Don Xml's Grok This

Well, if you haven’t already heard, Anthrax released a new DVD/CD combo called Music of Mass Destruction.  It is basically a live DVD, plus a bonus live CD, recorded in Chicago in December of 2003.  There’s not much to not like about this package.  Instead of double dipping their fans for 2 separate releases, the band did the right thing and bundled both recordings into one package.  Both the CD and the DVD capture a great John Bush era show.  My only (slight) complaint is that I would have liked more Bush era material on the CD, at the expense of the older stuff, but that is only because it hasn’t been captured live yet.  One other small gripe is the lack of a Frank Bello segment (considering there is a Rob Caggiano segment), but I guess that is because Frank is no longer in the band ( if you haven’t heard Frank is out (no official word on who’s decision it was) and former Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera is touring with the band).

And if you are on your way to the store to pick up MoMD, you may also want to pick up the latest Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society release, Hangover Music vol. VI.  Don’t expect another crunching effort out of Zakk this time around (Sonic Brew is got to be the hardest album ever).  Zakk lighten things up a bit, and shows his Elton John side on this CD.  A great CD to mellow out to (as the title implies).  IMHO Zakk has replace Eddie Van Halen on my list of guitar gods (but Eddie has a chance to redeem himself on tour this summer).