Anthrax Releases First Single 'It’s For the Kids' from New Album 'Cursum Perficto' Due September 18

Anthrax released the single “It’s For the Kids” on May 16, 2026. The track serves as the first single from the band’s 12th studio album, CURSUM PERFICIO, which is set for release on September 18, 2026, on Megaforce Records. The song is a fast-tempo thrash track that returns to the aggressive style of the band’s early work.

Scott Ian described the track as a return to the band's early thrash style. He noted that a friend called it a 'love letter to fans,' a description he embraced.

The album needed a four-minute thrash song that harkened back to our first era. Whether it’s the aggression or the big chorus, it represents all the best parts of Anthrax in a very angry four-minute package. For the video, we wanted to throw back to our ‘Madhouse’ video—thematically it just made sense and this idea opened the door for us to share the experience with our fans.

” “There was an awful lot of growth between Worship Music in 2011 and CURSUM PERFICIO,” Benante said. “This album is a culmination of everything we’ve learned. I was watching a Marilyn Monroe documentary, and I saw ‘Cursum Perficio’ written on a tile in her last home.

When I found out what the phrase meant, it immediately clicked with me. We aren’t saying this is our last record, but our journey has come to an end. ” The album artwork incorporates visual references to several past Anthrax covers, including elements from Spreading the Disease, Persistence of Time, and Among the Living.

Forbes reported that the album has been in the making for nearly a decade.