State of Euphoria

State of Euphoria was produced by Anthrax and Mark Dodson, with Alex Perialas engineering. Guitarist Scott Ian has been quoted as saying that the band hired Dodson to produce this album because of his work with Judas Priest and Metal Church.Scott Ian and Jon Weiderhorn (2014). I'm the Man: The Story of that Guy from Anthrax. Da Capo Press, p. 136

The song "Misery Loves Company" is based on the Stephen King novel Misery, while "Now It's Dark" was inspired by the David Lynch film Blue Velvet, specifically the behavior of the sexually depraved, self-asphyxiating, murderous sociopath Frank Booth, as played by Dennis Hopper. The song "Make Me Laugh" is critical of Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker and televangelism in general, a popular target of thrash metal bands of that period. The song specifically mentioned minutiae such as the air-conditioned doghouse and Christian amusement park. The majority of the album's music was composed by drummer Charlie Benante while lyrics were composed by rhythm guitarist Scott Ian.

The back cover of the album contains a parody picture of the band drawn by Mort Drucker, a caricaturist best known for his artwork in the magazine Mad.

The album was released on September 19, 1988. It proved to be even more commercially successful than its predecessor, Among the Living, reaching No. 30 on the Billboard 200 chart in late 1988 and was the first time the band charted in Australia and Canada. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on February 8, 1989.{{cite web

|url= https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Among%20the%20Living&artist=&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title= RIAA Gold and Platinum Search Results|access-date= 2008-03-31|publisher= Recording Industry Association of America}} The songs "Who Cares Wins", dealing with the plight of the homeless, and "Antisocial" (a cover of the song by the French band Trust) were released as singles with accompanying music videos.

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Huey|first=Steve|title=Anthrax: State of Euphoria|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=state-of-euphoria-mw0000197639|pure_url=yes}}|website=AllMusic|access-date=February 7, 2012}}

|rev2 = Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal

|rev2Score = 7/10{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | author-link1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties | publisher = Collector's Guide Publishing | date = 1 November 2005 | location = Burlington, Ontario, Canada | isbn = 978-1894959315 | page= 24}}

|rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev3Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|year=2011|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|publisher=Omnibus Press|page=2006|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8|edition=5th}}

|rev4 = Metal Forces

|rev4score = 10/10{{cite journal|last=Arnold|first=Neil|title=Anthrax: State of Euphoria|journal=Metal Forces|year=1988|issue=31|url=https://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/album-review-anthrax-state-of-euphoria/|access-date=April 18, 2014}}

|rev5 = The New Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev5Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book|last1=Brackett|first1=Nathan|last2=Hoard|first2=Christian David|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|date=2004|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/20 20]}}

| noprose = yes

}}

Critical reception for the album was lukewarm upon its release. The album failed to live up to the expectations, set by the band's previous releases, Spreading the Disease, Among the Living and the I'm the Man EP.

Aside from "Be All, End All" and "Antisocial", most of the songs on State of Euphoria have not appeared on the band's live setlists since the album's accompanying tour in 1988–1989. The only songs from this album that have never been played live at least once are "Schism", "Misery Loves Company" and "13". The members of Anthrax have since spoken about their mixed opinions on State of Euphoria, and drummer Charlie Benante has been quoted as saying that the band feels the album was not finished properly.{{cite web|title=ANTHRAX: 'State Of Euphoria' 30th-Anniversary Deluxe Reissue Details Revealed|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/anthrax-complete-state-of-euphoria-30th-anniversary-deluxe-reissue-details-revealed/|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=30 August 2018|access-date=April 15, 2021}}{{cite web|title=ANTHRAX's CHARLIE BENANTE On 'State Of Euphoria' Album: 'All Of Us In The Band Felt That It Was Not Finished'|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/anthraxs-charlie-benante-on-state-of-euphoria-album-all-of-us-in-the-band-felt-that-it-was-not-finished/|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=20 September 2018|access-date=April 15, 2021}}

Anthrax spent nearly a year touring in support of State of Euphoria. Prior to the album's release, the band supported Iron Maiden on their Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour in Europe, and opened for Ozzy Osbourne on his No Rest for the Wicked tour in the United States from November 1988 to January 1989. The band also opened for Metallica on their Damaged Justice tour.

Anthrax continued touring in 1989, playing six shows in the UK with Living Colour in March, and headlining the Headbangers Ball Tour (with support from Helloween and Exodus) in April–May. Following the Headbangers Ball tour, Anthrax toured Europe with Suicidal Tendencies, King's X and M.O.D., which took place in June–July 1989.

{{track listing

| headline = Side one

| all_writing = Anthrax, except "Antisocial" by Bernie Bonvoisin and Norbert Krief

| title1 = Be All, End All

| length1 = 6:22

| title2 = Out of Sight, Out of Mind

| length2 = 5:13

| title3 = Make Me Laugh

| length3 = 5:41

| title4 = Antisocial

| note4 = Trust cover

| length4 = 4:27

| title5 = Who Cares Wins

| length5 = 7:35

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Side two

| title6 = Now It's Dark

| length6 = 5:34

| title7 = Schism

| length7 = 5:27

| title8 = Misery Loves Company

| length8 = 5:40

| title9 = 13

| length9 = 0:49

| title10 = Fīnalē

| length10 = 5:47

| total_length = 52:47

}}

;Band members

• Joey Belladonna – lead vocals
• Dan Spitz – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Scott Ian – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Frank Bello – bass, backing vocals
• Charlie Benante – drums

;Additional musicians

• Carol Freedman – cello

;Production

• Anthrax and Mark Dodson – production
• Alex Perialas – engineering, associate production
• Bridget Daly, Paul Speck – assistant engineering
• Jon Zazula and Marsha Zazula – executive production
• Don Brautigam, Mort Drucker – artwork
• Gene Ambo – photography

{{certification Table Top}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Anthrax|title=State of Euphoria|award=Gold|relyear=1988}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Anthrax|title=State of Euphoria|award=Silver|relyear=1988|certyear=1990|id=6259-2137-2}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=State of Euphoria|artist=Anthrax|type=album|relyear=1988|region=United States|award=Gold}}

{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|42934|name=State of Euphoria}}

{{Anthrax}}

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Category:Anthrax (American band) albums

Category:Megaforce Records albums

Category:1988 albums

Category:Albums produced by Mark Dodson

Category:Island Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Alex Perialas