Alternative Nation recently caught up with Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante to discuss the band's new album, For All Kings, and its critically acclaimed predecessor from 2011, Worship Music. An excerpt from the interview is available below.

Q: How are you holding up with your bout of carpal tunnel post-surgery? Have you had slight symptoms of it in the past or more recently, say around 2011?

Benante: “I struggled with carpal tunnel for about 15 years to the point where I was going anywhere from acupuncture to chiropractor to actually getting a shot or two of cortisone to dipping my hand in a bucket of ice water during a show to buying a can of air. You turn it upside down and spray it on your wrist to get the frozen aspect of it and hopefully it wakes your hand up so I could get the feeling back in my hand. I couldn’t deal with anything. I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing because of the situation. My Paiste rep, a symbol company, referred me to this doctor in LA. I went there and had a consultation done. So, he examined exactly what the problem was and I went for the operation and it was a success.

My problem now is I can play fine, I play great, but once I get past the three-week period on tour, it starts to get fucked up again. Not the way it was, but I need to take a little bit of a rest from it. A good friend, Jon Dette will come and fill in. I’m so happy that we have someone like Jon Dette. I jokingly would say that he’s my right-hand man, which is true because it’s my right hand.”

Q: Once you confirmed Dette as your replacement and took time off to heal, did you know you were eventually going to emerge with having written 20 new songs, some of which would end up on For All Kings?

Benante: “I just went into my studio and started to compile stuff. I was so happy with what was coming out that good momentum just carried over and when I would listen back to some of the riffs and some of the ideas, I was completely happy because I felt like, 'Wow, this was a breakthrough!' The ideas and the songs were really strong and I couldn’t wait to show everybody the stuff. I had demos that I’d send out of the songs and I’d get, 'Great, can’t wait to get in a room and actually play this and work on the album.' So, it was good all-around because they knew even though I wasn’t with them for some of the shows, I was being productive, which was really important because I didn’t want to just sit on my ass. Once I was able to use my hand again, I would go right into it.”

Go to this location for the complete interview.

"Breathing Lightning”, the first official track from Anthrax's upcoming album For All Kings, due out February 26th (Megaforce/North America), goes to radio today.

The band's Frank Bello, Charlie Benante and Scott Ian talk about the writing and recording of the song in this new video clip:

"Breathing Lightning" and the track "Evil Twin" will be available at indie retail beginning January 15th as a download card included in each box of the band's fully customized, limited-edition full, 52-card deck playing cards. On February 26th, the card will enable the holder to download the entire album.

Yesterday (January 3rd), "Breathing Lightning" premiered on the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show, hosted by Daniel P. Carter. Check it out below along with an interview with Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian. Go to the 5:30 mark to hear the new track.

On January 26th at 6 PM Anthrax will be coming to Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ to celebrate their first album in over three years, For All Kings. Pre-order the new album or Anthrax's new custom playing cards through Vintage Vinyl to receive a wristband to attend the event.

The band will also be signing posters and one additional item with the purchase of either the playing cards or CD and vinyl LP pre-orders through Vintage Vinyl. Wristbands for the event are available on a first come first serve basis until supplies run out.

For All Kings tracklisting:

CD1:
“You Gotta Believe”
“Monster At The End”
“For All Kings”
“Breathing Lightning”
“Suzerain”
“Evil Twin”
“Blood Eagle Wings”
“Defend/Avenge”
“All Of Them Thieves”
“This Battle Chose Us”
“Zero Tolerance”

CD2 (Bonus Live-CD):
“Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t”
“A.I.R.”
“Caught In A Mosh”
“Madhouse”

"Evil Twin" lyric video:

Artwork preview video:

Trailer:

Drummer Charlie Benante promises that the eleven-song For All Kings will be "aggressive and super-thrashy”. The album was written by Benante, bassist Frank Bello, and rhythm guitarist Scott Ian, the dynamic triumvirate whose unique composition chemistry is, in part, what sets Anthrax's music apart from other bands' in the same genre. Add to that Joey Belladonna's breathtaking vocals and the searing guitar leads by newest member Jonathan Donais, and it's no wonder the band is so excited for fans to hear what will be their 11th studio album.

Anthrax have teamed up with Back Story Events for an exclusive live interview event to discuss the record on January 13th in New York City at AOL Studios (770 Broadway, 10003). Tickets include a meet and greet, complimentary beverages and more. Get tickets here.

Anthrax kicked off its first tour of 2016 with Lamb of God on January 15th in Pittsburgh. Remaining dates are below:

February
4 - Revention Music Center - Houston, TX
5 - Bomb Factory - Dallas, TX
6 - Concrete Street Pavilion - Corpus Christi, TX
8 - ACL Live at the Moody Theatre - Austin, TX
9 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
11 - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas, NV
12 - Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA