Joey Belladonna

Biography

Joey Belladonna (born Joseph Bellardini; October 14, 1960) is an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist for thrash metal band Anthrax. He has six Grammy Award nominations and is known for his wild, energetic stage behavior, and tenor vocal range.

Early life

Belladonna was born Joseph Bellardini in Oswego, New York. He is Italian American on his father's side and Native American (Iroquois) on his mother's side. In his youth, Belladonna looked up to bands such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Kansas and Rush; bands that Belladonna said created "stuff that was very intricate but yet catchy and hooky you know, with great vocals."

Bible Black

In 1983, Belladonna, still using his birth name, became the vocalist for the band Bible Black, founded by Craig Gruber and Gary Driscoll (former members of Elf and Rainbow) and Andrew "Duck" MacDonald (who later joined Blue Cheer). Belladonna's predecessors in the band were Jeff Fenholt, who later had brief stints with Black Sabbath and Joshua, and Louis Marullo, aka Eric Adams, who left to join Manowar. Belladonna recorded the songs "Deceiver" and "Midnight Dance" with Bible Black. The band never officially released an album.

Anthrax

In early 1984, Belladonna auditioned for Anthrax after the band fired original vocalist Neil Turbin shortly after the recording of their debut album Fistful of Metal. Belladonna had never heard of the band prior to auditioning and didn’t even know what style of music the band played. Despite this he still managed to impress the band during his audition and got the job. Belladonna was the lead singer of Anthrax from 1984 to 1992, and was considered part of the classic-lineup (also featuring Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante). During this time, the band was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1991 and 1992. They also released three RIAA certified gold albums Among the Living, State of Euphoria and Persistence of Time.
Guitarist Scott Ian later reflected on what led to Belladonna’s original replacement in 1992, stating "there was never anything personal with Joey it was never personal with him. It just really came down to the creative ability for the band, honestly, to move forward. And I hate that it's something that happened." After he was replaced by John Bush, he spent the next decade touring in minivans playing drums and singing in cover bands. Belladonna also worked odd jobs, such as a maintenance man in a horse barn for a couple of years alongside his wife Krista.
Belladonna returned to the band when the "classic" lineup reunited and toured during 2005 and 2006. He found out on the internet that he had been replaced again by Dan Nelson.
His voice has been featured on six studio albums and several EPs that have sold a total of eight million copies worldwide. He also was voted the No. 1 metal singer two years in a row in Metal Forces magazine.
In early 2010, Belladonna officially rejoined Anthrax in time for the "Big Four" shows at the Sonisphere festival. Following these and other shows, Belladonna returned to the studio with the band to record new vocals for their long-awaited album Worship Music.
Since his return, Anthrax has been nominated for three additional Grammy awards.

Belladonna / solo career

After his departure from Anthrax in 1992, Belladonna continued to make music in 'Belladonna', a solo project of which he has been the only consistent member.
In the mid-1990s, Belladonna released its self-titled debut album, which was well received by both critics and fans alike. The second album, Spells of Fear, was released in 1998 and was heavily criticized for bad production and poor musicianship. Demo recordings of a third album, which was never professionally mastered, were self-released by the band in 2003. It was a return to better songwriting and musicianship and like the debut album it was well received by the fans.

When asked whether he plans to release any more solo material in the future despite having re-joined Anthrax as a full-time member, Belladonna responded with:"Yeah definitely. I'm working on some stuff and I have almost a full record worth of material sitting right here which is very well demoed up but it is still far from done in its own way. I just keep running out of time whether someone's schedule is messed up or whatever it is happening at the time and it's unfortunate. Now of course Anthrax is back on the go so I just don't have the time to sit for hours with the material but there is definitely some cool metal here. By the time I get to do these songs I'll probably have a fresh batch of ideas and songs to put on top of those. (...) I'd like to put another record out some day, put something out that I can again call my own as I have some great ideas."
Belladonna also plays drums and sings lead vocals in a cover band named Chief Big Way which features mainly classic rock hits from the 1970s and 80s. The band, based around Syracuse, New York, plays small neighborhood bars. He also sings in a Journey cover band called Beyond Frontiers. In August 2025, Belladonna and his band went on a tour of Florida playing cover songs in tribute of Ronnie James Dio.

Style

Belladonna is known for his powerful and operatic voice. He noted that when he first joined Anthrax the band wasn't quite his style, however after a couple of days he was able to adjust his voice to fit the music. Belladonna claims that he has never tried to be like any other singer stating "I did listen and favor a lot of musicians, just because I just love the way they do it, but I don't sound like any of 'em. I can do a lot of 'em, but I don't sound like [them]; that's just not me. When I sing my own stuff, I have my own style and it makes it recognizable."

EPs

Armed and Dangerous (1985)
I'm the Man (1987) (includes live tracks)
Penikufesin (1989) (only released in Europe, collection of State of Euphoria sessions)
Attack of the Killer B's (1991) (promo release, includes live tracks)
Anthems (2013)

Compilation albums

Fistful of Anthrax (1987) (only released in Japan, this is Fistful of Metal with two Joey Belladonna-fronted songs added)
Attack of the Killer B's (1991) (collection of live, rarities and previously unreleased material)
Moshers: 1986–1991 (1998) (import release)
Return of the Killer A's (1999)
Madhouse – The Very Best of Anthrax (2001)
The Collection (2002)
Universal Masters Collection (2002)
Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985–1991) (2005)
Sin-Atra (2011)

Live albums

Live: The Island Years (1994) (recorded live in 1991 and 1992)
Alive 2 (2005)

VHS/DVDs

US Speed Metal Attack (1986) (split video with Agent Steel and Overkill, recorded live in Germany)
Oidivnikufesin (1987) (recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon)
Through Time (1990)
Live Noize (1991) (recorded live on the Persistence of Time tour)
White Noise: The Videos (1994) (released only in Japan, complete collection of the Sound of White Noise music videos)
Return of the Killer A's (1999) (includes live performances of the Persistence of Time tour)
Rock Legends (2004)
Anthrax Anthralogy: The DVD (2005) (includes live performances)
Alive 2 (2005) (DVD version)