Editing Among the Living (section)

==Critical reception==
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{Sfn|Huey|n.d.}}
| rev2 = ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]''
| rev2score = 8/10{{Sfn|Dome|2010}}
|rev3 = ''[[Martin Popoff|The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal]]''
|rev3Score = 8/10{{Sfn|Popoff|2005}}
|rev4 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
|rev4Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Sfn|Larkin|2011}}
|rev5 = [[Metal Storm (webzine)|Metal Storm]]
|rev5Score = 10/10{{Sfn|Jupitreas|2004}}
|rev6 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
|rev6Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Sfn|Considine|2004}}
|rev7 = ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]''
|rev7Score = 9.5/10{{Sfn|Trojan|1987}}
|rev8 = [[Sputnikmusic]]
|rev8Score = 4.5/5{{Sfn|Atari|2012}}
}}
''Among the Living'' was acclaimed by contemporary{{Sfn|Trojan|1987}} and modern music critics<ref>{{harvnb|Atari|2012}}; {{harvnb|Huey|n.d.}}; {{harvnb|Jupitreas|2004}}; {{harvnb|Popoff|2005}}</ref> and is often cited to this day as a favourite among Anthrax fans.<ref>{{harvnb|Konow|2003|p=237}}; {{harvnb|Moffitt|2010}}</ref> It is generally considered the breakthrough album for Anthrax, their best and most influential,<ref>{{harvnb|Atari|2012}}; {{harvnb|Huey|n.d.}}; {{harvnb|Moffitt|2010}}</ref> which for its merits propelled the band among the icons of thrash metal.<ref>{{harvnb|Considine|2017}}; {{harvnb|Dome|2010}}; {{harvnb|Larkin|2011}}</ref> The band's musicianship and the lyrics dedicated to social issues and pop-culture tributes were universally praised.<ref>{{harvnb|Dome|2010}}; {{harvnb|Jupitreas|2004}}</ref>

On ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]'' magazine, [[Malcolm Dome]] appreciated the consistent quality of the album and wrote that Anthrax's "musicianship is on par with anything Metallica were doing at the time."{{Sfn|Dome|2010}} [[J. D. Considine]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote that "Benante and his bandmates may have been regular guys in other respects, but as musicians there was no denying the technical agility that went into each aural onslaught". He also remarked how Anthrax strived to be equal to their fans in the mosh pits and "democratized (their) brilliance by attaching it to some of the band's catchiest, most approachable material."{{Sfn|Considine|2017}} According to Greg Moffitt of [[BBC Music]], ''Among the Living'' stroke "a deft balance between marauding speed and judicious use of melody, a juggling feat they'd fumble on later albums."{{Sfn|Moffitt|2010}} Canadian journalist [[Martin Popoff]] had the same opinion about the music, but observed how the introduction for the first time of "a punk ethic" in songs like "Caught in a Mosh", "Efilnikufesin" and "One World" started to undermine "the seriousness of the band, something that was soon to cause image problems."{{Sfn|Popoff|2005}} In fact, the album was a critical success, but Anthrax were criticized by both journalists and fans for the inconsistency of their musical evolution and, most of all, for their stage look, which was made up of short pants and t-shirts with commercial images or hardcore logos, in striking contrast with the denim and leather apparel of other thrash metal groups.<ref>{{harvnb|Dome|2006}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1988}}; {{harvnb|McIver|2006b}}</ref> The band members' apparent endorsement of the [[skateboarding]] world was another reason for controversy in contemporary music magazines and among fans.{{Sfn|Grow|2012}}

Anthrax members acknowledge the importance of the album for the band and for the thrash metal scene.{{Sfn|Ian|Wiederhorn|2015|p=110}} Ian declared that ''Among the Living'' "wasn't just an important moment in our career. It gave us a career!"{{Sfn|Dome|2006}}

===Accolades===
In several articles for the British magazine ''[[Kerrang!]]'' in 1988, journalist Don Kaye elected Anthrax in the so-called "Big Four of Thrash Metal" elite, alongside Metallica, [[Megadeth]] and [[Slayer]]. The title was accepted by the metal community and remained attached to Anthrax for the rest of their career.{{Sfn|Grow|2011}}

Martin Popoff placed ''Among the Living'' at No. 49 in his ''The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time'' book in 2004.{{Sfn|Popoff|2004}} In July 2005, ''Among the Living'' was inducted into the ''[[Decibel (magazine)|Decibel]]'' Hall of Fame, the sixth album overall to be featured.{{Sfn|Bennett|2005}} The album was also included in the book ''[[1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die]]'' (2006).{{Sfn|McIver|2006b|p=563}} In August 2014, ''[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]'' placed the album on its "14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own" list.{{Sfn|Revolver|2014}} In 2017, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked ''Among the Living'' as 20th on their list of 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.'{{Sfn|Considine|2017}} On October 26, 2020, ''Kerrang!'' placed ''Among the Living'' at No. 6 in the list of "The 25 greatest thrash metal albums ever".{{Sfn|Ruskell|2020}}  Regarding singular songs, "Caught in a Mosh" is ranked No. 29 in [[VH1]]'s "40 Greatest Metal Songs."{{Sfn|VH1|n.d.(a)}}