Back in April we first heard that thrash metal pioneers Anthrax would be including a cover of Rush's Anthem on an upcoming tribute EP. The EP will commemorate the 1 year anniversary of the release of tha band's Worship Music album and is slated for release around September 13th. It will also include covers of AC/DC's T.N.T., Boston's Smokin' and Journey's Keep on Runnin'. Artisan News Service recently sat down with Anthrax members Scott Ian and Frank Bello to discuss the EP and specifically the Anthem cover:

Scott Ian: It's songs that in some way, shape or form we've been playing or jamming on for our whole lives. Because you really don't want to have to work too hard on these things. Although the Rush song is a bit of a bitch. I can't say that's an easy one. But it's a song we all know and we're all familiar with. So then - of course - you take on the challenge of really trying to nail it and do it justice.

Frank Bello: Even the bass parts - I have to get every little part of Geddy down because I'm a fanatic with that stuff and I have to. I don't want to leave it. I'm still working on the little bits. It's great - I love it.

Rush was apparently made aware of the cover via drummer Charlie Benante's YouTube clip of him laying down the drum track:

Scott Ian: Charlie [Benante] bumped into Neil Peart at the Golden Gods Awards a few months ago and Neil actually said to Charlie, "yeah- we heard you guys were covering Anthem. That's so cool. We put the clip of you playing drums up on our website", or something like that. I swear to God - Charlie was like ... the light, the glow that was coming off of him after that. I've never seen anything quite like it.

You can watch the entire interview below or on YouTube here (thanks Eric at Power Windows):

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