Anthrax bassist Frank Bello has revealed that he's currently working closely with Living Colour on the band's upcoming new album, marking an unexpected but fitting crossover between two pillars of heavy music.
Speaking in a recent interview with Long & McQuade Musical Instruments (transcribed by Metal Injection), Bello confirmed that he's actively writing and recording with the band
Bello explained that the collaboration has given him an outlet for ideas that wouldn't necessarily fit Anthrax's sonic identity. " I'm working you know the band Living Color. I'm writing songs with them right now. We're in the studio right now and I've used other stuff that I've had [that] I would never give to Anthrax, but would work perfectly – and has worked perfectly with Living Colour that I'm really psyched about. I can't wait till people hear it, because they love it too."
The news dovetails with recent comments from Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun, who confirmed last month that the band is deep into work on the follow-up to 2017's Shade. In an interview with Chile's iRock.cl, Calhoun said he's hopeful the album could arrive as soon as spring 2026. "I'm hoping by this spring—2026, spring," he said.
As for the direction of the new material, Calhoun hinted at a darker, more confrontational tone shaped by the current political climate. "The sound now for me is a little bit closer to Stain," he said, referencing Living Colour's 1993 album, "but it's still also a bit of a new sound for the band."
He stressed that the group is still in an exploratory phase. "I don't think that honestly we have a sound for the record yet. We're in the writing stages… trying out sounds, seeing what things work and don't work."
Calhoun also reflected on the band's long history and continued relevance. "‘Cult Of Personality' was written almost 35 years ago, and it came out 32 years ago, and it's relevant right now," he noted. "Spiritually, for us, the subject matter is the most important thing. We certainly want to bring in new fans and not disappoint the old ones."
While technology has changed dramatically since Living Colour first emerged, Calhoun says their core creative approach remains intact. "For rock and roll and for this band, getting in a room, plugging the instruments in and hashing out the tunes have always given us the best results."
