Only
Anthrax
From *The Sound of White Noise* (1993), "Only" represents Anthrax's post-Belladonna reconfiguration with John Bush. The song is denser, more groove-metal adjacent, with Bush's more aggressive, rock-inflected voice reshaping the band's entire emotional character. The riff is heavy without being straightforward thrash — it has swing and deliberate space that the earlier material often refused. Lyrically, it pushes into existentialist territory: the only certainty is the present moment, the only reliable truth is what you can confirm through direct experience. Producer Dave Jerden (who worked extensively with Alice in Chains) gives the record a guitar tone that sits between thrash and alternative metal with remarkable comfort. For listeners who came to Anthrax through Belladonna, this period requires adjustment; for those who arrived here, it is the band's richest and most emotionally sophisticated phase.
medium
1990s
swinging, spacious, heavy
United States
Metal, Alternative Metal. Groove Metal. Existential, Heavy. Moves from groove-weighted heaviness into existentialist reflection, settling into the present moment as the only reliable certainty.. energy 7. medium. danceability 5. valence 3. vocals: aggressive, rock-inflected, gruff, direct. production: Alice in Chains-adjacent, dense, alternative metal, guitar-forward, layered. texture: swinging, spacious, heavy. acousticness 1. era: 1990s. United States. Late-night listening for someone ready to engage with music on its most emotionally sophisticated terms.