I absolutely adored this album, but I've been a huge Propagandhi fan for years. I think Supporting Caste is probably my favorite work by them thus far, and would be the pinnacle, but this album is an easy 5/5. Thrash riffs like in Status Update, melodic ones like in Note To Self, angry, rage-driven ones like in Rattan Cane...it's brilliant. I got to see them in Cleveland and hang out with the band before, get dinner with them, and hang out after. They were noticeably happy with the album and I agree with what some of you are saying, this album feels like they are finally playing the type of music they've always wanted to play. Get this album.

Perfection.

It sounds bad and pretentious, i like thier last record too, this is beyond awful. I dont like metal though, so im biased

This is anti-punk, its just metal garbage

I went to the Covington show and the set list was almost identical to the one posted earlier, except they played Back to the Motor League instead of Potemkin City Limits and they completely skipped Tertium Non Datur. Most set lists on setlist.fm have been about the same.

Anyone have setlists from recent shows? Boston show was pretty much same set as the Toronto one that was posted here. Utterly amazing show, good enough that Im driving to DC to see em again.

You said it Levendus.

I at first thought this was not quite up to the standard Propaghandi set on "Supporting Caste" . Slow burner....wow! Awesome album, for me best this year.

i think this album changed the way we view punk music making. this is by far the best. to me, propagandhi is one of the two best punk bands around.
smart, creative, angry, fun. what more can you ask for? this is 21st century punk, take it or leave it. by the way i saw them with comeback kid, and comeback kid is one of the worst bands i've ever seen

but anyway , the review stinks, a 5 year old could've done it better.
best propagandhi album so far...

Definite contender for best Prop album; beaten by 'Today's Empires...' by only a few shades.

best album so far

Supporting Caste is still my all time favorites. This one may have a slow burn and grow on me.. the fact that these guys are still putting out quality records after alll these years says alot.

okay, so it turs out they were only towed. glad they got all they gear back. whew.

sorry to hear they got all their gear/van stolen in boston. seems like i heard about a similar incident happening to another band recently in texas while they were eating at a diner. seems to be a pattern evolving here. Installing a GPS tracking device in my band's VAN, will catch these guys and castrate them..

Genuinely let down. Too much heavy.The melodic bits of, say Night Letters and Humane Meat on SC are what really made it easily one of my favorite albums. This release had next to none of that.

I can completely relate to what Levendus said as well.

Props best album so far in every single way. Fantastic.

I felt the need to post again and just restate that I do really like this record... every Prop release goes like this for me

"hmmm... I'm not sure I like this record as much as the last one..it's a bit different..."

(fast forward 6 months)

"this is by far the best Propagandhi album I've ever heard"

... I've been through this same quandary with each album only to grow to love it after I've really absorbed it. This to me suggests that Prop are still making rich music that is as layered musically as it is lyrically. So much so that it take a few weeks / months to really process the awesome-ness. I remember not liking SC that much on my first few listens... now it's one of my favourite albums of all time. I think this is the same journey a lot of Prop fans go through.

Supporting Caste = 9.2;
Failed States = 9.0;
TETA = 8.5;
PCL = 8.3

hmm... I have to agree partly...I think most of us here do miss the quirk and the tounge-in-cheek lyrics. It's all a bit too angry and one note now. Still a great great record but I do miss the balance of hardcore thrash and melodic punk, now it's just balls out thrash for 15 tracks.

This is a really good album. I just wish that Propagandhi would have changed their band name after Today's Empires because the progression in their sound has been a bit too much. You can't listen to How to Clean Everything and then stick on this album and say that it's the same band... Rattan Cane sounds like Season's in the Abyss!

Propagandhi are unequivocally my favourite band, ever, and this would be a 4 and a half star record for me. However I do actually completely agree with the criticisms here. At the moment it's not sitting as high as Supporting Caste or Potemkin City Limits in a list of my favourite Propagandhi records. This might change with increased listens, but not right now. They seem to have become a lot more mellow and introspective lyrically whilst becoming a shitload more angsty and thrashy musically. I'll have to see where more listens takes me with this one.

Amazing show in TO. And Failed States is album of the year. Maybe not quite as good as Supporting Caste, but maybe. Either way it's still better than anything else out there.

Setlist from last night in Toronto.
1.Dear Coach's Corner
2.Fuck The Border
3.A Speculative Fiction
4.Note to Self
5.Failed States
6.Devil’s Creek
7.Lotus Gait
8.Without Love
9.Rattan Cane
10.Apparently I'm A P.C. Fascist
11.Less Talk, More Rock
12.Nation States
13.Status Update
14.Dark Matters
15.Night Letters
16.Things I Like
17.Human(e) Meat
18.Tertium Non Datur
19.Duplicate Keys Icaro
Encore:
20.The Banger's Embrace
21.Potemkin City Limits
22.Stick The Fucking Flag Up Your Goddam Ass, You Sonofabitch

I thought you were supposed to review a record based on it's musical merit, rather than personal taste? For example, I can't stand Guns N Roses and their Use Your Illusion record, but nevertheless I would have to give it a good review since it is in face a musical accomplishment.
This record owns, as a matter of personal taste, and as an unbiased statement.

This album is just further proof that Propagandhi is the best band on the planet. It works so well as a companion piece to Supporting Caste. Can't wait to see what these guys are going to do 4 years from now. Chris Hannah.....you complete me.

New Propagandhi is boring. Just a bunch of guitar noise; if I want that I'll listen to death metal
Sure the writing is good, but you can't make out the words anyways.
I'll still take Less Talk, More Rock anyday

@mike_killroad:

Odd that it seems rushed. Supporting Caste was recorded very quickly, in a manner of a few days, whereas this one, they took their time with it. Chris pointed out recently that the songs on this one form a more cohesive narrative, whereas Supporting Caste was more of a collection of discrete songs, which is indicative of the recording process, and obviously of the writing process.

just to echo some below, this review does suck pretty bad. punknews ought to implement a chopping block.

This album still has me Jizzing in Trent Reznors pants. One of their best so far.

garbage review
"That’s right, motherfuckers. I don’t love this album. I like it a shit-load, but I don’t love it. It’s a great piece for the discography and I can’t wait to see it live, but I don’t love it. Come at me, bros."

Dear MrDog - you blow as a writer.

Dear PunkNews - please stop letting this cat write reviews, so poorly done.

Reviews on this site are really poorly written. Motherfuckers? That's pretty punk.

I like this album, however, TETA is still my favorite. This album feels rushed, but at the same time, it makes sense. After something like Supporting Caste, they probably wanted to just give it hell on this record. I enjoy it, it will most likely be in my top 10 for the year.

@mrdogg45, that song slays

Unfortunately this is not as good as their last 3 albums but yet its in my top 3 albums of the year. Thats how good this band is! Their records never get old. I cant say that about to many other bands. Still good shit!! And the bonus songs are great

@mrdogg thats my favourite skng too. Best album closer since Purina.

Propagandhi is one of my favorite bands, but for every album of theirs that has come out since TETA I have been underwelmed at first, but eventually have grown to love all of them. That's just the way this band is. Every cd they put out is a grower; it takes a few spins to wrap my mind around each song, and each album as a whole. Based on the comments thus far I think that many people would agree.

PS go Trojans

More March of the Crabs, please.

So, wait. No one is down with "Duplicate Keys Icaro - an Interim Report" besides me? Dudes. DUDES. That song is great.

ridiculously underwhelmed with this album. No stand out tracks for me and it has shite production. It's like an album full of all the bland bits from Supporting Caste

I love this album so much, a lot more than supporting caste. Todd's songs are so good, I wasn't too into his songs on the last two album's(TETA is my favorite prop album, I love the whole thing right through).
Also, I think they're better off without John, and the other way around, the weakerthans are amazing. I just can't really go back and enjoy HTCE and LTMR anymore.

This album's a little more of a grower than Supporting Caste, but probably just as good. My main comment about this album is about Todd's songs. Chris' are great and consistent, but I feel like more than any other album Todd knocks it out of the park with this. So stoked to be seeing these guys again soon, and 2 or 3 times (depending if I watch the Fest set) in a one month period, to boot.

I actually think this is a bit better than SC as a whole. Albums flows better. I've listened to it more than any other album this year, already. Favorite song right now is probably Lotus Gait.

At this point I prefer Supporting Caste, but this album still rules, it just doesn't quite hit the same heights as SC did. Too many short, fast songs when the songs I liked the most on Supporting Caste were the ones that gave themselves some room to breathe and time to develop like Potemkin City Limits, Dear Coaches Corner and Without Love. I do think that the Todd songs on this are better than the ones on SC though, barring Night Letters. That song is incredible.

I have been a fan for almost 20 years, and this album SHREDS. Honestly cant see why there are so many people rating this lower than supporting caste. And since I feel like giving my 2 cents,poremkin was waaaay better than supporting caste for the record .The more you hear Failed states the better it gets, and it ruled from the first spin. The album is 5/5, the best album yet - Play the shit out of this record, it will grow on you. I promise xx.

Love this record. TETA was their best, but I think after 10 listens this is a close second. These guys are light years ahead of everyone else, and I think it's better than Supporting Caste. Metal up your ass.

This one definitely didn't instantly grab me like Supporting Caste did, which, of course, is an extremely hard album to follow up. But after several listens (and skipping Todd's songs), all the rhythm changes started to click.

The last half of Duplicate Keys gives me chills, just an amazing closer.

If you're a fan of Propagandhi then definitely pick it up, but do not expect to be blown away. And Todays Empires Tomorrows Ashes is by far their best, not Supporting Caste

Pretty awesome. Tough to rank this early among the rest of their discography, but... I got nothing to finish that sentence.
It's good. It's pretty good.

Also, was anyone else disappointed with the CD booklet? The least informative of theirs thus far. Even "How To Clean Everything" had some ramblings...

*John K Samson

It's good, but not great. I think they peaked with TETA, and while each release since that has had its fair share of strong material, it just kinda feels like they're treading water.

Also, I hate when Todd sings as opposed to shouts, because he's far too monotonous to carry a song or attempt melody with that voice.

And I kinda cringe every time Hannah gets too sentimental because I prefer Prop to be fast and thrashy and pissed as opposed to quirky and soft for the same reasons I think they're better off without John Sam K Samson.

I'm no guitarist, but calling the guitars on Note to Self "fast and searing" seems a tad ridiculous as it's the slowest tempo song on on the album. And the drums certainly aren't pushed to the limit on this track. They are elsewhere, however. I'm a huge fan of the band and don't quite no where to rank this album yet. I don't think it's as good as Supporting Caste but they've really upped the thrash/metal quotient on this one, in a good way. Rattan Cane is the most brutally intense song they've ever done. I can see why you'd say the middle section runs together a bit, I find that with the Todd songs but "things I like" changes the lyrical pace of the album quite a bit. Overall, another fantastic album but falls just short of Supporting Caste.

Not a bad song on here, but not many "great" songs like previous albums.
"Note To Self" is my favorite.

8/10

fak u

This album is a bit more of a grower than previous releases. But once I got a feel for it, I realized its brilliance. There are a few songs that don't do it for me, but the majority of the songs are pretty fuckin mindblowing. See: Cognitive Suicide, Unscripted Moment, Lotus Gait, Status Update, and Duplicate Keys Icaro. I was also very happy that two of Todd's songs have his more "singing" voice, like on his songs from PCL and "Night Letters." That sound has this sincerity and quality to it that really comes through when he's not purely yelling.

Just as good as Supporting Cast - just different.  And the middle section doesn't run together at all!  From 'Status Update' on the album gets its' legs.  Best songs on the record are 'Status Update', 'Things I like', 'Unscripted Moment', and probably Todd's best song ever (maybe with the exception of 'Night Letters), 'Dark Matters'.  Those tunes are nothing like.  Seriously, listen to the record a couple time before reviewing it.  And Ollywood, comparing Propagandi to Pennywise makes to sound like a dumb ass, don't do that.  

@Outpatient

I love the first two records, but they're a different band now, they've evolved so far and in such a different direction since John K left.  Still love those records though.

sounds like the last three or four albums they put out. I can't tell them apart anymore. Yes its "fast" Yes its "hard" Yes its "smart" Yes its BORING!

@outpatient

I think you're wrong to do so. I said in my comment: "HTCL and LTMR are a different style and sound entirely and aren't comparable to their last four so I hate when people try. They're both good for what they are, but Propagandhi pretty much became a new band with the release of TETA."

Propagandhi changed their sound pretty drastically with the release of TETA, so while their first two albums are still good for what they are, and I do like them, I think it's silly to compare them musically to anything they've put out since. It wouldn't make sense to compare Pulley to Grand Funk Railroad either.

@outpatient:

I can't enjoy lots of the Fat bands I used to anymore, so is that really a surprise? Maybe it's just because my tastes have changed, but I enjoy their new stuff much more. People tend to hold punk bands' old work in the highest regard by default, and I think that's misguided. Just because they were younger and angrier sounding doesn't make their old stuff better. Then again, it really depends on the band. Their lyrics are still good and their musicianship has improved, so what's to dislike?

I have all Propagandhi's albums and I find their old material hard to listen to. Message is important, but if it doesn't at least sound somewhat enjoyable and hold my interest, then what's the point? I might as well just give up music and only read poetry instead.

I actually felt the same way about Supporting Caste, but after about 5 or 6 months of it being out, something called me back to it and now it's one of my favorite albums of all time

I didn't love it at first, but it grew and grew! I think the band is a little jaded after being angry for so long, and it doesn't have the same ethos as previous releases, but it's an interesting side of the band for sure. How many times did you listen to it before you wrote the review?

okay don't get me wrong, propagandhi is an incredible band that has proven to expand and refine their sound even after 20 years in the game, but looking at the comments you wouldn't even know that they released an album before "today's empires"...am I the only one that puts their two albums on fat on the same pedestal as all subsequent releases?

The statement about this record not having enough melodic moments is just flat out wrong. "Cognitive Suicide," "Lotus Gait," "Note to Self" all have contemplative, reserved sections, not to mention the slower, heavier moments of the record that provide additional diversity. You make it sound like it's a Casualties record.

Someone said that Propagandhi is turning into Pennywise, rewriting the same song over and over. If you really believe that, then you don't know how to listen to music and you obviously don't play music either. If you did, then you would know that Propagandhi has continually pushed their sound forward and changed the way they write with every record. Pennywise has done the opposite.

This is my album of the year so far, unless I get a little sensitive in December and decide to just barely nudge Fiona Apple's record ahead of it.

This is the best album they've ever relased and honestly the best album I've heard in years. It sounds so fresh and different to me, and there's absolutely no filler, every song rips. It really bums me out that the fucking Raveonettes got a better score than this.

This album is amazing! Every song rips and its definitely on par with Supporting Caste. Not gonna beat the reviewer up for having a different opinion, but maybe you just need to listen to it a few more times?

I like this album, it's good from a consistency standpoint but there isn't that standout track or tracks that the other albums have had, it's almost like just one good long song. PCL had A Speculative Fiction, Iteration, Rock for Sustainable Capitalism and Supporting Caste had Supporting Caste, Without Love, Night Letters, Dear Coach's Corner, and TETA had Back to the Motor League, Today's Empires Tomorrow's Ashes, and Purina Hall of Fame. This album doesn't have it's own A Speculative Fiction to me, but it's still awesome. Also the amount that I like the songs listed above from those albums is only slightly more than the amount that I like the rest of the songs on those albums, so there isn't a lot of disparity anyway.

That said I do prefer when they have slightly more melodic stuff mixed in with the metal stuff, Supporting Caste mixed it perfectly. This album is definitely more thrash metal which isn't my bag as much but I do still enjoy it. There is not a lot of disparity in terms of how much I like their past 4 albums, they're all awesome, so I might like one 1% more than I like the other one. I'd rank them TETA > Supporting Caste > PCL > Failed States but it's a photo finish between the four of them. HTCL and LTMR are a different style and sound entirely and aren't comparable to their last four so I hate when people try. They're both good for what they are, but Propagandhi pretty much became a new band with the release of TETA.

Anyway seeing them first weekend of October and first weekend of November, can't wait.

Why the FUCK does Supporting Caste get so much love? It's not bad, but it doesn't hit me nearly as hard as this record or any of the others. I easily find myself skipping songs through it sometimes.

album rips

Fap.

i definitely prefer melody to thrash, but there's more of a balance between the two on this album than there appears to be upon first listen. this one might be a grower for sure, but it's easily as good as anything they've done this far.

Musically this.is.on par.with "supporting caste" but I feel like the politics in the lyrics.are slowly becoming a thing of the past. I still love political punk and I'm sure as hell not going to go back to listening to anti-flag like it did when I was young.

Hated it upon first listen, now I can't stop listening to it very good stuff!!

Propagandhi is clearly the Voivod of Punk Rock! This album shreds balls!

This album fucking owns. Supporting Caste is not easy to beat, but this is a brilliant follow-up.

Potemkin City Limits had great lyrics, but some of the songs droned on too much and blended together. They were harder to follow and sing along to.

Supporting Caste solved that problem completely, as every song was catchy and polished.

Failed States lies somewhere between the two, musically. I didn't love it at first, but now I do. I thought the songs in the middle ran together, but I don't think so anymore. Some of the lyrics, especially Todd's, are extremely emotional and powerful. Chris does great, as well. I am not a fan of metal or thrash, really, but I d appreciate it here. During my first few listens, I didn't think it would crack my top five, but I've been listening to it consistently for weeks and I've changed my mind.

Oh, and Back to the Motor League was by far the best song on Today's Empires, Tomorrow Ashes. That record is overrated.

definitely not as good as supporting caste. these guys are at their best when they're more melodic.

Bigwig does this better!

Album of the year, definitely, Status Update manages to blow your mind and melt your face in under 2 minutes. Compare the intricacy and craftmanship in the songs of this album vs Teenage Bottlerocket or Gaslight Anthem standard fare, and these boys are simply a different class above the rest.

Way off.

This is record of the year.

Also, "Rattan Cane" sounds like From Ashes Rise and/or Cursed. Unbelievably good. That last riff is my idea of Heaven.

I think this is their most consistent album and do love it.

Great album. Lame review.

If you can't hear the melodies throughout, or you think that "the album's middle section tends to run together a bit", you're ears just ain't working. Speed =/= a lack of diversity. The only two songs that sound sorta similar are "Unscripted Moment" and "Lotus Gait", and that's stretching it. I wonder how many times you listened to it before coming to this conclusion?

This is Prop's best record yet and Mrdogg45 is a jabrozo.

Album rules.

This isn't my favorite Propaghandi album, but Unscripted Moment is by FAR one of their best songs.

Too metal for my tastes. I also don't think the lack of hooks makes music good.

Perfect album -- their best work. And I don't so much hear metal as I do aggressive punk rock. I reviewed it at National Underground, if anyone's interested.
http://nationalunderground.org/2012/09/20/review-pro pagandhi-failed-states/

I'll start by saying I've been a fan for twelve years. I've always liked Propagandhi, but not until Supporting Caste did I truly fall in love with this band. It wasclepius close to a perfect album as it could get. I was afraid of what this album would sound like, after hearing the single I thought I was destined to be let down, but I swore that I would listen to it all the way through a few times before I passed any judgement.

This album is fantastic, I've ignored the hype train as much as possible and I firmly believe this is the best album this year and every bit as good as Supporting Caste and dare I say...their best album yet? It's focused, full of rage and to the point. It's fast as hell, like any good punk rock album should be, the production is top notch. If Chris Hannah's vocals at the start of "Lotus Gaite" don't give you chills I'm pretty sure you have no soul.

It's very easy to go out there and steal this album, but throw your hard earned pennies down for this one. It's incredible in every sense of the word and worth every penny. 5 stars all the way, no more, no less.

Supporting Caste was way too good for anything to match it. This has some fantastic moments, but I don't totally love it either

It's still the album of the year for me so far, but I'm not sure I like it better than Supporting Caste. Probably on par w/ Potemkin for me, the highs aren't quite as high as PCL, but it's more consistant. Note to Self rules.

Thank you for this review. I do think this a great album however I must admit that I am becoming a little bored with Propagandhi,s releases. The sound which they have developed has just been way too consistant. This is the kind of shit Pennywise catches flack for here. Each of their songs could be a masterpiece, sound great and unique on it,s own, yet amidst their output over the last 6 years it all kind of sounds like mush. That said I do consider Supporting Castes to be one my favorite Propagandhi albums along with Empires, but let's face it the last 3 albums sound like they could have been recorded in the same session.

Good.... but the last two were far better.

I don't love it either