ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has given a rare and extensive career retrospective interview to Drumhead magazine, reflecting on 45 years of playing metal and discussing the evolution of his technique, the history of ANTHRAX, and his ongoing role as one of the most respected and influential drummers in thrash metal history. The interview, conducted over two sessions at Benante's home studio in New York, covers everything from his teenage years in the Bronx where he began playing drums alongside future ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian, through the band's rise as one of the "Big Four" of thrash metal, to his recent work with PANTERA as fill-in drummer on the reformation tour.
Benante, who turned 62 in November 2025, spoke at length about the physical challenges of maintaining his technical proficiency as he ages, and the specific training regimen — including daily rudiment practice, strength training, and coordination exercises — that allows him to perform at the level he does. "I feel like I play better now, in terms of my understanding of the music, than I did at 25," he said. "The physical peak may have been earlier, but the musicianship keeps developing if you put in the work."
The interview also touches on Benante's significant role as one of the first metal musicians to embrace social media, his extensive painting career (he has exhibited in galleries across the United States), and his side band LOLLAPALOOZA. Regarding ANTHRAX's plans for new material, Benante confirmed that the band is "definitely in conversations" about a follow-up to their 2016 album "For All Kings" and that "new ANTHRAX music is coming, but we want it to be worth the wait."