ANTHRAX kicked off their 70,000 Tons of Metal 2026 appearances with a blistering first set on opening night as the Freedom of the Seas departed Miami. The full lineup of Scott Ian, Joey Belladonna, Frank Bello, Jon Donais, and Charlie Benante delivered a career-spanning setlist to a packed pool deck crowd, with the Caribbean ocean as their backdrop and the energy of 3,000 metalheads fueling one of the most explosive performances of the cruise.
The setlist drew heavily from the band's classic thrash catalog, opening with "Among the Living" before tearing through "A.I.R.," "Got the Time," "Caught in a Mosh," "Madhouse," and the set-closing anthem "I Am the Law." Fan favorites "Metal Thrashing Mad" and "Deathrider" added old-school fury to a performance that attendees described as tighter and more energized than ever.
Buzz from the cruise immediately flooded social media, with fans praising the band's relentless energy and noting that Belladonna's voice remains remarkably powerful after four decades. Scott Ian's rhythm guitar work provided the chugging backbone that has made ANTHRAX's sound instantly recognizable, while Benante's drumming — precise, powerful, and endlessly creative — anchored the performance with the authority that has made him one of thrash metal's most respected musicians.
A second ANTHRAX set is scheduled for January 31 on the pool deck stage, promising another dose of thrash perfection for the cruise passengers. Notably, for the second performance, bassist Joey Vera of ARMORED SAINT and FATES WARNING will fill in for Frank Bello, who will fly back to the mainland for the Grammy Awards ceremony on February 1 — where Bello is nominated for Best Rock Performance alongside YUNGBLUD.
ANTHRAX are also working on a new album, their first since 2016's "For All Kings," with a potential 2026 release on the horizon. The album has been completed and mixed at Dave Grohl's Studio 606, produced by Jay Ruston, with the band teasing it as "a very New York album."