The only way to put it is there were three Anthrax bands: 1) Fistful of Metal here with Neil Turbin 2) The Belladonna years 1985-1991 3) John Bush Years 1991-current. The point is that all three of these Anthrax's sound different from the others.

The first here is actually better than you might think. Don't expect to pick this up as a regular Anthrax album of the era. The drumming (Benante) is overall a little slower than in later albums and the constant double-bass speed sounds like something off a Motorhead album. The vocals (Turbin) are the most striking feature -VERY HIGH PITCHED. The guy has one of the highest screams that I've ever heard. (Just listen to the 10 second scream on "Metal Thrashing Mad" where he goes from high to higher.) The guitars are rather generic for the time (Exodus like) and the bass (Lilker) sometimes kicks up some cool lines but is otherwise just as ordinary.

This album also contains a classic song that Anthrax still plays at all their shows "Metal Thrashing Mad". This song is definitely of the top five.

In short, what this album sounds like is a mix between 70s style Judas Priest, Motorhead, Exodus (Bonded by Blood), and something else. The album is original nonetheless and if you like Anthrax then you will like this album. Even if you're not a fan of Anthrax but you like stuff such as Slayer's "Show no Mercy", Megadeth's first album, Metallica's first, and other albums of the 1982-1984 period, this is a must have.

The reviewer James Prosser stated that it sounds like mp3's were used when doing this reissue. I have been thinking the same thing the past year or so that I've owned this.

It makes me think that we are truly living in a sad age when music is done on the cheap, and that fans seem to be just as apathetic as the musicians themselves.

Not all is terrible, at least metal is on the upswing again, but its releases like this that are truly showing its a scary time in music.

The album? Its classic early thrash seasoned with some incredible hooks and vocals.

This "remaster"? It seems like they took the original songs, compressed them into mp3 format (or similar) and smooshed them onto the cd.

I am 100 % serious with this assumption. As someone who has downloaded thousands of mp3s, but also owns thousands of cds, tapes and records, I know the difference between the two.

Too bad the people behind this rerelease pulled a fast one with this.

I've listened to Anthrax for years, but it was only recently that I heard FISTFUL OF METAL for the first time. I wasn't expecting much. I had assumed that since the first singer, Neil Turbin, was let go, that he was probably nothing to write home about. How wrong I was. That guy was amazing. His vocals were very Priest-esque, but unique at the same time. I wonder why he didn't go on to become one of the greats. Anyway, this album is full of excitement and power. Anthrax, the band, were already very tight and professional sounding, which is amazing since they were probably just barely out of their teens. Great debut. I love 'Metal Thrashing Mad' the best. Order this today.

This is one of several albums that started the thrash metal genre. Along with Metallica "Kill Em All" Slayer "Show No Mercy" Overkill "Feel the Fire" and Megadeth "Killing is My Business" this was a revolutionary style in 1983-1984. I was in high school at the time of these releases, and they influenced me and millions of others to become diehard followers of this music. This is not Joey Belladonna singing. It is the raw voice of Neil Turbin who gave Anthrax a true edge. Even though I prefer the Belladonna Anthrax, this album deserves a place in metal history. "Deathrider" and "Metal Thrashing Mad" are classics. 20 years later, and I still listen to these songs with the same passion that I had when I first heard them.

why is it that this album is so hard to find? i have been searching for anthrax's first album for years and could never find it, until to day when i found it by accident in a second hand record store! my discovery of this lost treasure was like when indiana jones finds the treasure in the lost temple, or when ben franklin got zapped by lightning though his kite. i listened to it and it (...) kicked me (...)!!! its the best anthrax album period! and this is after years of listening to "amoung the living" and thinking that was there greatest achivement. neil turbin owns, he blows joey away, why did scott ian give him the boot? this album has the same feel to it like "kill em all" from metallica, it is raw and unpolished, driven by anger. it also has the best album cover i'v seen to.