Anti-Flag

Let's face it: Die For The Gov't, TSDWFY, and A New Kind of Army, as well as Underground Network are all amazing albums. The rest= all terrible. I really wanted to like Mobilize but couldn't due to it's cookie-cutter production, The Terror State is to AF what Train of Thought is to Dream Theater. And For Blood and Empire? Ugh, let's not even go there (although Emigre and I'd Tell You But... were cool songs). I've seen Anti-Flag twice (Both times opening for another band), the first time is what got me into them when they opened for Billy Talent (One of the best concerts ever). The second time was opening for Alexisonfire in December 2006 and they rocked the Shaw Conference Centre. However, all good things about Anti-Flag had to come to an end after that.

Now this atrocity has wreaked havoc in the stores everywhere. I bought this thinking it would be good, but no. Every song is laden with crappy lyrics. All the songs sound the same, with the vocals becoming weaker every track. One good thing though, is that Justin doesn't perform solos on here, which is good, because while he's a good guitarist, he ain't no Adrian Smith.

But hold that thought for a minute. Let's look at the lyrics. For the most part, they feel like they just wrote a chorus, came up with a song title, and then decided to copy and paste both the chorus and the title to fill the length of the song. But then there's the real lyrics. A Sample from "If You Wanna Steal (You Better Learn How To Die)":

"The fine line between genius and insanity
Is one he often treads so patiently
While pigs and bulls will always try to lock the door..."

Wait- did Justin just say what I think he did? No, wait, I'm gonna rewind that last line: "While Pigs and bulls will always try to lock the door." Three words: What the crap???? Doesn't Justin write clever lyrics, usually? If that ain't bad enough, here's another sample, this time, from "Tanzania", where the same line is literally repeated 4 times:

"What will it take to end the massacre?
What will it take to end the massacre?
What will it take to end the massacre?
What will it take to end the massacre?"

Why are you asking ME this, Mr. Sane? You tell ME what it'll take to end this massacre.

The music on this album is just as bad as, if worse than For Blood and Empire. The musicianship is bland and uninspired (as in unoriginal, people), as are the lyrics. And if that weren't bad enough, this is the most over-produced album I've ever heard. Child choirs, voice choirs, laughably awful keyboard orchestration, you name it. The keyboard orchestration on Iron Maiden's Dance of Death (AMAZING album- check it out, it's my 3rd favorite album of all time) worked because it made the album darker, and gave it a modern feel. Iron Maiden are metal (and my favorite band too!), Anti-Flag are punk. Keyboard orchestration works in metal, but not political punk. I know a few punk bands that use Keyboard orchestration and it works well, here it doesn't.

So if anything, this album has to be one of the most disappointing albums since Dream Theater's Train of Thought. Everything sounds forced. Chris has too many singing parts like on FBAE. As one reviewer Mentioned, if this is what the future holds for these guys, then they have indeed sold out.

(NOTE: The song "Tanzania" actually came with the online pre-order edition.)

I've been a fan of AF since I was a wee 8th grader. I have every album, I've seen them every time they've been in philly (over 10 times). I'm not trying to brag, I just want to lend some perspective on my review. Anti-Flag has been my favorite band for over ten years, but now I feel let down. I was so excited for this cd. I was completely cool with them signing to RCA and I really do like For Blood and Empire. Then they had the Victims of Violent Crime ep, which was also awesome. So I figured, "hey, the next one has got to be great." Unfortunately, this is not the case.

The songs are not only overly long, they have no imagination. There are seemingly no verses in some songs. I feel like they just wrote a few chords, threw a terrible chorus over it and called it a song. "vices" looks like someone just hit copy and paste four (million) times.

We all have our vices
we all have our flaws
we all have our anger
we all have our love

There must have been a deadline or something because this album feels totally rushed. And really, I love when bands throw in new instruments and stuff, but they just don't work here. The guitars are lacking to the point where I'm sitting there aurally searching for riffs and hooks.

Obviously im very disappointed and I hope they go back to being anti-flag. I would seriously be surprised if radio junkies actually liked this. I hate having cds that let me down, cuz its like, what am I going to do with this? I could sell it, but that still wont erase the memories, only a new cd could. TAKE YOUR TIME AF! MAKE A GOOD ALBUM!

Anti-Flag continues to impress me by releasing yet another fine album of snarling, politically-engaged punk rock. Some people don't like punk rock in general, while others don't like "political" punk. That's fine. Anti-Flag is not for them. But if you, like me, are into political punk, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this cd. I have no problem putting it right up there with the work of the best political punk bands (Clash, Crass, Dead Kennedys, Subhumans, DOA, Sex Pistols, etc).

The guitars are razor-sharp, the beats are propulsive, the vocals are sneering & passionate, and the songs are packed with great riffs, melodies and sing-along choruses (one of Anti-Flag's specialties).

(Oddly enough, I think there's a chance this album might also appeal to fans of Bright Eyes, as several songs bear a strong resemblance to that artist's more rocking tunes.)

In any case, "The Bright Lights Of America" is another success by a band that's sticking to its (artistic) guns and refusing to give in to cynicism and complacency.

So, I would like to ask that one would not dismiss this review because the star count is low. No, I am not one of those big punk advocates that liked "Die for the Government" and none of the other CDs, yet every time this band puts out a CD I have to say how they suck and sold out even though I haven't been a fan for a decade. I am not gonna b m and c because they signed to RCA records. I don't care. It's music. (Oh, but I did like "Die for the Government," great CD)

But in this case, it's not good music. I anticipated this CD like no other 'cause I absolutely love this band, I had seen them live 3 times and own pretty much all the music they've put out. "For Blood and Empire" was an amazing CD and I thought they were going strong after 10 years. Then they put out this.

The old Anti-Flag sound is there. It is still there, but I shouldn't have to consciously LOOK for the sound of the old band. The issue here is not that they tried new stuff, like adding a bunch of new instruments at times or writing heart-felt lyrics that are not political at all, the issue is that in order to do all that they had to slow the music down. Some songs have a lot of potential, like "The Modern Rome Burning" "Smartest Bomb" and "Shadow of the Dead" but it seems like every time a song picks up and finds some energy, it just loses it again to the breakdown and becomes rather boring. Most of the songs would do very well as 2 or 3 minute ditties, but they are instead draggged on to 4 or 5 minutes and they're not all that fun to listen to.

Another thing that bothers me about all the "new ground" is that with the addition of new instruments, the old ones (like, oh, I dunno, 6 string guitar and bass) are not as potent as they used to be. Chris's basslines, which used to drive the CDs along and impress me very much, are still there, just not as frequently and they're sometimed masked by other things. Underutilized and disappointed.

Sure, this CD has grown on me. If you liked the older CDs, there's still a chance you'll like this. If I hadn't seen them live a fourth time and heard the new stuff live I never would have bought the CD, 'cause I streamed it and had the typical "It sucked, they sold out" reaction. Turns out these songs are great live, you mosh during the fast parts and then you get a breather during the breakdowns, not that you really need it. Maybe next time Anti-Flag will be able to take this "new stuff" and apply it to their signature sound that was nearly abandoned here. Until then, 2 stars.

Highlight tracks: "Bright Lights of America" "No Warning" and "Spit in the Face"

I had listened to the New CD only twice before their SF show, and liked it, a lot. It was different, and I was not sure I was as into it as other Anti-Flag albums. I then went on a two week trip, and got back in the car, listened to it twice on my drive, and it is now my favorite. It is a bit more understated, but still rocks!

I haven't really been listenting to A-F lately, and I checked this album out and was very disappinted. I was a fan of Justin Sane's voice, and I don't hear much of it now. Chris's voice sounds like every other punk singer's... annoying and monotonous.

I'm sick and tired of hearing that this isn't punk. You know what, it isn't punk in the traditional sense. So all you people who think punk died when DK died are right, the punk scene was badly damaged at that time. But it's time for you people to begin to realize that this (along with what bands like The Unseen, The Casualties, Rise Against, and Against Me! are doing) is what the new punk scene is all about. So you need to shut your mouth and remove yourself from the punk scene because if punk is dead to you then you have no reason to stick around and complain about what you think punk should be. And if you think punk is a different way, grab a guitar and play, then we'll be able to complain how lame you are.

What's wrong with getting more money?...lol. Spending time worrying about someone else making money, only suggests that you are already engulfed thinking about money.
Who cares! ;)


I feel that Anti Flag stayed true to their art and themselves. After reading an interview in Verbicide I understand their position on signing to a major label and feel that they did it on their own terms. Using a major label to reach a broader audience isn't a crime.. especially if you feel that you have something important to say and want to reach a broader audience. (Anti Flag wants to be taken seriously by mainstream media, signing to a label is a strategic move for them)

Remember, there is no 401k in punk rock.
Do you work a job that you don't like? ..you shouldn't.
That's the beauty in all this.

To explain further:

Anti Flag is doing something that they love, getting their message out without restraints or censorship and making a living. I used to think way too much about the ideology of punk rock and then I grew up...lol

The reality is, you have to make money in order to survive.
Most kids are in and out of Punk by the time they are 23 (I'm 31) they can't continue to be in bands because they have to survive.

I give Anti Flag tons of credit and am envious of them.
Who wouldn't want to live out their dreams, educate people and work towards the betterment of society...all in a days work.

Many people are quick to complain and yell "sell out"
To deem Anti Flag as "sell outs" is unfair and somewhat hypocritical ...anybody for that mater that punches a time clock is a sell out.

A couple rhetorical questions:
Are you doing what you love? Are you making a difference with your time on this planet? When you work, is it on your own terms?
If not... you too may be a sell out!
Think about it.

Being a newer fan to Anti-Flag and only catching their albums (The Terror State and For Blood and Empire) I will admit my ignorance along the lines of their earlier work with what little I know of it.

Something that I have noticed with a large majority of the negative reviews about this album is how they view the political aspects of the album and of the band, as well. Is this not a cd? Does the cd not have MUSIC. How about having a critic on just the music itself like how many of the songs have strong messages and I've been hearing some impressive bass parts along with very catchy songs.

I don't know who Crass is and I don't care. It's all a matter of opinion and if you don't like the album, that's your deal. I think it's pretty solid.

Though, I will say this. Something that I have never liked about Anti-Flag is their music is so limited. You can only write so many songs about the same topic before it gets old. Something that I have always appreciated with bands is versatility with writing songs. So far from what I've heard, it's just all politics... though that is the path that Anti-Flag has chosen to take and they have stuck with it ever since. So kudos to them.

I could never understand these kind of bands. You say you hate big business and talk the talk, but can never walk it. I'm not a huge fan of the Bush Administration, but after the lousy "Terror State", how much more railing against the government can you do without sounding like an a-hole? Crass was a much better band than these guys. This doesn't even float in the same toilet as Crass, and nowhere near as inventive or creative. Oh, and to the reviewer who said "There must be a reason why they signed to RCA", there is. It's called getting more money.

this cd is great. the first 7 or 8 tracks are new songs and the remaining ones are live versions of some of their classic songs from their presceding 3 albums. all the new songs are really good, especially n.b.c and mumia's song, probably my favorite anti-flag song, the bass line is unbelievable. and the live songs were all recorded really well too. this would be a really good cd to buy if you haven't heard much anti-flag and would like to get into them, because it will give you a good flavor of their music, newer and old. but you can't really go wrong with die for your government, underground network, or a new kind of army. do not however, waste any money on the terror state or whatever they called their newest album, or you will find yourself asking, like i did: what happened to the guys who once took such important issues as racism, discrimination, oppression, freedom of choice, and war seriously; and who are these a**holes who wrote a song entitled, "war sucks, let's party" for their new album? and both new albums are musically no where near their old stuff, which really is amazing and deserves listening, despite the crap they play now. mobilize is a great cd, you should buy it.

This album is odd as the fist eight songs are new whie the last eight are live versions of old songs. The first seven songs on this album are awesome, particulary "911 for Peace" "Mumias Song" and "NBC". Song number 8, "Anatomy of an Enemy" however is that Spoken Word crap. I find that kind of stuff boring. The live stuff is incredible. The music and vocals sound great and I was suprised at how good they were live. The only thing was that the crowd seemed unenthusiastic. Great buy, but you might feel a little gyped seeing as half the songs are old.

I love Anti-Flag!!! I was looking for one of their CD's that had a ton of my favorite songs on it and this one was it. I really REALly like 911 for peace, Die for the government and a new kind of army!!! They are all really powerful songs with really catchy tunes!!! Take it from me- a total punk rocker- this CD will nock your socks off!!! If you like ANY kind of PUnk rock ANY at all- red hot chillie peppers, The unseen, FLogging Molly WHATEVER!- this music will top it ALL!

After 9/11, Anti-Flag rushed to get this album out, but you'd never know it from listening to it. For the first 8 songs, Anti-Flag churns out some of the best material of their career - focused and angry, but with some great melodies and hooks. Highlights include "Mumia's Song," and "Right To Choose," a surprisingly touching ode to gay rights. The album concludes with a few live versions of Anti-Flag songs. They are good, but they fail to capture the raw energy of an A-F show. But it doesn't matter, when you've got a song like "911 For Peace." The album opener is one of the most moving and eloquent peace anthems ever penned, and it is worth the price of admission on its own.

This was the first Anti-Flag CD I got. Having first read about Anti-Flag in an interview in MRR in 1996, I figured it was about time I actually gave their music a try, and when it was done, I was hitting myself repeatedly for not getting Die for the Government when it came out back in 1996!

Now the only bad side about this CD, is that it could have been made better if given more time, but understandably, Anti-Flag wanted to have this one released in the wake of 9/11 to get their message across in the first song ("9/11 for Peace"), as anti-Islamic sentiment in America was soaring, and many of these people wanted revenge for what had happened.

But is being rushed into production really a bad thing? In Anti-Flag's case, I can honestly say no. The new tracks represent the Anti-Flag we all know and love (loud, fast, and brutal songs calling for peace, justice, and equality), and having been the first Anti-Flag CD I ever purchased (in 2002), the live tracks were good enough for me to gain even more interest and buy more of Anti-Flag's CD's, and even see them live (which I did in 2003).

I have been an Anti-Flag fan for quite some time but never got around to buying this album. Why? I have no idea. But WOW I was missing out. This album is probably one of there best. The lyrics make you want to call all your friends and revolt against everything you dislike in this world. This is a 5 star cd right from track 1 to the very last second. Great guitar riffs, the bass lines in this album are amazing and what can I say about the drums....perfect. If you love Anti-Flag then you have to buy this cd. Even if your just getting into "anti-government" punk rock this is a must have album.

ok does justin sane sound insane or what.To all the people that dislike this album your crazy.They sound so PUMPED UP!!! JUST F*CKING LISTEN TO JUSTIN SANE SCREAMING HIS HEAD OFF.It sounds like anti-flag had alot of anger bottled up inside.All the songs have energey except a few ''Rank-file'' ''one people one struggle'' AND i beleve thats it.This album is better theN ''FOR BLOOD AND EMPIRE'' WHICH IS STILL A GREAT ALBUM ALSO.i love the song TEARING DOWN THE BORDERS!!! its so in your face punk.And I love there hit song ''F*CK THE FLAG AND F*CK YOU''.

just because its catchy people accuse it of being conformist pop punk. if this still isnt punk enought for you, listen to their older stuff. i've seen them live and met them, and like the previous reviewer said, you see what they're really about when they're live. its not just for rebellious little kids. i'm not a kid i just dont want to sign up, i never actually buy stuff from amazon. they had to change the original cover of this album.

fu*K you-this albums good, you want better go see them live,then tell me they're pop punk:)

Anti-Flag is good at what they do. There are "punks" on here saying well go listen to real punk rock like black flag and minor threat. I agree that those bands are punk rock, but they are on the more hardcore side of the genre. Anti-Flag is not trying to be hardcore, and thats why it's stupid when poeple put them down for not being real punk rock. Well guess what, there is no absolute punk rock, it's a big genre with many sub-divisions. Not everyone likes hardcore, and some like political music because it echoe's thier thoughts, so just leave them alone. As for little kids listening to this to piss thier parents off, oh well, they will learn and change, and like many here, write reviews bashing on people who aren't punk enough for thier elitists standards. I don't think Anti-flag cares much if they are punk rock or not, they have a message. as for them signing on to RCA, i'll admit that goes against thier anti-corporation ideals. But its hard for anybody to stick to everything without making mistakes, we are only human, and so is Anti-Flag. If you expect perfection, specially out of punks, youre in for a wake up call. Quit setting them to your perfect standards and just be human. You all point at thier wrongs but fail to see everything they have done, that sets them apart from most punk bands that end in failure. To drive the point in as Minor Threat, a "real" punk band said, "What [...]have you done?"

p.s- This is a good album by anti-flag, and every punk should at some stage listen to them.

I started listening to this band when i saw the at warped tour in jacksonville .They combine brilliant song writing with a great message .We need more bands that care about the state of the world like this.

Besides being really awesome activists and talented punk rockers, these guys are totally hot! I'm sure that some of you homophobes out there will cringe at that remark, but oh well, get over yourselves. What can I say? Mohawks and righteous politics turn me on. More accessible than earlier anarcho-punk bands like Crass or Conflict, Anti-flag is bringing radical punk into the 21st century. Imagine a younger, cuter Noam Chomsky playing an electric guitar and you'll get an idea of what this band is about. Fans of Propagandhi will love this album. Angry, passionate, and committed to social change, this is a band you need to hear, a band that truly speaks to the real concerns of my generation, a band using their talent not to pacify the masses but to encourage them instead to fight for a better world.

This is one of Anti-flag's best albums pick this one up

This CD is one of the best ever. It combines talented playing (don't listen to the guy who says they aren't- Andy Flag was one of the greatest bass players ever) and effective lyrics that require thinking to interpret the meaning (such as "Kill the Rich". THey don't mean it literally, genius!) Over all, it is one of my favorite CDs along with:
The Casualties- Early Years 1990-1995, Die Hards and On the Front Line

Rancid- ...And out come the wolves and Rancid (2000)

The Unseen- State of Discontent

Dead Kennedys- Bectime For Democracy, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, and Give me Convenience or Give me Death.

This CD is pretty polictical but it still is amazing in my book. This has cool songs like die for your governement and you'd do the same and it also is pretty underrated. I actually enjoy listening to this album. If you are a fan of Anti-Flag and you do not own this one, you should definatly check it out. Its pretty cool. 4.5 stars!

Anti-Flag is a great punk band, I have the new album Blood for Empire. But this is a great third cd, I rather listen to this album then the new one. New one sucks in my opion, to mainstream!!!!

antt-flag arent the worst thing in the world, but still, they arent a band to wet your pants over either. i would say that if you are a newer punk kid, you may find this music good, but it is easy to grow out of..as bands like green day are...i say stick with rancid, bad religion and pennywise....if you want some quality punk revival from the united states, you cant go wrong with epitaph records' older bands. (punk o rama 1-4...and such.)

Anti-flag are a typical example of political punk. Their use of brassy guitars, heavy bass, mental drum rhythm and protesting lyrics make it perfect for the punks that are angry how their govenment works. This is mixed with the fustration of hearing that punk is dead and the raising population of emo's. If you like punk, this is purfect for you! if you like indie, hard-line, metal or emo music... I would stay away.

This is a great album. The Bouncing Souls are my favorite band and Anti-Flag is cool too. Punks in Vegas and Bryan's Lament are my favorites. But the whole album is awesome. These isn't one bad song on it. Go buy it now, ...

After hearing the energetic, but otherwise unimaginative, Rancid/NOFX split (no new songs), I was convinced that BYO Split Series Volume IV would be more of the same. Come to find out, not only do Anti-Flag and the Bouncing souls absolutely kill versions of each others songs, they dish out a ton of great new songs and covers. Folks who claim that the cover war of the Rancid/NOFX split, is "a glowing example of why punk isn't dead," need to up their expectations and check out the glowing example of bending the limits of punk rock on Volume IV. This album demonstrates the Bouncing Souls' ability to blend activistism and raw emotion into their infectious hooks and proves that Anti-Flag can appeal to the heart right up there with the kings of poppy emotion, the Bouncing Souls. I can't imagine a better split.

I bought this CD a few days after it came out and I have only listened to this CD since then. This is one of the BEST cds out there at the moment. I can't even pick out a favorite song on the CD it is too good. So don't download this CD go out and buy it. BUY IT!!!!!

This is an AMAZING split. Better than Rancid/NoFX. Bouncing Souls cover songs are great, especially their cover of 'That's Youth'. Punks in Vegas is also a great song. Anti-Flag's stand out song has got to be "Smash it to Pieces", probably one of my favorite by them ever. Their cover of "The Freaks, Nerds, and Romantics" is great but not as good as The Souls cover. A-F also has a lot of backup vocals from The Code, probably to promote them a little more since they're on A-F Records, but they're also an awesome band so they only add to the great music. GET THIS CD. IT IS A MUST HAVE FOR FANS OF EITHER OF THESE BANDS OR PUNK IN GENERAL

i was totally stoked when i found out that the bouncing souls (my favorite band) and anti-flag (awesome) were doing this split together...it's a great album. first off, the bands do great covers of each other's songs with the bouncing souls doing "that's youth" and anti-flag doing "the freaks, nerds and romantics", i'd really like to see every BYO split in the future have the two bands covering at least one song by each other, it's a cool idea. Both bands bring some great new material to the table (Bouncing Souls "Punks In Vegas", "No Security" and "Bryan's Lament" are really freaking cool)...Anti-Flag's new songs are very Anti-Flag, which is always a good thing. Go buy this if you like either band, you'll enjoy it.

thank you god! their's finally a good punk band that has the capability of making a good punk album! unlike some idiots (A.K.A. Green day, who are posers) Anti-flag can really talk about politics with music. OVerall this album is excellent. Key tracks: all of them

Underground Network is my favorite Anti-Flag album. It doesnt get bored and the tunes are awesome. A lot of 'punk' bands should take their example.
Most of the songs are political (hey its Anti-Flag). And yeah, I know a lot of people are tired of their 'nagging'. But I think its alright. They are really driven about it and at least they th?nk (unless some bands).
So if youre into political punk, this could be the band for you. And this could be your next favorite record.

1. Angry, Young And Poor 5/5 This must be my all time favorite A-F song. I like the chorus.
2. This Machine Kills Fascists 4/5 Cool lyrics. 'this machine kills fascists', some guitarist-guy had this on his guitar. A-F got that sentence from him, I guess.
3. Underground Network 4/5 Nice tune. But definetely not the nicest one. Great intro though.
4. Daddy Warbux 5/5 This one is also one of my favorites. I like the vocals here. This song is more 'fast' than the previous ones.
5. 3/5 Yeah nice. But this song doesnt stuck in my head too well. That means it isnt th?t great. Or else I wouldve known the words etc.
6. Stars And Stripes 4.5/5 A little bit more slow song. I like the lyrics.
7. Watch The Right 3/5 Just dont like it as much as the others. Its ok, but this sounds really..hm..I dont know the right word. But I find it less original.
8. The Panama Deception 5/5 Awesome, awesome, awesome. Yeah, also one of my favorites. Everything is cool. The instruments, the lyrics, the switch from verse to chorus, the end..just everything. This is also one of my favorites, because it was the only one played out of my 5 favorite A-F songs at their show. And it was juuust great.
9. Culture Revolution 3.5/5 At first I didnt really like this song. The more I listen, the more I'm feeling it. BUT still not too great.
10. Spaz's House Destruction Party 3.5/5 Aah a less serious song :) Cool tune. Gotta love that "Is this the condition this house has always been in?"-part hehe.
11. Bring Out Your Dead 5/5 This song really had to grow on me. Usually when a record is almost at its end. My attention is halve from what it was at the beginning. But one day, this caught me. And this is a great tune. I like the lyrics and just about everything in this song.
12. A Start 3.5/5 Well..same story as Vieques Puerto Rico: Bikini Revisted. Its nice..but just..well yeah mediocore compared to some others.
13. Until It Happens To You 4.5/5 Aah very nice ending. I love the bass-intro. The chorus is also cool.

Point is that..all the songs are killer (yeah even the ones I gave a 3.5)!
And oh yeah. Anti-Flag is also great in concert! Go see them!

This band kicks ass even though yes they are way to the left of the dial. But hey I'm not really listening to there lyrics, and they can sing about whatever they want to as long as it rocks.

...definately not close to 'the greatest political punk of all time'. This record will appeal to fans of the genre. Don't get me wrong, anti flag is a great band. They put on a great live show and are really nice guys, but they shouldn't even be in the same sentence with bands like the dead kennedys or black flag. If you're an anti flag fan you'll love this.

Anti-Flag took its place as a great political punk band with A New Kind Of Army. With Underground Network, they prove themselves to be the best political punk band of our generation. That's right - Anti-Flag is our Crass. Underground Network is, from beginning to end, a classic punk rock CD. Taking on targets like war ("The Panama Deception"), the media ("Underground Network") and the education system ("A Start"), Anti-Flag is armed with the intelligence and hooks needed to fuel a punk revolution. Oddly enough, the best song here is the only one that's not explicitly political. "Spaz's House Destruction Party" is a hilarious ode to a party that went way out of hand. Like the rest of the album, it's a riot.

Movies about sisters who face heartbreaking illness will always draw more people than zombie movies. Most people would take a new Harley Fatboy over a '67 Norton Commando. The new Tom Clancy book will sell more copies than everything Kafka and Kerouac have written combined. Green Day and Blink 182 will always outsell Crass. I don't understand any of these things, but that doesn't make them any less true.

Anti-Flag falls into the same category as the Norton, the zombie movie, and (much more reasonably) Crass. As a 20-year fan of the punk movement, I can honestly say these guys are the real deal. They sound like punk. They write punk lyrics. Their shows have all of the energy, unity and violence of the punk shows of the 80's. They even look punk.

In a time when `punk' has become fashionable, a time when you can buy an Exploited shirt at the mall (finding a CD of theirs might be a bit more challenging), the movement has undoubtedly lost some of its steam. Punk is not about being judgmental, but it's not about boy-meets-girl either. 15 years ago it would be hard to understand why anyone would `pose' as a punk, but today it can be quite lucrative. Finding a band in it for the music and not the Mountain Dew commercial deal is difficult (although it should be noted that several `older' punk bands have released great works over the last year, Soc. D, Bad Religion, Pennywise).

Anti-Flag's entire catalogue is fast, intense and thoughtfully written (A New Kind of Army my personal favorite). They don't fall into that three chord trap; they have a definitive lead guitar, a driving rhythm section, a counterpoint bass. They experiment with vocals, they harmonize, they keep it interesting. That being said, if you want to hear something that was produced at a multi-million dollar studio, note by note, may I suggest you look somewhere else.

If you like punk rock, real punk rock, you will probably like Anti-Flag. If you think punk rock is something played on MTV, you probably will not. If you are a fan of punk, I do urge you to disregard the unfair reviews on AF works, and form an opinion of your own. Isn't that what punk is all about anyway?

Look man, what's with all the slammin' people on this album's review section?? Everyone has their own beliefs and feelings about the world and how it's being run, and bands like Anti-Flag and Propagandhi are always going to make people talk. Which is a good thing, unless it starts to make us turn against each other man. You know? Anti-Flag have a very specific view of the world and in particular their country. Some agree with their view and some don't. But we have to respect each other for our own views.
Anti-Flag are an intelligent, hard rockin' punk band that have been doing it for years and fortold all the crap that's happening in the states right now. Go back ten years and you'll see. They're like the Nastrodamus (however you spell his name) of punk rock.

Listen to them for the music, or listen to them for the message, or don't listen to them at all. But respect those who have their own opinion.

After all the politics and fashions and ideals, punk rock is about unity man. Unity.

To Mr."True Rebel":Are you from the south? Is that why you're such a right-wing neo facsist? What the hell do you think you're doing writing a review for anti-flag? I bet you love the flag more than you love yourself! tell me...do you have cute little american flag pajamas? Does the star spangled banner make you all hot and bothered? Oh yeah, how much is the Bush administration paying you to write this red-neck propaganda garbage? or are you dense enough to write all that for free? stick to what you know you conformist pig!

P.S. Anti-Flag rules!

To the guy below me who wrote his comment about how He is the true american for rebelling against it, how about the real rebels. people like me who rebel in our conservatism. you say you are rebelling against culture by watching your CNN not FOX, by saying you hate the government. HELLO IDIOTS! what is the "#1 name in news"? CNN! in Pop Culture, the liberals are the majority, it is just in the votes that conservatives have been the majority for the past few years. you twist peoples words to make them either seem for you or strongly against you. like complaining about the slow reaction to Katrina. yes it could have been better, but the complaints that it took 3 days to get military in? what about in California where so many people are like you, where there are programs saying that for the first 72 hours you are on your own after an earthquake? it was the same. 3 days=72 hours in case you Rebels ditched school because private schools are for the "rich republicans" and public school is run by the "evil government" you talk about how Bush hates Black people because they were killed in the storm. you know why they did? they are poor. they have no way to get out. AND THEY EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT TO DO EVERYTHING FOR THEM. but when the government did, they said no! unless they were dying at the time, they wouldnt leave. and guess what, they're all in Your political party. they agree with You. it is because of you that they are all on Welfare, and instead of going to get a job they are homeless with a home. unemployed but as well off as the middle class with their foodstamps and welfare checks. the liberals have caused so many problems in our country by tring to "help people"
so shut up and think ahead. so the people will be poor for now. that will make them get a job, they will put back into the economy, and will cut down on the government spending you are always complaining about. America is not perfect, and just as much of it is Liberal's fault as it is conservatives. If you get nothing else out of this, i ask you to think ahead in your decisions. Please?

Anti-flag is a great band. Their songs are short and fun.
They did whiny a lot. But polictic and goverment and anarchy stuff are just better than dumb pop and stupid Emo.
Actually my favorite bands are all metal bands like Children of Bodom, In Flames, Arch Enemy..etc. But I do think this band's lyrics are way much better than metal.
Plus, their songs are just great! Not another weak punk band.

This cd as just as good, if not better than Die for the Government. None of the less this is a keep in real punk music, their classic.

I suppose this is the ideal forum to express a general survey of disenchantment and dissatisfaction with Anti-Flag's backcatalog as a whole...I simply remember "Their System" being a pile of musically inept, and lyrically heavy-handed trash. There was a pocket of time (between 2001-2004, I'd say), where Anti-Flag's albums had a solid spot in my CD player--I couldn't hear enough "f*ck the government/anti-Republican/pro-anarchic idealism" messages; I shunned my Industrial-music roots in favor of Anti-Flag, Dead Kennendys, Circle Jerks, and the like. Yet, at 25, I've become so politically disenfranchised and conscientious of punk's ideological contradictions (as others have pointed out, 'Kill the Rich' is one hypocritical example) that I find it damn near impossible to find any value in the music anymore. Even the one-sided, idealistic ramblings of Jello Biafra (once my compulsive Gospel) have become intolerable. Upon outgrowing the ideology of punk, I became keenly aware of its contradictive sustenance--for all the time bands spend raging against the government, it is that very government that provides it with such a marketable, readily-consumed outrage. Hypothetically, were the government to fold and all human beings lay down their guns and differences to favor a utopian solution, all of 'punk' would be put out to pasture. Is that the point? Achieve World Peace, then retire to Florida with a BMW and dog en tow? Ultimately, Anti-Flag makes the notion of revolution more fashionable than feasible; while 'catchy,' the songs are extremely heavy-handed in terms of vocal delivery and lyrics (the sledgehammer doesn't hit more heavily than a chorus of, say, "Don't keep a gun in your house!"). Even more so on their recent albums, the 'message' has become dominant, dropping the same anvils of rebellion and free-thinking down on our heads, song after song. That all of this is a marketing ploy mounted on sloganeering becomes apparent the more you listen, which will result in one of two outcomes: 1) abandonment of punk altogether; or 2) a destiny of writing Alpha-Elite reviews on Amazon.com, bitching about the 'good old days' of True Punk Rock. At this point, the idealists annoy me just as much as the elitists, and I have no desire to be associated with either side. Peace out.

......"Their System Doesn't Work For You" is a good song. Pretty much every other song on here is garbage. Don't buy it.

This album is actually kind of a split. The first half consists of songs from "North America Sucks," which was an awesome Anti-Flag CD that went out of print. The other half deserves to be out of print. The first 9 songs on the CD are excellent, classic Anti-Flag. The best are the very funny and very true "Indie Sucks, Hardline Sucks, Emo Sucks, You Suck" and the bitter raging post-hardcore of "You'll Scream Tonight." Unfortunately, the greatness wears off quickly. The last 10 songs are amelodic tuneless rants against nothing in particular that go on way too long even when they're only 2 minutes long. Most of them were recorded live, and the sound quality is terrible. They were obviously recorded before Anti-Flag knew what direction they wanted to take as a band, and songs like "I'm Feeling Slightly Violent" fly in the face of their later peace-promoting message. The skacore beat of "Betty Sue Is Dead" is the only redemption on the second half of the album, but even it's not enough to get Their System Doesn't Work For You any more than a 2 star rating. Pick this up if you're a hardcore A-F fan, but if not, go straight to A New Kind Of Army.

I am a casual Anti-Flag listener and enjoyed Die For Your Government, New Kind of Army, and The Terror State. I had been searching for Their System Doesn't Work For You for a long time now, and when I finally got it I was very excited.

However, after managing to listen to the whole thing by sheer forced faith in Anti-Flag, this CD has left me very disheartened. Justin's vocals on the first 9 tracks could make someone's ears bleed, and meanwhile the intrumentation on the last 10 tracks is terrible.

The CD's biggest fault is engineering. Though it does have a nice "live" feel, the overall sound quality is more painful to listen to. For example, "Can't Stand Being with You" and "There System Doesn't Work for You" would be excellent songs, but Justin's vocals lack reverb and polish, and the recordings are hard to listen to.

Overall, the album shows the promise of Anti-Flag that they would later go on to fulfill, and the songs are great, but the severe lack of polish and shine coupled with some extremely painful recording make this album only worthwhile to die hard fans.