New York thrash metal icons Anthrax have officially released a brand-new music video for “The Edge Of Perfection“. The heavy-hitting track serves as the second single from the band’s highly anticipated twelfth studio album, Cursum Perficio, which is scheduled to drop on September 18 via Megaforce Records in the United States and Nuclear Blast in Europe.
The upcoming release is a monumental milestone for the veteran musicians, marking their first full-length studio record in an entire decade. Their previous effort, 2016’s For All Kings, proved to be a massive commercial success, impressively debuting in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart. Adding a layer of thematic weight to the highly awaited follow-up, the Latin phrase Cursum Perficio translates to “My journey has come to an end,” “My journey is over,” or “I complete my journey.”
Directed by Joel Harlow, the official visual accompaniment for “The Edge Of Perfection” perfectly captures the intensity of the new track. Speaking recently on Full Metal Jackie‘s nationally syndicated radio show, guitarist Scott Ian expressed immense pride in the composition, boldly placing it at the absolute pinnacle of their extensive discography.
He described it as “the greatest Anthrax song in the history of Anthrax. We have not written anything this great in our career. And to do that all these years in makes it all the more special.”
Expanding on the lyrical core of the single, Ian explained that the words were deeply inspired by his own family life and the ongoing pursuit of maintaining the titular edge of perfection.
“I think that I’ve never had any real other goal in my life except to be happy. And I am,” he stated at the time.
While the lyrics hold a deep personal meaning for the guitarist, the musical foundation of the track has actually been brewing for several years. During an August 2024 interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante revealed the origins of the song’s intense instrumental arrangement. Discussing the writing process, he noted that he composed the music “way before COVID, and it has just stayed with me — the melody and the chords, but also the aggression.”
