Over 10-and-a-half years have passed since Anthrax released For All Kings and now that Cursum Perficio has finally been unleashed, we couldn’t be more excited to tell you about what we love most about it.
As fans, we’ve all had to endure years of the band talking about this alleged new material, that seemed to be more elusive the more they kept answering questions about it all. For most of the 2020s, the start of each new year came with the anticipation that this would indeed be the one where we get to bang our heads to another Anthrax record. Talk. More talk — life was beginning to feel like that one King Crimson song (“Elephant Talk“).
Oh, they’re in the studio! Oh, they’re still in the studio.
But none of that matters now. We’ve got 10 new songs, a tone-setting 67-second intro and nearly 54 minutes of thrash, only the way Anthrax can do it.
What do we love most about it? It’s time to find out!
1. “It’s for the Kids” Isn’t a Cranky Boomer Song
Admittedly, on paper, looking at the title and imagining rows of teenagers singing this feels a bit incompatible. But this isn’t just some rambling boomer talk as Anthrax bluntly mock the hasn’t-worked-yet notion that “thoughts and prayers” will solve problems without much human (or political) intervention:
“It’s for the kids / Beyond repair / Your words mean nothing, just dead thoughts and prayers / You never change / One goddamn thing / Your thoughts and prayers mean nothing”
A band of guys mostly in their 60s can’t help who they are, surveying the world their children are set to inherit and looking at it with frowning disgust at the least and more likely with sickening nausea mixed with exhausted outrage.
Anthrax, “It’s for the Kids”
READ MORE: The Best Thrash Album of Each Year Since 1983
It’s a blunt message that spends its verses taking shots at the type of people who are to blame. “It’s for the Kids” risks being cringe, but reaps only the reward as the world’s first taste of Cursum Perficio.
And if you’re just now learning that this band skews liberal/progressive, sit down, because we’ve got some news to tell you about Rage Against the Machine that you’re not going to like…
2. “Edge of Perfection” — Actual Perfection?
“It’s the apex predator of Anthrax songs,” said Scott Ian in a press release, boasting, “I think it’s the best song we’ve ever written and the best thing I’ve ever been a part of creatively.”
Nostalgia might disagree and while we ourselves may not vault it into the No. 1 spot in a ranking of every Anthrax song, Ian’s sentiment is not lost on us whatsoever.
Much like “Blood Eagle Wings” off For All Kings, “Edge of Perfection” showcases a sense of maturity we’ve yet to encounter in the catalog. And at six minutes, it’s incredibly epic without having an elongated runtime, with contrasting emotional melodies and black metal-addled dissonance.
Lyrically, Ian has directly said that it’s a song about love and family, the most important things in his life in clear focus with a readiness to defend it at all costs.
In it’s ambition and intent, this is a perfectly executed song.
3. “T.O.M.B.” and “Watch It Go” Have Our RE!-SPECT!
There’s clobbering parts of both of these songs that might be the closest thing we ever get to new Pantera music and Cursum Perficio is an ideal home for something with this type of spirit.
With Charlie Benante helping celebrate the Pantera legacy behind the kit alongside Philip Anselmo, Rex Brown and another close musical brother, Zakk Wylde, as well as Dimebag Darrell‘s past handful of appearances on Anthrax albums, these songs offer a heartwarming sentiment while still delivering a TKO.
4. It’s Time Everyone Starts Treating Joey Belladonna Like the God He Is
Joey Belladonna is 65. Well, he won’t be for that much longer — he turns 66 on Oct. 13!
A lot of his thrash peers sing in a gravely rhythmic style, which is its own beast to maintain with age, but much different than the melodic highs Anthrax’s veteran singer still has an incredible command of.
Rightfully so, there’s always a firestorm of chatter about how capable Rob Halford (75) and Bruce Dickinson (68) still are, but Belladonna’s name shouldn’t be far behind at this point.
And as Anthrax have paced themselves more steadily on Cursum Perficio compared to their more relentless metal thrashing mad years, the singer is granted a multitude of opportunities to stretch his voice out and let those melodies totally consume you.
5. Anthrax — Possibly the ONLY Thrash Band Getting Nostalgic About 1993
By 1993, the once burgeoning thrash scene was rapidly deteriorating. It was a pivotal moment for Anthrax, who recruited John Bush to sing and released The Sound of White Noise. And in recent years, we’ve seen this era of the band celebrated with select shows.
“NYC 93” features a shout-along refrain of “It ain’t worth doing unless you do it to death” and Anthrax’s survival through thrash’s most difficult period backs that chant up wholeheartedly. It’s a reminder to us all that, even you’re taking your lumps, that it’s all part of the battle — and if you’re not ready for it, maybe you’re not as committed as you think.
Get Anthrax’s New Album Cursum Perficio
Anthrax’s Cursum Perficio is out now! Get your copy on vinyl or CD, directly below.
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Below, see the best thrash album of each year since Metallica released Kill ‘Em All in 1983:
The Best Thrash Album of Each Year Since 1983
A history of the best thrash metal albums, year by year.
Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita
