ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello is featured in a new interview with Todd Matthy at Examiner.com discussing the band's new Anthems EP. An excerpt is available below:

Q: Did any songs not make the cut? Or we’re any songs recorded but omitted?

Bello: "We recorded a Tom Petty song but there was a timing issue so it wasn’t included. The stuff you hear on this EP is the stuff we play at soundchecks. It’s rare to hear an Anthrax song unless we need to in order to do something with the sound."

Q: Are there songs you wish were on the EP or hope to include on future EPs?

Bello: "With Anthrax it’s anything we jam. You’ll hear it eventually. This was one of things that felt good to do, especially when we heard the finished product. You listen to these songs and you can hear Anthrax in them. This is exactly where we came from. All this stuff made us what we are."

Q: Going through as many line up changes as you have, what’s it like bringing a new member into the Anthrax family? How does the make up of the band change?

Bello: "Anthrax is Anthrax. We are who we are. The music dictates everything. I don’t think you have to adapt. We’re pretty adaptable. As long as the songs are being heard and played right we’re good. It’s not thought out that much, you just do it and you have a good time. I know I’m lucky to be making a living playing music and I don’t look farther then that. It’s a good hang; we have a good time on the road with good people and just enjoy the ride."

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Go to this location for the complete interview.

The viral video version of Anthrax' cover of Rush's 'Anthem' can be seen below:

Anthrax's version of AC/DC's 'T.N.T.' is streaming below:

Both tracks are featured on the upcoming special edition of the band's last album, Worship Music. The special edition will contain both the regular album as well as the brand new Anthems EP. Anthems' tracklisting features RUSH's 'Anthem', THIN LIZZY's 'Jailbreak', 'T.N.T.' by AC/DC, BOSTON's 'Smokin'', 'Big Eyes' by CHEAP TRICK, JOURNEY's 'Keep On Runnin', as well as the album version and a special remix of Anthrax's 'Crawl', from Worship Music.

Anthems will also be released separately on CD and vinyl and will be exclusively available at the Nuclear Blast Mailorder, here.

Worship Music“ Special Edition / Anthems will be released in North America on March 19th (MRI/Megaforce) and March 22nd in Europe (Nuclear Blast).

In addition to Anthems' cover art, drummer Charlie Benante and artist Stephen Thompson have subtly redesigned each track's original album cover art to "Anthrax" it. The Anthems EP will first be housed in one of the "re-imagined" digipak covers, and then inserted inside the main CD cover sleeve. The main cover sleeve has been designed in such a way so fans will be able to see which one of the six "re-imagined" covers is inside. Check Benante holding the six covers below:

Said the band's vocalist Joey Belladonna, "These are all bands I grew up with and have listened to forever. It's just great music. I had fun singing these songs and I was happy recording together with Anthrax, doing classic rock songs. Fun stuff!"

On Boston's 'Smokin'', Anthrax brought in a special guest to play keyboards - Fred Mandel, who has played with ALICE COOPER, QUEEN, ELTON JOHN, Cheap Trick, SUPERTRAMP and on PINK FLOYD's The Wall.

About the track, drummer Charlie Benante said, "If ever there were a perfect first album, it's Boston's first album. The harmony leads they did would later be heard by IRON MAIDEN, which of course would lead to thrash metal."

Anthems was produced by Anthrax, Jay Ruston and Rob Caggiano, and recorded for the most part throughout 2012 literally all over the world: at Benante's home studio, in Ruston's New York studio, on the band's tour bus while on last summer's Mayhem Tour, in hotel rooms, and backstage at their Berlin show last December.

The Metal Alliance Tour, featuring Anthrax (performing their fan favorite 1987 classic Among The Living in its entirety) EXODUS, HIGH ON FIRE, MUNICIPAL WASTE, and HOLY GRAIL, has added a second date in New York City, on April 21st at Irving Plaza.

Tickets for the date can be found at this location.

Tour dates:

March

22 - House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
23 - House of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
24 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ
25 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
27 - House of Blues - West Hollywood, CA
28 - Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA
29 - The Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
30 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
31 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA

April

2 - Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
4 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
5 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
6 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
7 - Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH
9 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX
10 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
12 - House of Blues - Lake Buena Vista, FL
13 - Tremont Music Hall - Charlotte, NC
14 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD
16 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
18 - Theatre of the Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
20 - Irving Plaza - New York, NY
21 - Irving Plaza - New York, NY

For more details visit Metalalliancetour.com.

On February 25th, Anthrax performed at Big Top Luna Park in Sydney, Australia. Fan filmed video of the entire show has been posted online and can be viewed below: