Although 2021 marked the band’s 40th anniversary, the planned global anniversary tour was delayed due to travel complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic ; instead, the band performed a livestream concert on July 16 of that year. The tour was delayed to 2022, with a North American leg beginning on July 16 with Black Label Society and Hatebreed as support, followed by a European tour to begin on September 27 with Municipal Waste , and then they toured North America again in January and February 2023 with Black Label Society and Exodus . The band also released the full livestream setlist as a live album under the title XL on July 15, 2022. Anthrax continued performing live within the next few years, including co-headlining a European tour with Kreator in November and December 2024, with Testament as the opening act. Original Anthrax bassist Dan Lilker performed with the band for the first time in 40 years during their spring 2024 tour of South America and at a few festival shows in the U.S., filling in for Bello, who was unable to perform due to “personal reasons”. Along with Metallica , Slayer, Pantera , Alice in Chains and Mastodon , the band served as one of the opening acts of Black Sabbath ‘s one-off reunion show at Villa Park on July 5, 2025. This gig marked the first time in nearly fifteen years, since the ” Big Four ” concert series, that Anthrax had shared the stage together with both Metallica and Slayer.
Marked 40th anniversary
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