ANDREAS-THRAX SOUNDS GOOD

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian went to northeast France for Wednesday’s Big Four show, but at other July dates the new father’s guitar duties are covered by Sepultura’s Andreas Kisser (as reported here). It’s weird to see Anthrax on stage without Ian — a first — but clips from Kisser’s second gig as temp on Saturday in Sweden are jamming (above)! Kisser is energy for the other Anthrax dudes who, having tirelessly performed for three decades, probably don’t retain measurable enthusiasm for favorites like “Indians,” “Madhouse,” and “Anti-SoCal.” Not to mention, those jamz date back to their writers’ mid-20s. Those guys are relaxed adults now, not lulzy youths. Shit, I bet they no longer even mind being caught in a mosh.

Anyway, Kisser and Anthrax sound great, and Ian’s Twitter reveals a conflicted man. At the moment, he’s got a new baby, his rocker wife (a star in her own right in that Almost Famous movie), and his beard, but not his band. Though he sounds grateful to Kisser for the cover, Ian is weirded out to watch quietly from a distance while a band he helped make famous does a tour without him. It’s happening to poor Jeff Hanneman of Slayer, too, on the same Big Four jaunt through Europe. If only Lars would get pregnant and/or bitten by a spider…

–ADF

See Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser on tour in Anthrax with the Big Four all over Europe in July. Dates here. Anthrax’s Worship Music is out September 13 on Megaforce.