Anthrax have officially announced the release of their long-awaited 12th full-length studio album, Cursum Perficio, set for September 18 via Megaforce Records.
The band, known as the multi-Grammy® Award-nominated New York hard rock titans, has released a series of uniquely animated short clips based on the album cover, with the first clip now available.
The animation was created by Emmanuel Cappellini, following initial character design work with artist Mark Stritzel and drummer Charlie Benante.
The animated shorts, which are unveiled every Tuesday, explore the backstories of characters featured on the album cover, beginning with the Magician and concluding on September 1 with the character Hands.
Benante explains that the inspiration came from Tim Burton’s 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' which featured character introductions like 'Meet the Characters.' He notes that the characters on the cover were originally conceived as having a deeper narrative, with the Magician initially envisioned as a younger version of the Preacher from their 1987 album Among The Living, described as sadistic and complex.
Cursum Perficio marks Anthrax’s first record in ten years since 2016’s For All Kings, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200.
The title, derived from Latin meaning 'My journey has come to an end' or 'I complete my journey,' reflects the band’s sense of culmination.
The album was recorded in 2022 at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles and produced by Jay Ruston and Anthrax.
The band described the process as a rebirth, with members expressing deep emotional connection to the music, drawing from their history and growth since 2011’s Worship Music.
The album features tracks including 'It’s For The Kids,' 'The Edge Of Perfection,' 'Persistence Of Memory,' 'The Long Goodbye,' 'Everybody’s Got A Plan,' 'Infectious,' 'NYC93,' 'Cursum Perficio,' 'T.O.M.B,' 'Watch It Go,' and 'My Victory.' 'It’s For The Kids' is highlighted as a tribute to fans, with Ian calling it a 'straight-up love letter' and a 'four-minute thrash song' that harkens back to the band’s early days.
The music video for the track, inspired by the classic 'Madhouse' video, features live fans reacting to the song in a freezing Pennsylvania setting, with Benante praising the energy and authenticity of the moment.
Donais and Belladonna both describe the song as a powerful, aggressive, and melodic representation of Anthrax at its best, with high-speed riffs and driving rhythms that are ideal for live performance."