Today, RevolverMag.com brings you the exclusive premiere of Anthrax’s cover of Cheap Trick’s “Big Eyes.” The song is from Anthems, the band’s new eight-song EP that pays tribute to classic songs by some of Anthrax’s favorite bands from the 1970s.

Anthems will be released in North America March 19 by MRI/Megaforce and March 22 in Europe via Nuclear Blast.

The EP includes covers of Rush’s “Anthem,” Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak,” “TNT” by AC/DC, Boston’s “Smokin’,” “Big Eyes” by Cheap Trick, Journey’s “Keep on Runnin,” plus the album version and a special remix of Anthrax’s “Crawl” from the band’s 2011 album, Worship Music.

“We were toying around with the idea of doing a Cheap Trick song, and ‘Big Eyes’ was one of our favorites,” said drummer Charlie Benante. “We recorded it, but then got busy with other things, so we never finished it. What happened was, Joey was out in LA doing vocals for the EP and Jay Ruston [co-producer] pulled ‘Big Eyes’ up and had Joey do the vocals, something we didn’t know he was going to do. But it turned out so great. Joey’s vocals are so amazing, so we knew we wanted the song on the EP.

“After Joey’s vocals, all the song needed was a guitar lead, and I did that in my Chicago studio. I think the song turned out to be one of the best songs on the EP. Everyone in the band is a huge Cheap Trick fan. They were one of the first concerts I went to, probably in 1978 when I was living in New York, I saw them at the Palladium. Actually, ‘Big Eyes’ is the second time Anthrax has covered a Cheap Trick song; in 1992, we recorded ‘Auf Wiedersehen,’ which was the B-side of their single ‘Surrender,’ as one of the bonus tracks for Anthrax’s Sound of White Noise.”

“These are all bands I grew up with and have listened to forever,” added vocalist Joey Belladonna. “It’s just great music. I had fun singing these songs and I was happy recording together with Anthrax, doing classic rock songs. Fun stuff!”

Anthems was produced by Anthrax, Jay Ruston and Rob Caggiano and recorded for the most part throughout 2012 literally all over the world: at Benante’s home studio, in Ruston’s New York studio, on the band’s tour bus while on last summer’s Mayhem Tour, in hotel rooms, and backstage at their Berlin show last December.

Anthrax — Belladonna, Benate (drums), Scott Ian (guitar) and Frank Bello (bass) — hit the road last month in support of Anthems. They’ll return to North America to headline the Metal Alliance Tour, which kicks off March 22. For all of these dates, Anthrax will be joined by Shadows Fall guitarist Jon Donais.

Check out Anthrax’s current tour dates here. Keep up with Anthrax at their Facebook page!

Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, Bush, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour, Papa Roach, Volbeat, Cheap Trick, Bullet For My Valentine, Lamb Of God, Skillet, A Day To Remember, Buckcherry, Halestorm, Hollywood Undead, Device (with David Draiman), Steel Panther, All That Remains, Asking Alexandria, Sevendust, Sick Puppies, Pop Evil, In Flames, In This Moment, Black Veil Brides, Clutch, The Sword, Ghost, Red, Biffy Clyro, Deuce, Middle Class Rut, Big Wreck, Otherwise, Red Line Chemistry, Oleander, Young Guns, Thousand Foot Krutch, Mindset Evolution, Tracer, Beware Of Darkness, Heaven’s Basement, American Fangs, Love And Death, Gemini Syndrome

“We’re really looking forward to returning to Rock on the Range with a batch of brand new killer Alice tunes to play for everyone!” says Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains.

“Head is back!!,” Korn singer Jonathan Davis comments. “Rock On The Range is going to start it all off!! Get ready, we are going to hit it hard!!”

“Bush are thrilled to be playing Rock On The Range with such great bands,” Bush frontman Gavin Rosdale says. “We look forward to seeing you all out there.”

“This massive lineup has scratched our seven-year itch!” says Gary Spivack, co-executive producer of the event for Right Arm Entertainment. “Getting Soundgarden for their first Ohio play in two decades and having seminal acts Alice in Chains, Korn, Volbeat, and Papa Roach return along with bands new to Rock On The Range that include Smashing Pumpkins and Bush, and everything in between—the spectrum of rock n roll is covered…three days of constant energy. Rock On The Range is truly where rock lives.”

“Our goal with Rock On The Range is to constantly create new and interesting ways to expand the event and give even more value to our fans,” comments Joe Litvag, co-executive producer of the event for AEG Live. “In 2013, we’ve added a comedy tent within the site that will be curated by The Funny Bone comedy club. Having a slate of incredible, up-and-coming comedians to riff on the rock experience will be a great change of pace for the weekend. The site layout is also changing dramatically in 2013 to create better event flow, to add more interactive fan activity to the festival, and to allow even more people to experience the higher caliber of talent on the second stage this year.”

Unfortunately the time we had to stream the album has expired. You can buy the album on Amazon or iTunes.

REVOLVER What possessed you to write a “cowboy-core” album even before bringing back Ministry for this March’s reunion record, Relapse?
AL JOURGENSEN I’ve been promising fans a country record for 30 years, so after I got out of the hospital

Were the musicians you worked with schooled in country rock?
No way, man. I hired a fiddle player who canceled out on me, so we ended up getting these girls from Houston who play in a symphony and have never done country. Mikey and I were the only ones who knew anything about country, so it was really a case of the blind leading the blind, and that’s what makes it sound different. It’s like this stoner country record that’s perfect for sitting back, lighting up a big fatty, and listening to on headphones.

Jourgensen originally devised his Buck Satan alter ego as a tribute to his country hero, Buck Owens.

Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free tracklisting:

1. “Quicker Than Liquor”
2. “What’s Wrong With Me”
3. “Medication Nation”
4. “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man” (Gram Parsons)
5. “The Only Time I’m Sober Is When You’re Gone”
6. “Cheap Wine, Cheap Ramen”
7. “Down The Drain”
8. “Sleepless Nights and Bar Room Fights”
9. “Friend of the Devil”
10. “Ten Long Years in Texas”
11. “I Hate Every Bone in Your Body Except Mine”
12. “Take Me Away”