Review Summary: Despite some stubborn repetitiveness and bloated song lengths, a solid and surprisingly adventurous effort from a band that has outlasted their competition.
With the other members of the thrash Big 4 having either folded or vanished into their own celebrity status, Anthrax, probably considered the underdog of the top thrash bands, have managed to keep a respectable hold of their career. Cursum Perficio comes after a long drought in albums, but shows the band still has a fair bit of creative muscle left with their most aggressive effort since Persistence of Time.
Perhaps most surprising is the diversified songwriting, which seems to have sprouted from nowhere with no lineup changes. The band's post-Bush style of 50/50 thrash and alt-metal stylings has seen some new company with some renewed crossover flavour and even some black metal tinges in the infamous Edge of Perfection. There is also an overall intensity and focus that has felt lacking in Worship Music or For All Kings, with a consistent sharp aggression and a lack of the clumsy lumpen tracks like Crawl or Defend Avenge. Even the relatively sluggish Infectious lacks the "butt rockishness" of the weaker cuts of the last few albums, due to an overall stately pace that defines it and some of the other slower numbers such as the opener The Long Goodbye. Joey's vocals are given a lot of space on these tracks, and whilst not as extravagant in its hooks as For All Kings, his confident performance elevates a lot of the choruses beyond that of the other big thrash bands.
The album is at its strongest on its thrashiest cuts, much like the last two. It's For the Kids is undoubtedly the best track here with a sharp upbeat pace and a pretty nasty breakdown that recalls the band's most thuggish efforts. NYC 93 and My Victory are likewise fun, upbeat and punky tracks with a lot of energy and great riffs. Where things seem to stall are on some of the longest tracks such as the title track, which starts strong but is oddly static with a lack of variety in tempo or key. Watch It Go has the exact opposite problem, alternating between thrashy verses to chunky slow rhythms but thereby throwing off its own groove all too easily. Jon Donais's lead playing also feels like a weak link on this album, often repeating patterns excessively and lacking the same creativity as past efforts.
Despite these weaknesses, the confidence and poise of Anthrax at this point reflects a career of gradual refinement and some genuine musical growth from their earlier days. Whilst I doubt they will ever recapture the sheer intensity and aggression of Among the Living or the fun melodicism of Spreading the Disease, the high points of this album have some of their most adventurous songwriting in decades.
