"Madhouse" is a song by the American heavy metal

Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

 band Anthrax

Anthrax (band)

Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...

. It was released as the only single from their second album, Spreading the Disease

Spreading the Disease

Spreading the Disease is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Anthrax. It was released on October 30, 1985 through Megaforce Worldwide/Island Records. It was the band's first album to feature vocalist Joey Belladonna and bassist Frank Bello.-Album information:The band produced...

. The song is an up-tempo time signature with heavy distorted guitar riffs. The song has become a staple of live concerts, and has also appeared on Anthrax's "best of" album, Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991)

Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991)

Anthrology: No Hit Wonders is a greatest hits compilation of songs by the band Anthrax, which is centered around the 2005 Among the Living line-up reunion which includes current vocalist Joey Belladonna and former guitarist Dan Spitz...

. In 2009 it was named the 46th best hard rock song of all time by VH1

VH1

VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...

.

Music video

A music video was produced for this song as well but didn't receive much airplay due to the fact that it was banned by MTV

MTV

MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

 who believed the content to be degrading to the mentally ill.

Appearances

• It is featured in 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
  Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
  Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
  
  on in-game radio station V-Rock.
• Cover version is featured in 2006 music video game Guitar Hero II
  Guitar Hero II
  Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
  
  .
• It is featured in the episode of the MTV series Nitro Circus
  Nitro Circus
  Nitro Circus is an American television series that featured Travis Pastrana and his friends traveling around the world riding dirtbikes, base jumping, and performing reckless stunts. It was originally run as a miniseries in 2006 on Fuel TV. In January 2009, it began running as an episodic reality...
  
  .
• Live version is downloadable content for Rock Band
  Rock Band
  Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
  
   music video game series.

Personnel

• Joey Belladonna
  Joey Belladonna
  Joey Belladonna is a heavy metal singer and drummer, best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Anthrax...
  
   – Lead vocals
• Dan Spitz
  Dan Spitz
  Dan Spitz is a musician best known for his work as the lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Anthrax from 1983–1995 and from 2005 to 2007. He is the brother of former White Lion and Black Sabbath bassist Dave Spitz.-Personal life:...
  
   – Lead guitar
  Lead guitar
  Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
  
  
• Scott Ian
  Scott Ian
  Scott Ian Rosenfeld , better known by the stage name Scott Ian, is an American musician, best known as the rhythm & lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Anthrax. Ian is also the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death...
  
   – Rhythm guitar
  Rhythm guitar
  Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
  
  
• Frank Bello
  Frank Bello
  Frank Bello is an American musician who plays bass guitar for the thrash metal band Anthrax. Originally he was a roadie and guitar technician for the band, but later he replaced Dan Lilker on the Spreading the Disease album. After leaving Anthrax in early 2004 Bello joined Helmet - another New...
  
   – Bass guitar
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  
• Charlie Benante
  Charlie Benante
  Charlie Benante is the drummer for the heavy metal bands Anthrax and Stormtroopers of Death .- Career :...
  
   – Drums
  Drum kit
  A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....