Anthrax’s Charlie Benante to Issue Quarantine Jams Album ‘Silver Linings’

Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante was one of rock and metal's most prominent musicians over the past year, serving up collaborations and covers on a regular basis keeping us entertained during the pandemic. Now he's turning around some of those socially distanced jams into a new album titled Silver Linings.

The 14-songs set features a wealth of name musicians who hopped online to rock out with Benante over the course of the last year. You can count fellow Anthrax bandmates Frank Bello, Scott Ian and Jon Donais, his girlfriend, Carla Harvey (Butcher Babies), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Ra Diaz (Suicidal Tendencies), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), John 5 (Rob Zombie) and Alex Skolnick (Testament) among those chipping in musically on this collection of covers.

"Back in February of last year, with COVID and all the other B.S. that was going on, I was glued to the 24-hour news cycle on the TV and my phone, and I started to get really depressed," explained Benante. "My girlfriend said I needed to turn off the news and suggested I do something creative, whether it was art or drumming or writing new songs, and she was right."

The drummer turned his art room into a makeshift studio where he would play his drums. From there, he started revisiting the music of his youth and that turned into invites to friends to come jam. "I knew a lot of my musician friends were going through the same thing I had been, so I started asking them if they wanted to get involved, play some songs with me, maybe make a video - that's how it all started," says the drummer.

While it was helpful for his peers, it also struck a chord with viewers who enjoyed the musical diversion while unable to attend live shows.

While the record is being released under Benante's name, the drummer assures Anthrax fans, "This isn't a solo album. This is a record of my favorite songs done with some of my friends during a very dark time. We found a shining light and this is the result of that light. I was really happy that my musician friends came on board and helped make this record what it is. I appreciate all of them, and they all did such a fantastic job. Despite all of the darkness we've experienced this past year, there are 'silver linings,' that's why I chose that title for the album."

Silver Linings will be released May 14 via Megaforce Records and Benante has earmarked a portion of the proceeds to be donated to the Neal Casal Music Foundation that provides instruments and less to music students and also helps out mental health organizations that support musicians in need. Album pre-orders are available here.

In coordination with the new album news, Benante is also posting his "Run-DMC Medley" that includes special guests Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Volbeat's Rob Caggiano and Suicidal Tendencies' Ra Diaz. Check out the track below and you can pick it up here.

CB's "Run-DMC Jam" Featuring Charlie Benante, DMC, Rob Caggiano + Ra Diaz

Charlie Benante, Silver Linings Artwork + Track Listing:

* "City of Blinding Lights"/U2 - Frank Bello, Mark Osegueda, Charlie Benante
* "Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns"/Mother Love Bone - Mark Menghi, Mark Osegueda, Charlie Benante
* "Teardrop"/Massive Attack - Carla Harvey, Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante
* "Run DMC"/Run DMC - DMC, Rob Caggiano, Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante
* "Rhiannon"/Fleetwood Mac - Mark Menghi, Jennifer Cella, Randy McStine, Charlie Benante
* "Yer So Bad"/Tom Petty - Carla Harvey, Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante
* "Transylvania"/Iron Maiden - Snake Sabo, Frank Bello, Jon Donias, Charlie Benante
* "Presto Vivace"/U.K. - Ra Diaz, Alex Skolnick, Jordan Rudess, Charlie Benante
* "Bad Guy"/Billie Eilish - Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante
* "Jimmy James"/The Beastie Boys - Ra Diaz, Charlie Benante
* "All The Way"/KISS - PJ Farley, Joe McGinness, John 5, Charlie Benante
* "Mr Speed"/KISS - Joe McGinness, PJ Farley, Charlie Benante
* "Public Image"/Public Image - Hank Von Hell, Dave Brownsound, Jason "Cone" McCaslin, Charlie Benante
* "Funny Vibe"/Living Color - Ra Diaz, Corey Glover, Henry Flury, Charlie Benante