Anthrax have released ‘Everybody’s Got A Plan’, the third single from their forthcoming album Cursum Perficio, due September 18.
by Paul Cashmere
Anthrax have released ‘Everybody’s Got A Plan’, the third single and accompanying video from their forthcoming 12th studio album, Cursum Perficio. The album is scheduled for September 18, 2026 through Nuclear Blast Records and Megaforce Records in North America. The new video combines footage of the New York thrash metal band performing and travelling in Europe with archival black-and-white boxing footage, reflecting the song’s central line about plans changing after an unexpected blow.
The release follows ‘It’s For The Kids’ and ‘The Edge Of Perfection’, giving listeners three tracks from an album that represents Anthrax’s first studio collection in a decade. Cursum Perficio follows 2016’s For All Kings, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200.
The video for ‘Everybody’s Got A Plan’ was filmed largely on July 7, 2026, during Anthrax’s European touring schedule with Iron Maiden. The footage was captured in Lisbon, Portugal, where the band performed at Estádio da Luz. Alongside concert footage, the clip documents the group backstage and on the road, with the boxing sequences providing a visual interpretation of the song’s theme.
Drummer Charlie Benante identified the track as one of his favourites from the new album.
“‘Everybody’s Got A Plan’ has always been one of my favorite songs on Cursum Perficio,” Benante says. “The video basically shows the band on and off stage in a montage of video clips that kinda matches the velocity of the song.”
Benante also singled out the song’s recurring line, “Everybody’s got a plan/That’s until they get punched in the face”, describing it as particularly effective.
Guitarist Scott Ian said the Lisbon footage was intended to document the band’s experience on tour rather than create a conventional narrative video.
“We wanted to capture us having fun on tour and what better way to do that?” Ian says. “That was a plan that didn’t end up with a punch in the face!”
Bassist Frank Bello described the finished clip as “a great representation of a day in the life of Anthrax on tour.”
Anthrax recorded Cursum Perficio over an extended period, beginning work in earnest at Studio 606 in Los Angeles in 2022. The album was produced by Jay Ruston and Anthrax. The recording process continued through 2023 and beyond as the band refined the material, with vocalist Joey Belladonna recording his parts during November 2023.
The long development period has made Cursum Perficio the longest gap between Anthrax studio albums. When the band began discussing a follow-up to For All Kings, touring commitments and other projects repeatedly delayed the process. The group ultimately returned to the studio with material that evolved considerably during recording.
The album’s title is Latin and can be translated as “My journey has come to an end”, “My journey is over” or “I complete my journey”. Despite those interpretations, Anthrax have made clear that the title does not signify the end of the band or their recording career.
The current Anthrax line-up features Ian and Jonathan Donais on guitar, Benante on drums, Bello on bass and Belladonna on vocals. The same core line-up has remained together for the new album, with Donais continuing in the second-guitar role.
Cursum Perficio contains 11 tracks and moves from the brief instrumental ‘Persistence Of Memory’ through songs including ‘The Long Goodbye’, ‘It’s For The Kids’, ‘Everybody’s Got A Plan’, ‘The Edge Of Perfection’, ‘Infectious’, ‘NYC93′, the title track, ‘T.O.M.B.’, ‘Watch It Go’ and ‘My Victory’.
The three singles released so far establish different aspects of the record. ‘It’s For The Kids’ opened the campaign in May, followed by ‘The Edge Of Perfection’ in July. ‘Everybody’s Got A Plan’ now extends the preview ahead of the September album release.
Anthrax have remained active on the live circuit throughout the album’s lengthy development. In early 2026, the band joined Megadeth and Exodus for the Canadian leg of Megadeth’s final tour. Their European schedule subsequently included appearances with Iron Maiden, including the July 7 Lisbon performance that supplies much of the new video.
The band is also using the visual identity of Cursum Perficio as part of the album rollout. Artwork created by Mark Stritzel, developed initially with Benante around the characters appearing on the cover, has been adapted into a series of animated shorts by Emmanuel Cappellini. Individual character stories are being introduced progressively, with the sequence continuing through September 1.
The September release will place Cursum Perficio in the catalogue a full ten years after For All Kings. That extended interval gives the record a particular place in Anthrax’s 45-year history, while the continuing touring schedule places the new material within the band’s established live repertoire before the album is available in full.
For now, ‘Everybody’s Got A Plan’ provides the latest indication of what the completed record will sound like. The album itself is scheduled for September 18, with Anthrax continuing their live commitments around the release.
Cursum Perficio Tracklisting
Persistence Of Memory
The Long Goodbye
It’s For The Kids
Everybody’s Got A Plan
The Edge Of Perfection
Infectious
NYC93
Cursum Perficio
T.O.M.B
Watch It Go
My Victory
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