As a founding father of thrash metal and the fourth head on the Mount Rushmore that is The Big Four (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax), Anthrax has survived lineup changes and fickle listeners to maintain a relevant and influential career for nearly 30 years. In 2011, as fans around the world are lining up to see The Big Four in a city near them, any one of those bands could cash in on the retro value afforded by their longevity. For Anthrax, at least, they’d rather put out new material that quotes the material they are famous for, but still pushes forward with metal that is meaningful on its own merits in 2011.

Enter: Worship Music.

As their first studio album in eight years, and the first with Joey Belladona back at the helm since 1990′s Persistence of Time, anticipation was as an all-time high among fans. It could either rock hard or be a transparent attempt to simply give fans what they want. Well… Worship Music rocks hard.

Let’s take a look at the more notable surprises first. That begins with Belladona himself. The differences between Belladona and John Bush (Anthrax’s other frontman), are easy to hear. Whereas Belladona’s operatic approach has more in common with power metal wailing, Bush’s coarse two-pack-a-day growls are more consistent with thrash and heavier metal. This time around, however, Belladona’s voice has never been better. Sure, his range still allows him to carry melodies perfectly, but his vocal timbre seems to be getting more gruff with age… and it suits the brutality of Worship Music perfectly.

It gets better.

You can’t really discuss an album or band of this caliber without discussing the guitars. And there is a lot of ground to cover. Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: Anthrax has always been a band built on Scott Ian’s right hand. His picking speed and accuracy have made Anthrax’s riffs some of the biggest and tightest riffs in all of metal history. At 47 years old, it doesn’t sound like arthritis is setting in any time soon, as some of the riffs on Worship Music will go down among his best (i.e., “Fight ‘Em Til You Can’t” and “In The End”).

It’s Rob Caggiano’s breakout performance on Worship Music, however, that has finally cemented his place in the history of Anthrax. While he played on 2003′s We Have Come For You All, his work was serviceable. That’s not to put it down. Being serviceable to Anthrax standards is saying quite a bit. In the last eight years, however, Caggiano’s experience in the band has revealed him to be in integral part of Anthrax today.

Caggiano’s solos are works of art framed in brutality. His note selection and execution are flawless. Rather than trying to overwhelm listeners with an unstoppable barrage of 32nd notes or hide behind wah-drenched bends, Caggiano’s phrasing shows a musical voice that is the perfect complement to Ian’s jackhammer riffage. This includes the use of harmony leads on “In The End” and subtle melodic themes behind choruses in “Fight ‘Em Til You Can’t”. Quite simply, Ian and Caggiano have equaled and, in some cases, surpassed the greatest guitar moments in the Anthrax catalog.

Not to be outdone, drummer, Charlie Benante, pulls a few aces out of his sleeve as well. He makes them known with, of all things, blast beats right from the start of “Earth on Hell”. Benante has long been the creative engine of Anthrax. As a multi-instrumentalist, his contributions to Anthrax’s sound are beyond words. Part of what has pushed the Anthrax sound in years past has been Benante’s subtle, but expert, snare work. It’s here on Worship Music; just check “Hymn 2″. It’s the kick drum, however, that is interesting this time around. By not always being in lockstep with the riff, Benante’s footwork opens up riffs to make them sound bigger. One listen to “Judas Priest” and you’ll hear it in action.

Bassist, Frank Bello, doesn’t rest on his laurels either. Long recognized as one of the most dynamic bassists in metal, he cements that reputation with riffs that alternately copy and complement the guitars. Cuts like “Judas Priest” and “Crawl” are perfect examples of the master at work.

All of this adds up to one of the most terrifyingly wonderful metal releases of the year. It proves that Anthrax is still a very vital force in modern metal. Although it’s cliche to call a band’s newest release their best yet, you’d be hard-pressed to find another album in the Anthrax catalog that convincingly surpasses Worship Music.

In the last several years, other members of The Big Four have put out some of the most acclaimed albums of their respective careers. For metal fans, it’s nice to see Anthrax come out swinging again with a haymaker of their own on Worship Music.