Anthrax – “Limited Edition For All Kings 7-Inch Box Set” [Album Review]

Any music Puritan will tell you that most savvy bands will re-visit a successful album release and do a deluxe version thereof for their die-hard fans. It’s a great way for these fans to hear demos, live versions, and other nuggets that the casual buyer might not care for.

Anthrax is a band that has a history of doing exactly this, and the March 24th 10-album boxed set of 45’s celebrating For All Kings is truly a monument of musical beauty. Multi-coloured swirled vinyl for each of the ten 45’s, individually packaged in customized artwork by Stephen Thompson, some of them adorned with new band photos by Jimmy Hubbard.

Don’t just take my word for it. Watch Charlie Benante unbox the deluxe For All Kings package right here:

The For All Kings Box Set includes a removable lenticular cover of Alex Ross’s stunning cover artwork, changing the band’s likenesses to skulls when tilted. The box contains 10 7-inch vinyl discs featuring 20 songs – the 11 finished For All Kings album tracks presented one song per side. The bonus material is comprised of two stellar new covers: The White Stripes “Black Math” and the classic Kansas track “Carry On”.

There are demos of six For All Kings songs that are just fantastic. The “Suzerian” demo is insanely good! There’s an edginess to it that resonates just as well as the final mastered version of the track. And “Vice of the People,” a bonus track previously released only in Japan makes its North American vinyl debut. There is an inset card showcasing the original album cover art sketch by Alex Ross as well as a download card enabling the buyer to access the Box Set’s entire track to enjoy on their portable music playback devices.

Some expanded editions can feel like a cash grab. Hell, some of them ARE cash grabs. The For All Kings 7-Inch Box Set is not that. It’s a thing of real beauty – a monument to a great album boasting a wealth of additional material that will enhance the living space of any Anthrax fan’s domicile. This edition is highly limited. Once they are gone, they are gone for good. At $79.99 US for 10 pieces of vinyl, it’s reasonably priced. Don’t be that individual looking around on the aftermarket for this bad-boy once they are all gone. Buy it now.

For All Kings 7-Inch Box Set Track Listing (broken down by each 45):

Breathing Lightning (album version)
Breathing Lightning (demo)

Monster At The End (album version)
Monster At The End (demo)

Suzerain (album version)
Suzerain (demo)

Black Math (White Stripes cover)
Carry On (Kansas cover)

You Gotta Believe (album version)
For All Kings (album version)

Evil Twin (album version)
This Battle Chose Us (album version)

All Them Thieves (album version)
Vice of the People (previously unreleased in North America)

Zero Tolerance (album version)
Zero Tolerance (demo)

Blood Eagle Wings (album version)
Blood Eagle Wings (demo)

Defend Avenge (album version)
Defend Avenge (demo)

Run Time: 104:00 minutes
Release Date: March 24, 2017

Everything you get – For All Kings 7-Inch Box Set

Defend Avenge For All Kings 7-Inch Box Set artwork

Suzerain For All Kings 7-Inch Box Set artwork

Alex Ross original sketch For All Kings artwork