Anti-Flag

Lies They Tell Our Children

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Genre: Punk Rock.
Released: 06/01/2023
Via Spinefarm Records

Album Review: Anti-Flag – Lies They Tell Our Children

‘Lies They Tell Our Children’ is certainly a title that catches the eye of passers by and unsurprisingly, the title is for Punk Rock’s very own Anti-Flag. Not afraid of saying what they think, this album comes during a time of political unrest around the world, so has the band managed to capture the public anger towards their governing bodies? Here’s what I thought about the new album.

The album starts off with ‘Sold Everything’ which almost comes across as a theatrical opening number to set the scene for the forthcoming story. ‘Modern Meta Medicine’ dials up the punk and add’s a metallic edge with the help of Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage. Messages as clear as day capture the Anti-Flag feel early on in the album. A more anthemic entry to the album is ‘Laugh, Cry, Smile, Die’ which boasts one of the catchiest choruses on the entire record. Having a surprising amount of bounce to it, this song is sure to have punks around the world dancing like no one is watching!

Not wanting to be upstaged, ‘The Fight Of Our Lives’ utilizes a star-studded line-up of Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath and Bad Religion’s Brian Baker to deliver a colossal punk rock track that hits hard. Unsurprisingly, the album is jam-packed with messages of freedom and rebellion. Tracks like ‘Imperialism’ and ‘Victory Of Death (We Gave ‘Em Hell)’ capture the feeling of freedom songs from times past while adding an Anti-Flag esc twist.

‘The Hazardous’ brings out a lot of angst and aggression aimed towards the establishment, while ‘Shallow Graves’ opts for a much more methodical yet memorable marching beat to get its clear message across. As for tracks that will be hectic live, ‘Work & Struggle’ seems to fill that spot nicely. An energetic number that is catchy and simple to learn, with a chorus that will ring around your head for weeks on end. Going out with a bang is exactly what Anti-Flag have achieved with the final two songs on the album. ‘NVREVER’ packs one hell of a punch, while ‘Only In My Head’ signs the declaration of freedom once more for fans of Anti-Flag.

It probably shouldn’t surprise anyone that Anti-Flag has been able to make an extremely relevant album during the current political climate around the world at this time. A tone of passion and meaning has gone into these songs, and it has paid off 10-fold. Definitely give this album a try if you haven’t already!