The wait for a new Anthrax album ends after 10 years with Cursum Perficio, an apt title for the end of this period.
With Slayer being semi-retired, Metallica playing the Sphere and announcing more dates, and Megadeth on their five-year retirement plan, it appears that Anthrax are the standout band of the Big 4 to release new thrash for 2026.
Cursum Perficio is the exact album you’d expect from the seasoned thrash veterans to deliver. There was a time when Anthrax was known as the fun sounding band in metal, and this album I feel makes an attempt to rekindle that fire.
Boasted by several singles including “It’s For The Kid’s” and “Everybody’s Got A Plan”, this album shines in the solos and heavy riffs that are carried by Scott Ian. The album opus “The Edge Of Perfection” is where I put my mark as both an albums statement and what could be a live staple for the metal lovers.
This album doesn’t break new ground and does tread in some repetition. A part of aging thrash (meant as a compliment) is settling into a groove and letting the soft headbang ring out. In an album over 50 minutes long, you get plenty of opportunities to nod along with your headphones blasting.
Is this the end for Anthrax? With a title like Cursum Perficio, it’s understandable why some fans would ask that question, especially as this project comes 10 years after their previous 2016 release. I’m not sure this album was worth the 10 year wait, but I can’t deny there is fun to be had listening to a group blast out riffs and percussion in the name of metal.
Overall: 7/10
It remains to be seen if Anthrax have completed their journey with this album, but Cursum Perficio still proves the band knows how to have fun in heavy metal.
Cursum Perficio is the twelfth studio album by American thrash metal band Anthrax, released on September 18, 2026. It is the band’s first studio album since For All Kings (2016), making it the longest gap between two albums in their career. This album is the band’s first since The Greater of Two Evils (2004) not to feature a lineup change from the previous album. (Wiki)
