Anthrax frontman Joey Belladonna is drawing mixed reactions after performing the national anthem at a Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears game. The heavy metal vocalist’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” sparked criticism from some NFL fans on social media, with one viewer calling the performance “awful.” While Belladonna is best known for his powerful vocals with Anthrax, his appearance on the football field put his singing abilities in front of a very different audience.
Despite the criticism, Belladonna has previously expressed his love for performing the national anthem, describing it as both an honor and a nerve-racking experience. The singer explained that delivering the anthem can be more intimidating than performing in front of thousands of metal fans because of the silence and pressure of singing alone. “You’re all by yourself, everything goes quiet,” Belladonna explained, emphasizing the unique challenge of performing the patriotic song.
