Anti-Flag - American Spring

Anti-Flag Return With Their Most Inspired Sound In A Long Time.

Anti-Flag have been making noise in the punk scene for a good 20+ years now, shining a light on what they believe to be the corruption and ill doings around the World, and for over 25 years they've been using their fierce, anarchic punk . With 9 albums under their belt, the best including 2003's 'The Terror State' which featured a vast amount of catchy choruses, hefty guitars and mantra-like lyrics you'd expect to hear from Oi! band. 'The Terror State' has remained Anti-Flag's standard for their records ever since it's release. 2009's 'The People Or The Gun' was heavily praised for it's raw passion which was shown through what were described as their best lyrics since the 2003 release and hate for what was wrong with Washington and the American economy. Anti-Flag's 2012 effort 'The General Strike' saw the Pennsylvania based group drop the alternative rock influences from 2008's 'The Bright Lights Of America' and 'For Blood and Empire' and go back to their raw punk rock sound with their consistent influences coming from politics' wrongdoings, even though fans approved of this change, the album itself was panned as it lacked direction and offered nothing new to the punk rock scene that had grew in popularity since 1996.

Anti-Flag are back with 'American Spring' which sees the band embrace more pop and pop punk influences while sticking to their punk rock core. The album opens with 'Fabled World', a classic Anti-Flag song with nothing but high energy which runs onto track 2 'The Great Divide', 1:30 of the same speedy punk rock we've grown to expect. The energy is cranked up during the catchiest Anti-Flag song they've ever made 'Brandenburg Gate', this song perfectly showcases their ability to combine a catchy pop-like song with their politically fueled lyrics. 'Sky Is Falling' features the strongest vocals from Justin and Chris#2, they both work perfectly off the back of each other throughout the whole track, and the screamed line under that from Chris#2 sometimes accompanied by gang vocals too shows a total contrast to previous album 'The General Strike' which featured very dark vocals from both [Justin] Sane and Chris#2.

Sane's vocals are especially commanding in 'Walk Away' and the 48 second 'To Hell With Boredom' both of these songs, once again, are instantly catchy, with lyrics that you'll know all too well by the first listen, but this is what we expect from Anti-Flag now, they've got a loyal fan-base who like their sound how it is and wouldn't want it any other way, 'American Spring' isn't Anti-Flag's best album by a long shot, and there are forgettable moments on the album too 'Low Expectations' is probably the worst song on the album, it sounds more like a pop-punk song with the clichéd lyrics too. 'Set Yourself On Fire' sounds like a threatening enough song, but lost my interest only a minute in, a really repetitive track that builds towards nothing special.

Negatives aside, Anti-Flag still show no signs of slowing down, and with this latest album they've picked up on small influences to develop their sound how they want to, just what you'd expect from Anti-Flag.

6/10       

/ PUNK / POP-PUNK /

FAV TRACKS: - Fabled World - Brandenburg Gate - Sky Is Falling -

LEAST FAV TRACKS: - Low Expectations - Set Yourself On Fire -