Instead of treading the same ground, Anselmo and his bandmates in The Illegals, open up another doorway altogether with their 2018 sophomore release, Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue, available through the vocalist’s own Housecore Records. It’s extreme, abrasive, aggressive, and anthemic. In other words, it’s purely Anselmo.

Following up 2013’s Walk Through Exits Only, this new body of work hinges on no holds-barred lyrical misanthropy and insurgent instrumental intricacy as it sharpens any and all edges to guillotine precision. “It ain’t pretty,” Anselmo exclaims. “It’s more straightforward and cohesive to a degree, but it still goes off the rails here and there. We went through it song after song cut and fucking dry. I was in a specific mindset. I wanted to further my endeavors into a genre of music that I adore. As all ten songs blow by, I wanted an unforgiving feel. This is what was on my mind. It’s a recorded capsule of time.”

Featuring:

Philip H. Anselmo - Vocals and Truth (PANTERA, DOWN, SUPERJOINT); Stephen Taylor - Axe Grinder (SUPERJOINT); Joey "Blue" Gonzalez - Drums of Thunder (SUPERJOINT, WARBEAST); Mike DeLeon - Spanish Fly (FLESH HOARDER, BEING KILLED, MOD); Derek Engemann - Bass Master (SCOUR, CATTLE DECAPITATION)