Anthrax have released "The Edge Of Perfection," the second single from their upcoming studio album Cursum Perficio, due out on September 18 via Megaforce Records. The release arrives alongside an official music video directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Joel Harlow, known for his work on Star Trek and Alice in Wonderland.
Musically, "The Edge Of Perfection" takes a different approach from the album's first single. The track opens with clean guitar textures and shimmering cymbals before erupting into blast beats, aggressive riffs, and Joey Belladonna's soaring vocal performance, centered around the refrain, "My heart breaks... I'm on the edge... I'm on the edge of perfection."
For the accompanying video, Anthrax teamed up with Joel Harlow to create a cinematic narrative that follows its protagonist from a dream into a night filled with magic and supernatural forces, interwoven with performance footage of the band.
The cast includes martial artist Wes Scarpias, actress Ashley Edner-Tancharoen, actors Troy James, Rod Maxwell, and Fedor Steer, as well as legendary Academy Award-winning makeup artist and special effects creator Rick Baker.
According to guitarist Scott Ian, "The Edge Of Perfection" represents one of the band's defining creative achievements.
"It's the apex predator of Anthrax songs. I think it's the best song we've ever written and the best thing I've ever been a part of creatively. Love is the most powerful emotion for me. Nothing moves me like the feeling I have for my wife and son. I'm living on that edge for the rest of my life."
Drummer Charlie Benante compared the impact of the song to some of Anthrax's best-known classics.
"When I think about songs like 'Only' and 'Indians,' you know you've hit something special. That's exactly how I felt about 'The Edge Of Perfection.'"
The single follows "It's For The Kids," the first preview of Cursum Perficio, which marks Anthrax's first studio album in ten years, following For All Kings (2016), a record that debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200.
The album's title, Cursum Perficio, is derived from Latin and translates as "I complete my journey" or "My journey has come to an end." The record will be released in multiple formats, including several exclusive CD and vinyl editions.
