Charlie Benante says Anthrax’s 11th studio album can’t be released this year - because he’s focusing on a 30th anniversary edition of Spreading The Disease.
The revamp of their breakthrough record is set to appear later in 2015, pushing the follow-up to 2011’s Worship Music into 2016.
Benante tells Examiner.com: “I’ve been working on this anniversary thing, where I’m putting a bunch of bonus material on the second disc. It’s going to be really good.”
Spreading The Disease, the thrash icons’ second album, was originally released in 1985. It was their first to feature vocalist Joey Belladonna and bassist Frank Bello, and the last to include writing credited to former frontman Neil Turbin.
The band are currently recording fresh music – but when pressed for a release date, Benante says: “Probably beginning of next year. Because if we do the Spreading The Disease release at the end of this year, we don’t want to put two things out at the same time.”
Guitarist Scott Ian previously said they wouldn’t be rushed into a release. But it had been thought the as-yet untitled work would arrive in time for their November European dates with Slayer.
