth, it was a year of reshuffling. Dave Mustaine fired Chris Poland and Gars Samuelson due to drug use and unreliability. Megadeth replaced them with Jeff Young on guitar and Chuck Behler on drums.
Whitesnake released their self-titled album in 1987. It enjoyed more success in Europe than in North America due to changing music interests. It was one of the catalysts that led to the breakup of Whitesnake a couple of years later.
Seattle Metal Scene
In Seattle, two of the most important thrash metal bands from that scene formed in 1987: Alice in Chains and Nirvana. Both had different sounds that crossed over into the alternative metal movement, but they were also true to their thrash metal roots.
“Metal Church was from Seattle,” said Jerry Cantrell in 2006. “A lot of people forget that. Soundgarden started out as more of a straight up grunge band and like us, they drifted more towards thrash metal. Then you had this insane guitar player named Kurt Cobain in this band ironically called Nirvana.”
“I started out inspired by old Black Sabbath records and punk rock,” said Kurt Cobain. “But when those thrash metal records came out, those bands pushed me to be a better musician.”
Seattle was seen as a melting pot that forged what would later be termed alternative metal, though grunge also had a small cult following. The grunge band Soundgarden was swept up in the thrash metal wave and incorporated those elements into their sound. The bands would be part of the third wave of thrash that found the most crossover success.
“Crossover thrash,” Nuclear Assault bassist Dan Lilker recalled of the Seattle scene. “There was a lot of that there. I can’t recall how many times I heard S.O.D. and Anthrax riffs in those albums.”
“It was an interesting scene,” said Dave Mustaine. “Crossover seemed to be the way of the future, but you had bands like Alice in Chains and Nirvana that could still produce a very technical sound.”
Death Metal
While thrash metal was finally finding mainstream success, death metal was emerging as the next form of extreme metal. Bands like Death, Deicide, Obituary, and Morbid Angel would be instrumental in taking extreme metal to the next level.
Power Metal
Power metal continued to gain steam in North America and Europe. Bands like Manowar and Savatage in North America and Helloween in Europe were garnering success. Some believed power metal to be the next underground phenomenon.
Major Albums Released in 1987:
Anthrax – Among the Living
Anthrax – I’m the Man (EP)
Anvil – Strength of Steel
Armored Saint – Raising Fear
Cacophony – Speed Metal Symphony
Celtic Frost – Into the Pandemonium
D.R.I. – Crossover
Death – Scream Bloody Gore
Death Angel – The Ultra-Violence
Deep Purple - The House of Blue Light
Dokken – Back for the Attack
Exodus – Pleasures of the Flesh
Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Helloween – Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1
King Diamond – Abigail
Kiss – Crazy Nights
Lääz Rockit – Know Your Enemy
Manowar – Fighting the World
Metallica – The $5.98 EP: Garage Days Re-Revisited
Mötley Crüe – Girls, Girls, Girls
Overkill – Taking Over
Rush - Hold Your Fire
Savatage – Hall of the Mountain King
Triumph - Surveillance
Voivod – Killing Technology
W.A.S.P. – Live…In the Raw
Whitesnake – Whitesnake
Major bands formed in 1987:
Alice in Chains
Arcturus
Burzum
Cynic
Danzig
Darkthrone
Deicide
Mushuggah
Nirvana
Skid Row
1987 Disbandments:
Accept (Udo Dirkshneider departs)
Alcatrazz
Sound Barrier
Twisted Sister
Warlock
Grim Reaper
