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Among the Living

by Anthrax

Released: March 16, 1987

Thrash metal

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Breakthrough.

The Album

"Among the Living" is the third studio album by American thrash metal band Anthrax. The record is named after a lyric from "The Horror of It All," a song which didn’t make the album's final track listing but did appear in demo form on the reissue. The album includes perhaps Anthrax's most famous song, "Indians", which is often a highlight of their live performances.

Inside the Recording

The record was produced by Eddie Kramer, who had previously worked with rock legends such as Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

The title track is about Stephen King's character…

The title track is about Stephen King's character Randall Flagg from The Stand, while "I Am the Law" is dedicated to the comic book character Judge Dredd.

Its fast, aggressive, yet melodic playstyle and soulful…

Its fast, aggressive, yet melodic playstyle and soulful lyrics cementing a unique place for it in the annals of metal music history.

Watch and listen

Explore the Album

Anthrax - Among the Living

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Then

Reception

It was released on March 16, 1987, by Megaforce Worldwide/Island and was certified gold by the RIAA on July 31, 1990.

Now

Legacy

Among the Living is widely regarded as one of the greatest thrash metal albums of all times. The album is considered one of Anthrax's best works, containing tracks such as "Caught In a Mosh," "I Am the Law," and "Indians." The band drew inspiration from literature, pop culture, and contemporary issues for the lyrics.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Among the Living" is the third studio album by American thrash metal band Anthrax. It was released on March 16, 1987, by Megaforce Worldwide/Island and was certified gold by the RIAA on July 31, 1990. The album includes perhaps Anthrax's most famous song, "Indians", which is often a highlight of their live performances.

The record is named after a lyric from "The Horror of It All," a song which didn’t make the album's final track listing but did appear in demo form on the reissue. The album is considered one of Anthrax's best works, containing tracks such as "Caught In a Mosh," "I Am the Law," and "Indians."

The band drew inspiration from literature, pop culture, and contemporary issues for the lyrics. The title track is about Stephen King's character Randall Flagg from The Stand, while "I Am the Law" is dedicated to the comic book character Judge Dredd.

The record was produced by Eddie Kramer, who had previously worked with rock legends such as Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. Among the Living is widely regarded as one of the greatest thrash metal albums of all times. Its fast, aggressive, yet melodic playstyle and soulful lyrics cementing a unique place for it in the annals of metal music history.