Anthrax was formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Danny Lilker, who picked the band's name from a biology textbook.

Singer Joey Belladonna and bassist Frank Bello joined the lineup and the band released Spreading the Disease the following year.

The band's third studio album Among the Living (1987) was its commercial breakthrough, peaking at number 62 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998) was released by the independent label Ignition Records, whose imminent bankruptcy hurt album sales.

Ninth studio album We've Come for You All (2003), first with guitarist Rob Caggiano, entered the Billboard 200 at number 122 but failed to chart on most international markets.