Constants (band)

Lore & Background

Constants was originally formed as a three-piece in 2003, consisting of Will Benoit, Ben Fowlie, and Duncan Rich. Their first release, the EP Nostalgia for the Future, was produced by Daryl Rabidoux with production assistance by Matt Squire, and released on Radar Recordings in 2005. After the release, Fowlie left to found The Camden International Film Festival and was replaced by bassist Orion Wainer in 2005.

The band self-produced their follow-up EP, The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril, and began touring in a 66-passenger bus converted to run on waste vegetable oil. Joined on the road by guitarist Jon Hassell, the band toured for 10 months straight in 2007, becoming a strong prop

Reader's Guide

Constants emerged from the Boston music scene in the early 2000s, contributing to the post-rock and shoegaze genres with a series of albums that evolved from their initial three-piece formation. Their significance lies partly in their pioneering use of a vegetable oil-powered tour bus, which garnered national media attention and highlighted sustainable touring practices in the independent music community. The band's collaborations with producers like Daryl Rabidoux, Matt Squire, and Justin K Broadrick, as well as guest appearances from Andrew Neufeld and Mike Hill, reflect their integration into broader underground music networks. Their discography, including the three-album set The Foundation, The Machine, The Ascension and the shoegaze-oriented Pasiflora, demonstrates stylistic range. Despite lineup changes, Constants has maintained a consistent output, with their 2020 album Devotion indicating continued activity. Their legacy includes a commitment to environmental consciousness and a body of work that spans multiple labels and international releases.

Did You Know?

• Constants toured for 10 months straight in 2006 in a 66-passenger bus converted to run on waste vegetable oil.
• Their album The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril was originally released in limited hand-numbered sleeves with metallic inks.
• The band's album If Tomorrow The War was produced and mixed by Justin K Broadrick of Jesu and Godflesh.
• Will Benoit's studio, where basic tracks for If Tomorrow The War were recorded, is a barn built in 1776 that runs on solar energy.

Origins in Queens and the Search for Stability

Anthrax was born on July 18, 1981, in Queens, New York City, when rhythm guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker decided to form a group. The name came from a disease Ian spotted in a biology textbook—he liked that it sounded sufficiently evil. The early days were marked by a revolving cast of musicians: singers John Connelly, Dirk Kennedy, and Jason Rosenfeld cycled through the vocal chair, while bass positions saw Paul Kahn, Kenny Kushner, and finally Lilker himself settle in. Drummer Greg D'Angelo arrived on the recommendation of guitarist Greg Walls, only to be replaced by Charlie Benante in September 1983 after Ian pursued him for months. Neil Turbin joined as vocalist in late August 1982, partly drawn by Walls, whom he later called the best guitarist the band ever had. By the time the Soldiers of Metal single was recorded in 1983 for Jon Zazula's Megaforce Records, the core of Ian, Benante, and Lilker had begun to solidify, setting the stage for their January 1984 debut, Fistful of Metal.

The Thrash Golden Years and Mainstream Conquest

The mid-to-late 1980s transformed Anthrax from a New York club act into a global thrash metal force. Their third album, Among the Living (1987), marked the band's first genuine mainstream breakthrough and is widely regarded as one of the genre's defining records. State of Euphoria (1988) and Persistence of Time (1990) followed, the latter earning Anthrax their first Grammy nomination. In 1992, the band signed a ten-million-dollar deal with Elektra Records and brought in John Bush of Armored Saint to replace Joey Belladonna. Bush's debut with the group, Sound of White Noise (1993), became their highest-charting release at number seven on the Billboard 200 and produced the radio-friendly single Only. However, the Elektra partnership soured over insufficient promotional backing, leading to their departure after Stomp 442 (1995). Volume 8: The Threat is Real (1998) was further hampered by their label's bankruptcy, signaling the end of an era.

A Decade of Reunions, Departures, and Comebacks

The years between 1998 and 2011 saw Anthrax experience some of the most turbulent personnel changes in metal history. John Bush departed in 2005, prompting a reunion with Belladonna and lead guitarist Dan Spitz. That configuration lasted only until 2007, when both men left again. The band then recruited singer Dan Nelson, who recorded material for a new album before parting ways in 2009. A brief reunion with Bush followed, but Belladonna ultimately returned for a third stint in 2010. The result was Worship Music (2011), the band's first studio album in eight years and their first with Belladonna in twenty-one. It was both a critical and commercial triumph, peaking at number twelve on the Billboard 200. Scott Ian remained the sole constant member throughout all these upheavals, while Ian and Benante were the only two to appear on every Anthrax album. The band continued with For All Kings in 2016 and is expected to release their twelfth studio album, Cursum Perficio, in 2026.

Legacy, Sales, and a Place in Metal History

Anthrax occupies a foundational position in thrash metal as one of the Big Four alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer. They were also among the earliest thrash acts to emerge from the East Coast, joining Overkill and Nuclear Assault in that distinction. Their commercial footprint is substantial: four studio albums—Among the Living, State of Euphoria, Persistence of Time, and Sound of White Noise—have earned gold certification from the RIAA. Nielsen SoundScan data shows the band sold 2.5 million records in the United States between 1991 and 2004, with total worldwide sales reaching ten million. Beyond their eleven studio albums and twenty-six singles, Anthrax crossed genre boundaries with a notable collaboration with hip hop group Public Enemy. Their story—from a Queens biology-textbook name to Grammy-nominated, gold-certified thrash pioneers—cements them as a defining voice of 1980s heavy metal and a band that has endured through decades of lineup flux.