While it is natural for bands to talk up their new album, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian boldly claims one of the new songs from their upcoming Cursum Perficio album is “the greatest Anthrax song in the history of Anthrax.”

Ian made the proclamation about the song “The Edge of Perfection,” which could also be an indicator of how the band feels about the track. He told Full Metal Jackie during her weekend radio show, “There’s a song called ‘Edge of Perfection,’ which I think is 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.”

The guitarist would later reveal that the song is very much about his family and striving to maintain “The Edge of Perfection” as the title suggests. “I think that I’ve never had any real other goal in my life except to be happy. And I am,” he shares.

Ian also gets into the journey of the creation of the Cursum Perficio album, speaks on the “It’s for the Kids” single and he praises his favorite riffs from the new record. Ian also reflects on some of his favorite experiences with 2026 tourmates Iron Maiden, shares his favorite reflection on Ozzy Osbourne and has a little fun with Jackie in curating three headliners for his dream music festival.

Check out more of the chat below.

It’s Full Metal Jackie, and this week we’ve got thrash royalty in the house. From the mighty Anthrax, it is a pleasure to welcome Mr. Scott Ian back to the show. We are thrilled to let you know that a new album, Cursum Perficio, if I’m hopefully pronouncing it right, is upon us. Scott, the album title roughly translates to, “My journey ends here.”

Right.

Can you speak to the ups and downs of making this record, and was there a turning point where it all started to truly take shape?

The initial plan was we finished touring for For All Kings. That tour ended in the fall, specifically November of 2019 and our idea was we were going to then break for the holidays in December, reconvene after the new year, some point in January, and get in the room and really start writing because we already had ideas.

And then of course, the world had other plans for everybody going into early 2020. So that was just like this giant pause button that got pushed. But a pause with a huge unknown behind it, not just like a normal pause and like, “Hey, guys, I need a break,” or whatever.

It was a pause where by the end of 2020 and going into ’21, we would literally be on Zoom calls with each other wondering if we were ever gonna play a show again or if we were ever gonna make a record again. Nobody knew. It seems silly now almost to think about that, but if there was ever a real question, that was a real question, certainly for bands. Nobody knew what was happening. Venues were closed all over the planet. nobody knew if we are ever going to be allowed to gather in one place again, you know? So all those questions were being asked for almost two years and it was very hard for us to creatively move forward in that time period.

So I could say it was at some point in ’22, I think, when we realized we are going to play shows again and then we were able to get in a room together here in Los Angeles. And with a lot of us getting in a room together again and starting to work on new material earnestly with a lot [energy]. Just the energy was unbelievable because there was a solid almost two years there where we didn’t know if we were ever gonna get to do it again.

So that was certainly the turning point at the end of COVID and we knew we still had jobs and we knew we were still gonna get to do this and we were gonna play shows again. And from that point in 2022, certainly, I wouldn’t say things were on a fast track because it was never the case of us feeling like we had to rush anything. But certainly, we knew that we get to do this again and now we can go get back to the serious work of making a new album.

We are talking about the journey of the new album, Cursum Perficio. Is that how you say it?

It was interesting when Charlie [Benante] first kinda floated that as an album title idea and I was like, “Cool. Let’s put out an album with a title that’s super hard for people to pronounce. That’ll be fun.”

But I love it because I love what it means because it really is fitting. It certainly was a journey from A to B for us to get this album made. To go in with the best intentions ever of we’re gonna start writing a record and then have the world tell us no. That’s a scenario we had certainly never been in before.

So I think that the title speaks volumes about what it was like for us and it really does capture the emotion of not being able to move forward as a band and literally have your whole world pulled out from underneath you..

Scott, early word of mouth is that this is some of your best work. It’s not only been a long wait for fans but a long wait for you. What is that period like as an artist when you’ve got it done, but you still can’t openly talk about it yet? And what was your experience of hearing it back as a finished album for the first time?

Yeah, it’s been really hard to not. Most people obviously haven’t heard it. It’s really difficult to not just wanna sneak and like, “Hey, the album suddenly showed up,” like leak my own record because I just can’t wait for people to hear this.

There was a point while we were recording this because we did it in two sessions, the drums anyway. We went in and recorded at some point in ’23. Actually [producer] Jay Ruston, I had actually asked him this question today, Jay who produced the record, because I couldn’t even remember. We started the first session in April 20, 2023 here in L,A. and we tracked five or six songs on drums and then of course guitars, bass, vocals, whatnot.

And then at some point, we went in again probably later that year or early ’24, I don’t remember specifically and then recorded the rest of it. And it was a really great way to do it because I think for us, if we’ve learned anything from our past, is to have let’s say 12, 13 tracks and have this huge amount of this huge volume of material to then have to go work on and finish. It’s a bit like jumping into the deep end of a pool and not knowing how to swim. It’s just too much. And there’s so much pressure.

Even physically the amount of work to track all of that stuff, get all the guitars done. And I would always feel like if I had more time to do this, it would be a better record because I would have more time to live with it and I would have more time to come up with more ideas. Because the more I listen to this and the more I am living with it, the more ideas I’m going to have. And if you’ve got a giant mountain of songs in front of you, you’re just not gonna spend the time. So splitting it up into two sessions was the best idea ever.

Scott, you were talking earlier about breaking the recording up into two separate sessions this time around. Tell us more about why that approach really worked for the band.

Because it just really did give us so much more time to live with it and to work on it. When that first batch of songs was done, we had months and months until we were going back in to do the next batch and to come up with more ideas and to change things, like a painter with a painting. We were able to constantly go back and fix things and change things and discover new things.

It’s only made everything better in the end. Really, everything had so much more of a time to breathe and so much more time for us to work on it. That’s all we’ve ever wanted was to be able to do that.

No deadlines, just be able to work on it and not rush. And certainly after COVID there was no way we were gonna rush anything out. The album was gonna be done when it’s done. And when it was done and being able to sit through and listen to mixes one after the other, man, it just was unlike anything we’d ever done before.

From front to back consistency from song to song and specifically even certain songs. There’s a song called “Edge of Perfection,” which I think is 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.

And “It’s for the Kids,” the first single which I think is just a straight-up love letter to our fans at some point when we were making the record said “You know what’s missing right now? A really just straight-up in your face punch-in-the-face kick-in-the-teeth four-minute Anthrax song I’m not hearing that yet.”

So we kinda had that focus when we were going into second session like “Okay let’s make sure we have that.” And then Charlie sent me these parts Frankie [Bello] sent me some parts then I spent some time arranging it and that became “It’s for Kids.” I add some parts too It was true collaborative effort I’m so happy that’s first thing anyone’s gonna hear because think it’s definition our band it’s love letter fans certainly.

I don’t know if I answered all questions you asked me but I’m very very happy with album.

Anthrax “It’s for Kids”

Scott it’s been long run for Anthrax There are certain songs timeless feel they could’ve come from any time period But truth is sometimes you needed life experience stroke magic just get there Are there songs on this record feel only could’ve come where band is artists today just right time material arrived?

Yeah I mean could say every album we’ve ever done stamp mark time who were moment when writing Yeah don’t think something from Among The Living could written today even could have It couldn’t been written before written Yeah If makes any sense really all about who are through time spent writing songs That’s absolutely where they come from

For me specifically lyrically cause I’m writing all lyrics everything generally very timely very about who am my life when writing There moments all our records maybe get nostalgic or looking back specifically moment time interested write about There’s song on record called “NYC ’93” which musically had arrangement musically there something about It’s very much thrash song making me feel about time place called NYC ’93 but also very indicative let’s say ’90 through ’93 where at my life It so much fun me write lyrics song being New York at time through Persistence Of Time Sound Of White Noise time our lives who was what going on People hanging out think catch some lyrics may buried some stuff metaphor but same time when line says “The green Manalishi with black tooth crown” kind obvious what talking about So song me pure joy All smiles laughing just so much fun be part

READ MORE: Anthrax’s Frank Bello on ‘Cursum Perficio’ – ‘This Is Album We Need’

There’s “Edge Of Perfection” which mentioned earlier which think greatest thing we’ve ever done very much about me my family what means me have family living my life place nothing’s ever perfect would lie But being edge perfection really good place be can be there striving maintain working at think I’ve never had any real other goal my life except be happy And am And what emotion more powerful than love

Hate comes goes unless you’re complete piece human [s–t] being But me love lasts forever stays It’s so much more powerful that’s strongest emotion I’ve ever experienced that’s what song certainly based It’s very its time sure

Scott right out gate we’ve got high energy rocker love title You touched earlier “It’s For Kids” Kind nostalgic title fitting Where did song come from can speak why it’s perfect introduction kick off this album?

Back ’80s just expression almost became cliche then joke because you’d always say well do kids Do kids Then almost became thing like alright enough already Do kids

We’re gonna do ourselves first And not just us This like all bands our peers back then ’80s It just became joke like oh we’re doing kids meaning our fans not literally children Although maybe some our fans children at age-wise But there’s big part that song wanting do things your own way really doing things yourself first because if love that’s care about really And if love feel like people gonna get hear see whatever are most them hopefully feel same way but there’s some that song then there’s also certainly just idea world look isn’t political record Although politics are record but isn’t like some anti-government anti-Trump rant album because me would most boring thing could me cause said If gotta do myself bored well everyone else gonna feel

But there things course make angry one them specifically lack empathy lack really any type forward movement kids country To quote The Onion, which one my favorite newspapers live only country world mass shootings happen over over over over over again seemingly nothing can done about It

That kind sarcastic way looking things very much up my alley And that’s also what saying this song It’s like hey everybody seemingly pretends love children but only some people put their money where mouth that’s also big idea runs through song

Scott I’ve seen some other discussions leading up album praising amount quality riffs this record Do you have favorite off record? Where would rank among favorites from Anthrax catalog?

Wow favorite There’s intro riff song “Target On My Back” just spell T-O-M-B tomb intro that song which it’s like super simple grinding two note thing Just lose mind when hear It’s just it’s crushingly heavy love Just wish could follow around like theme music city like ’70s cop show It’s my entry music crushingly heavy

There so many moments breakdown riff “It’s For Kids” That riff too what like call ignorant The riff so ignorant It’s caveman It’s dumb mean best ways because just there hammer beating over head It’s heavy hard me come from world just love those really really simple [riffs].

I love Tony Iommi love Black Sabbath he’s master Think breakdown middle section “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” then understand talking about That style thing when hear doing things but like guitar tone Charlie’s drumming Frankie’s bass so on so on That’s favorite when crushingly heavy guess those two would be two come mind.................

Scott realize touring just coming together new record but see several dates upcoming Rock Hall inductees Iron Maiden coming up know there’s long history but first off being fan band obviously developing relationship peers do recall first introduction any Iron Maiden members?

When kid going see Iron Maiden first time 1981 they opening Judas Priest Palladium New York City They on Killers, so this with Paul Di’Anno And hoping meet some them Me buddies knocking tour bus doors looking meet anyone Priest Maiden trying get guitar picks

We lucky enough man named Bill Barclay opened door one buses Turned out he Dave Murray’s tech kind enough give us guitar picks time Bill ended becoming Iron Maiden’s tour manager some point He ended being Anthrax’s tour manager some point

He’s gone one biggest tour managers business But didn’t actually meet anyone Maiden night If correct don’t think met anyone Maiden until think did run Radio City shows Powers lave? Was ’85? But feel whenever run Radio City shows when had seven nights booked sold out They canceled two them Bruce sick It one those shows

But somehow bunch us got invited after party somewhere Charlie Frankie met guys way before pre-Anthrax days knocking tour buses ended meeting Steve Harris hanging out dude years before

But ’85 somehow got invited after party they there at least got introduced first time got hang them talk bunch them couldn’t nicer kinder

I do have very specific memory In ’86 next album Somewhere In Time, getting go up stage sing wow wow wow oh oh. But remember getting run out stage stand next Steve Harris sing

And then ’87 Steve Harris side stage Castle Donington played Monsters Rock first time first ever festival show he standing watching set went down well made even exciting look see Steve big smile face come after show say That brilliant mate You know guys right path

Scott earlier you talking about know those early days meeting Maiden hitting road them We left off ’87 Monsters Rock Steve Harris side stage watching guys What happens next?

The next year opened world tour spent six months together like 1988 touring North America Europe ’90 ’91 whenever oh ’88 did Monsters Rock them sorry Europe Then ’90 toured world Persistence Of Time

for us mean guys couldn’t treated better Well actually could cause 2016 took out got fly their 747 them

Oh wow.

Which mean if there ever time say Maybe should call quits would’ve been after cause will never as good as Getting fly 747 Iron Maiden Bruce Dickinson pilot couldn’t even made up kid let alone actually happen You wanna talk high points!

When he’s flying plane he’s super serious pilot mode does he make jokes over loudspeaker?

Both It’s both We’d see him It night after show we’d back hotel bar cause we’re traveling together stay same hotels all that And we’d be hotel bar everyone hanging out saw Bruce beer means wasn’t flying next morning cause have X hours without drink So if doesn’t beer knew flying

So then you’d walk steps get plane Bruce there full uniform full pilot’s uniform whole flight crew greeting all walk onto plane then he’d be PA telling you just pilot does all stuff pilot announces flight pattern we’re gonna be 38 thousand feet cruising altitude blah blah blah blah But he would also say things like Thank you very much Anthrax guys beautiful bottle champagne We’ll open later when I’m working

That is great!

It’s mind-blowing Even son Revel out Pearl came they got fly plane Revel not even five time already loved Maiden see Maiden stadium show South America course front sickest crowds

And next morning Bruce standing there pilot uniform remember day Revel looked said Daddy Bruce superhero

He is That’s cute.

He is.

Scott talking getting chance share stages Iron Maiden year As someone who know fan music what’s go-to Iron Maiden album choice why?

Oh come on You’re killing here That’s one those questions only ever answer someone literally holding gun head You know mean?

Yeah.

I know no one’s ever gonna come up you alley put gun head you’re like Please here take wallet I’ve family Like no no no no no Which Iron Maiden album your favorite need answer That’s never gonna happen so.

But get So mean Killers, Number Of The Beast . don’t know actually choose between two They’re equal my mind They’re both just perfect albums Both them perfect don’t know how ever choose guess would have point someone literally threatening life over question But yeah those two certainly they’re two I’ve listened most my life guess would be.

This year feels great year Anthrax celebration wanted mention recently John Bush show he’s band revisiting era Anthrax material select dates.