New York hard rock legends ANTHRAX—Scott Ian (guitar), Charlie Benante (drums), Frank Bello (bass), Joey Belladonna (vocals), and Jonathan Donais (guitar)—have revealed details of their highly anticipated 12th full-length studio album, CURSUM PERFICIO, set for release on September 18 via Megaforce Records.
The album marks the band’s first studio effort since 2016’s For All Kings, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. The title CURSUM PERFICIO, Latin for “My journey has come to an end,” “My journey is over,” or “I complete my journey,” aptly reflects a career-spanning culmination for the band as they approach the milestone of their 45th year.
ANTHRAX began work on CURSUM PERFICIO in earnest in 2022 at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles. Produced by Jay Ruston and the band, the record channels the raw energy of their reunion after the pandemic, blending reverence for their history with forward momentum. The result is described as angry, aggressive, and alive—qualities that echo the band’s most celebrated work while expanding their signature sound.
“It was quite a journey from the inception of this album to its completion,” said guitarist Scott Ian. “We were supposed to make this in 2020, but the universe had other plans… When we started working on the record, we were just happy to be in a room together. It was so exciting that it was like being reborn in a way. All of that energy and emotion went into the music.”
Drummer Charlie Benante added perspective on the title’s personal resonance: “I was watching a Marilyn Monroe documentary, and I saw ‘Cursum Perficio’ written on a tile in her last home. When I found out what the phrase meant, it immediately clicked with me. We aren’t saying this is our last record, but our journey has come to an end. I believe we’ve completed the task.”
Ian further contextualized the album’s place in the band’s evolution: “We had to make Fistful of Metal and Spreading the Disease to be able to write Among the Living. In the same respect, it took Worship Music and For All Kings for us to be able to write CURSUM PERFICIO. I very much compare this record to Among the Living.”
Leading the charge is the album’s first single and video, “It’s For The Kids.” A high-octane thrash track featuring buzzsaw riffs, explosive drumming, and a massive, headbanging chorus, the song is positioned as a future live staple and a direct tribute to the band’s longtime fans.
“It’s For The Kids” is a straight-up love letter to your fans,” Ian explained. “The album needed a four-minute thrash song that harkened back to our first era… For the video, we wanted to throw back to our ‘Madhouse’ video—thematically it just made sense.”
The video captures the band performing alongside enthusiastic fans, evoking the spirit of their early clips. Benante, who typically approaches videos with hesitation, praised the fan involvement: “There were fans in it, they showed up, they enjoyed it… It’s kind of a throwback to our first ever video, ‘Madhouse.’”
Belladonna highlighted the track’s fire: “To me, ‘It’s For The Kids’ is nice, straight-up ANTHRAX. It has a lot of fire and a punch to it. Vocally, it’s really cooking.” Donais and Bello echoed the excitement for its live potential and energetic video shoot.
CURSUM PERFICIO will be available in multiple collectible editions:
- Standard CD
- Target exclusive CD with fabric patch
- Standard black double LP with pop-up gatefold
- Target exclusive red zoetrope double LP with pop-up gatefold
- Amazon exclusive purple zoetrope double LP with pop-up gatefold
- Merch exclusive lilac vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold
- Metal Injection exclusive white vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold
- Talk Shop Live exclusive signed red ripple vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold
- Indie exclusive red/orange/yellow triple-color vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold
The full track listing is as follows:
- Persistence of Memory
- The Long Goodbye
- It’s For the Kids
- Everybody’s Got A Plan
- The Edge Of Perfection
- Infectious
- NYC93
- Cursum Perficio
- T.O.M.B
- Watch It Go
- My Victory
Bassist Frank Bello summed up the band’s current drive: “We left it all on the table… From here on out, we’re going to go full throttle for every fucking minute.”
With CURSUM PERFICIO, ANTHRAX deliver a powerful milestone that honors their storied past while reaffirming their status as one of hard rock and thrash metal’s most vital forces.
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