Sound of White Noise
1993 studio album by Anthrax
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Sound of White Noise is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax, released on May 25, 1993, by Elektra Records. It was the band's first album to feature vocalist John Bush, who replaced longtime frontman Joey Belladonna in 1992, and the last studio album with longtime lead guitarist Dan Spitz. It was also the second album Bush worked on with producer Dave Jerden, as he also produced Symbol of Salvation for Bush's previous band, Armored Saint.
| Sound of White Noise | ||||
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| Released | May 25, 1993 | |||
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| Length | 56:56 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
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| Anthrax chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Sound of White Noise | ||||
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Overview
The album, produced by the band and Dave Jerden, includes the singles "Only", "Room for One More", "Black Lodge" and "Hy Pro Glo". Jerden was known for producing the likes of Alice in Chains and Jane's Addiction. With the departure of lead vocalist Joey Belladonna, the album marked a significant revision in the band's sound.[5] Their earlier fast-paced thrash metal style was de-emphasized, with a new focus on relatively slower tempos and hints of alternative rock, grunge, and groove metal.[5]
During the recording of the album, the band produced the songs "Poison My Eyes" and a cover of the Smiths song "London" (both would be featured on film soundtracks for Last Action Hero and Airheads, respectively).
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 10/10[7] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [8] |
| The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | [9] |
| Rolling Stone | [10] |
Dave Connolly reviewed the album on behalf of AllMusic and called it "surprisingly melodic" but "predictably pummeling" and the music "relentless". He commends the overall quality of the songs on the album before settling on "Only" as the best overall, but calls out several other tracks for praise as well.[6] Rock journalist Martin Popoff praised the performance of new singer John Bush and the production by Dave Jerden and defined the album's music "top-flight, state-of-the-art metal, fortified by the band's usual societal concerns, here elevated to eloquent outrage at man's crumbling morality."[7] Spin critic John Wiederhorn described the album as "a good typical heavy-metal record." Nevertheless, he also noted that the album "doesn't wander beyond the sound of its dark, moody intros and tuneful, galloping rhythms."[2] Tom Sinclair of Rolling Stone described the album as "a powerful comeback from a group that never went away."[10]
Among the album's songs, "Only" has received particular attention; Metallica frontman James Hetfield is said to have referred to "Only" as a "perfect song".[11]
Commercial performance
The album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 charts,[12] selling 62,000 copies in its first week. It is Anthrax's highest ever chart position. It sold 40,000 more copies in its second week.[13] Sound of White Noise was certified gold by the RIAA on July 13, 1993.[14]
As of 2002, the album had sold 511,284 copies in the US.[15]
The singles "Only" and "Black Lodge" charted at No. 26 and No. 38, respectively, on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart.[12] In the UK, "Only" and "Black Lodge" charted at No. 36 and No. 53, respectively.[16]
Track listing
All tracks are written by John Bush, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante, except "Black Lodge" by Bush, Ian, Bello, Benante and Angelo Badalamenti.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Potters Field" | 5:00 |
| 2. | "Only" | 4:56 |
| 3. | "Room for One More" | 4:54 |
| 4. | "Packaged Rebellion" | 6:18 |
| 5. | "Hy Pro Glo" | 4:30 |
| 6. | "Invisible" | 6:09 |
| 7. | "1000 Points of Hate" | 5:00 |
| 8. | "Black Lodge" | 5:24 |
| 9. | "C11 H17 N2 O2 S Na" | 4:24 |
| 10. | "Burst" | 3:35 |
| 11. | "This Is Not an Exit" | 6:49 |
| Total length: | 56:56 | |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Auf Wiedersehen" (Cheap Trick cover) | Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson | 3:33 |
| 13. | "Cowboy Song" (Thin Lizzy cover) | Phil Lynott, Brian Downey | 5:06 |
| 14. | "London" (The Smiths cover) | Morrissey, Johnny Marr | 2:54 |
| 15. | "Black Lodge (Strings Mix)" | Bush, Ian, Bello, Benante, Badalamenti | 5:21 |
| Total length: | 73:50 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Noisegate" | Anthrax | 4:25 |
| 2. | "Cowboy Song" (Thin Lizzy cover) | Phil Lynott, Brian Downey | 5:06 |
| 3. | "Auf Wiedersehen" (Cheap Trick cover) | Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson | 3:33 |
| 4. | "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" (Beastie Boys cover) | Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, John King, Adam Yauch, Matt Dike, Mike Simpson | 3:09 |
| Total length: | 73:09 | ||
Personnel
Album personnel adapted from the album's credits.[17]
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Anthrax
Additional personnel
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Production
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Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] | 30 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[19] | 13 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[20] | 52 |
| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[21] | 9 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] | 35 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[23] | 12 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[24] | 46 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[25] | 21 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] | 40 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[27] | 14 |
| US Billboard 200[28] | 7 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[29] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[14] | Gold | 500,000^[30] |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||