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| Anti-FlagDie for the Government1996 New Red Archives 
 Review by: Iridox See others by this writer Anti-Flag (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 Published on August 3rd 2002 Anti-Flag is one of the most popular bands in the punk scene today, and they deserve it. Unfortunately, their debut release isn't one of the reasons why. This album from 1996 has a few great songs, so you can hear the beginnings of what has become one of the best political punk bands, but most of the CD isn't that great. The lyrics for some songs are intelligent, but some are simple and ridiculously exaggerated. The music isn't too different from the norm in street punk, although some songs like "No More Dead" are quite impressive. The main problem is that most songs lack the energetic punk anthem feel that their later albums are full of. The first six tracks are a mix of different qualities - "You've Got to Die for the Government" is a classic and "Red White and Brainwashed" is great, but there are a couple of average tracks and a couple of tracks that I don't care for. The next eight songs are average at best, with "Punk by the Book" being the only exception. "No More Dead" is amazing, then the album finishes off with "Confused Youth" and "Your Daddy Was a Rich Man", two songs that would have been better left off the CD.
With 17 tracks to listen to, you should be able to find some songs on this CD that you can enjoy. However, if your tastes are like mine you'll probably skip over several songs when you play it. Regardless of whether or not you like this CD, you should check out Anti-Flag's newer releases, which I like a lot more.
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This is the first Anti-Flag Cd I ever bought and I have been hooked on it ever since... "What is Bush going to use my money for, hmm let me think education or health care something stupid like that" anti-flag is one of the best punk bands ever i love this album for its political refernces and how pissed off they are. this album, is fucking grate. i stole it from my brother, and it was like the first punk musick i ever hurd... it took me a while to understand but once i did it was the shit I totally disagree this was one of anti-flags better albums!! their newer albums are to poppy sounding this one is more raw!! This album is great, I don't get you when you say the album has mediocre songs, they're all great, politically and easy to listen to. For me, none of the songs are less good than others... This album defintely rocks my socks. Best one made. BUY THIS FREGIN ALBUM!!!! this cd is awesome why dont you like it, does anyone know who played bass in it because in the cd it says andy flag but on the website it says chris head played on it anyone who says this cd isnt great doesnt know good music if it slapped them in the face! this is great PA punk/hardcore*i only say hardcore cause they ditched the hardcore part after good old andy flag left* this cd has one or two songs that are ok to skip at the MOST! if you can find this get it NOW! if this album came out now i dont know if i'd like it. but back in grade 9 when i saw them for the first time i thought it was awesome as well as the cd. this cd is still a classic in my books... not really into their new stuff and i saw them recently and wasn't overly impressed but when i was first getting into punk i liked stuff like that cuz it was new to me... you know, they're more of a gateway band i guess, i dunno. sry for takin' up ur time. political punk rock is a joke. so is randomly yelling tyrany, and 'i'm anti-establishment.' that 20 dollars of your paycheck, awww poorboy. it's called taxes stupid shit and we ALL pay them. get a little older and you start paying LOTS more. if you're going to be anti-establishment don't try to sound like a disorganized 13 year-old football palyer. 'yo, this guy knows whats up!' do you even know what george W. stands for and against? or is it just real fun and neat to say F the system(what, no old enough to say fuck yet?'. and for chists sake, don't say education, health care or something stupid like that, what did the grade three class go on a field trip to the big fun internet computer today? sound like a buncha meat headed bro rockers. morons. know what you stand for before you stand against. "What is Bush going to use my money for, hmm let me think education or health care something stupid like that" > This guy right here knows what is UP! Just a few days ago I got my paycheck and for some strange reason $20.00 dollars of my hard earned money was taken. This new kind of army talk seems to be the only way to stop all of this facist bullshit. F George Bush, F the United States Of America. It is time we take a stand here and now. Who's with me??? What is Bush going to use my money for, hmm let me think education or health care something stupid like that. As I said before and I'll always say it again, we need a few good men and women who are not afraid to fight tyrany. You've got to die, got to die, got to die for your government, die for your country that's shit. Anti flag is right, the government is stealing all our money right out of our paychecks. F the system man, this is bullshit. We need to unite and start a new kind of army to fight the fascist george bush and his cronie ashcroft. Listen to Crucifix-Dehumanization LP. They have better song writing and have more powerful musicians to back their singer. I think Crucifix are 100% better U.S. political punk band than Anti-Flag. I'm not saying Anti-Flag sucks but they're too over rated. If anything it was their band name that got them the most attention. Their System Doesn't Work For You was actually originally released as a split with Vancouver's D.B.S.. It isn't a full length. im surprised all you die hard punkers with opinions have failed to point out that "their system doesnt work for you" was in fact their first full length. 1. I went to highschool w/ them, the most prestigious in pittsburgh, mt. Lebanon hs Youve got ot kidding, this was thier best album, and its a shame what happened to them after Andy left the band. To me the newer stuff is too poppy, but i dont hate them, for it. I think its good that they are trying to spread thier message beyond the underground punks, many people getting into the new AF most likely listen to blink or nfg and may not be exposed to ideas like this. i say more power to thme if they can educate some people that normally would never have heard any of these ideas. i happen to really like all their albums. if underground network was the same as their first albumns, then bleh, they would be one hell of a boring band. why buy the new cd when i can listen to the old one? I hate you Iridox. You suck. This is by far their best album. Their newer ones absolutely suck. Anti-Flag has become a mockery of what they once were. ...Andy was the best thing that ever happened to this band. And the dude who said you should see them live was right. The songs you called average were amazing live. I saw these guys 6 years ago in a coffee shop in Vancouver, BC with D.B.S. and it was pure punk rock insanity. Nothing like what these guys have turned into... Good stuff, but their newer stuff is way better.I might not be popular by saying that, but this album is full of pretictably arranged chorous and verses. the only reason people shit on anti-flag is because they are popular now. seriously, if these guys were still underground and making music like this the majority of you would love them. their new shit is fucking horrible though, underground network is political pop-rock. I'm sorry, but who are the people dumb enough to think that this is good in any way? The lyrics are an insult to anti-establishment music. They're poorly written and seem more concerned with yelling slogans than giving actual reasons for being against the system. "Gotta die for your country, that shit?" Did he write those lyrics when he was in middle school? The music is just generic, third-rate, wannabe '77 punk. If this music is so rebellious, how come it sounds like every other band? For such "revolutionairies," they sure seem afraid to break the mold. Utter crap. This is the kind of music that makes me embarassed to be "anti-establishment." this was anti-flags best release, but that isn't exactly saying much. the title track is catchy. yeah. Andy is also a great vocalist. And if you called songs like "Drink, Drank, Punk" and "Fuck Police Brutality" average, you obviously never saw them played live. This is definitely their best album. A New Kind of Army was good too, but not as great. Undergound Network was crap. The whole album follows practically the same formula. As for "Mobilize!" it was forgettable at best. personally I think this is there best album after the split with dbs. I think their early stuff is alot better than their new stuff. |
