Charlie Benante's Drum Setup on Anthrax's Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Charlie Benante use on Volume 8: The Threat Is Real?

Charlie Benante used his DW Collector's Series Maple kit on Volume 8 (1998) — the same kit introduced on Sound of White Noise (1993) and used through Stomp 442 (1995) — with a second floor tom (18" x 16") added for extra low-end weight. The configuration totaled dual 22" x 18" bass drums, three rack toms, and two floor toms, tuned for maximum groove weight to match the album's heavier, nu-metal-adjacent production.

Did Phil Anselmo really sing on Volume 8?

Yes. Pantera's Phil Anselmo contributed backing vocals to "Killing Box" on Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998). The album also features Dimebag Darrell, also of Pantera, on guitar solos for "Inside Out" and "Born Again Idiot" — his second consecutive Anthrax guest appearance after Stomp 442's "King Size" and "Riding Shotgun."

What cymbals did Charlie Benante use on Volume 8?

Charlie Benante used a Sabian AA/HH setup on Volume 8, carried over largely unchanged from Stomp 442: 14" AA Rock Hi-Hats, 16"/18"/19" AA Rock Crashes, a 21" AA Rock Ride, and an 18" AA Chinese. By 1998, this configuration had been refined across three consecutive albums and represented Benante's fully matured mid-90s Sabian cymbal voice.

Why is 'Catharsis' considered Pantera-esque?

"Catharsis," the second track on Volume 8: The Threat Is Real, is built around a chugging, mid-tempo groove rather than thrash-speed riffing — a structural and rhythmic approach closely associated with Pantera's groove-metal style of the era. Co-written by Charlie Benante and Frank Bello, the track is widely cited as one of Volume 8's most accessible moments and showcases Benante's lowest, fattest snare tuning of the three-album DW Collector's Series period, giving the groove its heavy, deliberate weight.

Was Volume 8 the last Anthrax album before a hiatus?

Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998) was Anthrax's last new studio album for three years — the band did not release another full album of new material until We've Come for You All in 2003. This makes Volume 8 the closing statement of Anthrax's mid-90s groove-metal phase and the final album to feature Charlie Benante's three-album DW Collector's Series configuration before later gear changes. For the prior chapter, see the [Stomp 442 drum setup article](/articles/stomp-442-drum-setup); for the band's eventual return to a thrash-driven sound, see the [Worship Music drum setup](/articles/worship-music-drum-setup).