Ah…Anthrax. A band that has been with me since my Heavy Metal education began back in 1986, when I was a pimply teen. By 1987, I was a fully fledged Thrasher with my drainpipe jeans, backwards baseball cap and Hi-Tec high-top trainers. Among The Living was on heavy rotation, and I dived into the Anthrax back catalogue and became a huge fan from there on.
Anthrax – Cursum Perficio
Release Date: 18 September 2026
Words: Kenny Kendrick
Since those heady days, Anthrax have had many career ups and downs. Lineup changes, record company hassles, major comebacks and affirmation of their importance in the history of Heavy Metal have given us some wonderful material over the years.
Unbelievably, it is ten years since their last superb album, For All Kings. This has left fans of Anthrax rabid for new material. We got a glimpse with the recent single, It’s For The Kids, which has the potential of being a future live favourite.
The title of the new album, Cursum Perficio, is Latin for ‘My journey has come to an end.’ Does this mean this is the last ever Anthrax album?
After listening to it, I sincerely hope not. Anthrax shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, I would go as far as to say, Cursum Perficio is up there with some of the band’s best work.
The individual performances are astonishing as ever. Vocalist Joey Belladonna sounds no different to how he sounded in the ’80s. He also looks like he does not age. What is your secret, Joey?
Chief riff writer and world-class drummer Charlie Benante has been doing double duty over the last few years with the Pantera celebration of Dime and Vinnie. Anthrax will always be his priority, though, and he plays his arse off here.
Bassist Frank Bello thunders away in his inimitable style, Scott Ian crunches away on rhythm guitar, and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais plays an absolute blinder. His thoughtful soloing is a big part of the Anthrax sound these days.
Turns out that Benante’s double shift is not the main reason that we have had to wait so long for a new Anthrax long player, as guitarist Scott Ian explains. “It was quite a journey from the inception of this album to its completion. We were supposed to make this in 2020, but the universe had other plans for everyone. After the Pandemic, we got to be a band again.
“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. The fear of being forced out of our lives and the joy of coming back together are present.
“The title, Cursum Perficio, feels like Anthrax. It resembled what we went through to get to the point of finishing the record.”
The album begins with a short introduction in Persistence Of Memory, a hark back to the Persistence Of Time? The Long Goodbye is a mid-paced chugfest with some fantastic vocal melodies from Belladonna. I love his voice so much. As much as I loved the John Bush era of Anthrax, Belladonna is the true voice of the band. He is just a perfect fit.
Everybody’s Got A Plan reminds me of the Persistence era of the band. Big riffs, an extended ‘mosh part,’ and some gang vocals from Ian. The Edge Of Perfection kicks you in the guts. There is some supreme drumming here from Benante, who some claim invented the blast beats on display here back on the first S.O.D. record. Excellent. Infectious is just that. It grooves like a bastard. What a riff.
The production from Jay Ruston (Amon Amarth, Avatar, Steel Panther) is superb. The album was recorded in Dave Grohl’s Studio 606. NYC 93 has an almost Ramones feel to its main riff, punky and Thrashy at the same time.
The title track has everything you expect from an Anthrax song, crunchy riffs, earworm vocal melodies, pummeling drums and majestic guitar solos. Benante proves again why he is one of Metal’s top drummers, an absolute beast.
T.O.M.B. is my favourite track on the LP. I am headbanging as I write this. Staccato riffs a plenty. Watch It Go is the most full-on thrash number on the album. So powerful.
The album closes with the superb My Victory. More drum gymnastics from Benante on display here. It is a great way to end another chapter of the Anthrax story.
I will leave Frank Bello to sum up where Anthrax are in 2026. “We really know who we are as Anthrax, what turns us on, and what we need to do. I don’t think anybody knows what’s next, but we’re hungrier than ever.
“From here on out, we’re going to go full throttle for every fucking minute.”
Anthrax release Cursum Perficio on 18 September 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. For pre-orders, visit anthrax.bfan.link/cplp.
