This past year was a huge one for music with so many bands releasing new material it was hard to keep up, even for us here at Ghost Cult. So many legacy bands, modern classic acts, and up and comers dropped new music this year, some may wish they had waited until 2017 to drop it like it’s hot. Without further ado, here are our picks for the new tunes you need in your life in 2017. Continue reading
Anti-Flag have announced an upcoming Winter 2016 tour with Leftover Crack, War On Women, The Homeless Gospel Choir and Blackbird Raum. The band has released a digital acoustic album Live Acoustic at 11th Street Records (out now via Spinefarm), recorded during the Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas this past summer.
Feb 19: Walters – Houston, TX (No Leftover Crack or Blackbird Raum)
Feb 20: The Prophet Bar – Dallas, TX (No Leftover Crack or Blackbird Raum)
Feb 21: Korova – San Antonio, TX (No Leftover Crack or Blackbird Raum)
Feb 23: The Rock – Tucson, AZ (No Leftover Crack or Blackbird Raum)
Feb 24: Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ (No Leftover Crack or Blackbird Raum)
Feb 25: Observatory North Park – San Diego, CA
Feb 26: Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
Feb 27: Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA
Feb 28: Vinyl – Las Vegas, NV
Mar 01: DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA
Mar 02: Knitting Factory – Reno, NV
Mar 04: El Corazon – Seattle, WA
Mar 05: Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
There are far too many Punk bands who ‘talk the talk’ as far as being political and proactive about the issues that rile them. This is not the case with Anti-Flag who are arguably one of the only true Punk bands in the fact that they look to use their art and their talents to make a real difference – this album has been streaming on the Amnesty International website which in itself says it all. So what of American Spring (Spinefarm) itself then? Well if you’ve ever listened to Anti-Flag in the past then you know what to expect really – it is 40 minutes worth of politically fuelled melodic Punk at its best.
The album is jam packed with tracks which will both cause scenes of chaos in a live setting and trigger massive sing alongs. Opening track ‘Fabled World’ is a perfect encapsulation of both of these – as immediately the band hit you with a track which will make you want to dance around whilst sticking your fingers up at the Government. Because much like the rest of their discography, American Spring draws you in so easily to evoke the kind of emotion you perhaps didn’t even know you had. Of course with it being so politically heavy, this could very well turn people off – but to be honest at this stage in their careers they’re only really going to be adding to their fan base. A couple of other key highlights on the album are ‘Song For Your Enemy’ and ‘Set Yourself On Fire’ which again displays the band at their best. Justin Sane hasn’t really lost any of his fire as he crafts melodies around the lyrics to again evoke a brilliant sense of attachment and emotion to the message he is delivering.
Overall then, if you’re familiar with what Anti-Flag are all about, this is another good dose of their political modern Punk. Don’t expect to throw this album on and be sat in awe at the band changing the rulebook, because they haven’t. Instead what we’ve got is one of the bands who can truly call themselves “Punk” – and there are just not enough of those anymore.
7.5/10
TOM DONNO
Anti Flag is streaming their upcoming album American Spring, out May 26, 2015 via Spinefarm Records here.
Anti Flag on Facebook
Anti Flag on Twitter
Punk rock icons Anti Flag is streaming the music video for “Brandenburg Gate” off of their new album American Spring, out May 26, 2015 via Spinefarm Records. The song features a guest vocal from another punk legend—Tim Armstrong of Rancid, who appears in the video. The band has upcoming tour dates coming up.
Anti-Flag w/ The Homeless Gospel Choir and War On Women:
May 19: Slowdown – Omaha, NE
May 20: Aggie Theatre – Ft. Collins, CO
May 21: Marquis Theater – Denver, CO
May 23: Punk Rock Bowling – Las Vegas, NV
Anti-Flag w/ The Homeless Gospel Choir and After the Fall:
Jun 18: Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY
Jun 19: Simon’s 677 – Providence, RI
Jun 20: Higher Ground – S. Burlington, VT
Jun 21: Port City Music Hall – Portland, ME
Jun 23: The Waiting Room – Buffalo, NY
Jun 24: Frankies – Toledo, OH
Jun 25: The Basement – Columbus, OH
Jun 26: The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
Jun 27: Basement Transmission – Erie, PA
Anti Flag on Twitter
Anti Flag on Facebook
After The Fall is streaming their new album Dedication, out now via Bridge Nine Records. The band will touring with Anti-Flag and The Homeless Gospel Choir in support of their new record with dates posted below.
Jun 18: Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 19: Simons677 – Providence, RI (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir
Jun 20: Higher Ground – S. Burlington, VT (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 21: Port City Music Hall – Portland, ME (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 23: The Waiting Room – Buffalo, NY (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 24: Frankies – Toledo, OH (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 25: The Basement – Columbus, OH (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 26: The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 27: Basement Transmissions – Erie, PA (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Oct 31: FEST – Gainesville, FL
Dedication Track Listing:
01: Reflection
02: Dedication
03: Elisa
04: Condolences
05: Somehow
06: Twenty Nine
07: Ill Fate
08: Lived Fast
09: Time Will End
10: Indian Ladder
After The Fall is streaming “Twenty Nine,” off of their fifth and latest album Dedication, out May 12, 2015 via Bridge9 below. The album was recorded at The Blasting Room with prolific punk superproducer Bill Stevenson (Rise Against, NOFX, Alkaline Trio), and penned a dedication to their original bassist Brian J Peters who passed away in October 2013.
Dedication Track Listing:
01: Reflection
02: Dedication
03: Elisa
04: Condolences
05: Somehow
06: Twenty Nine
07: Ill Fate
08: Lived Fast
09: Time Will End
10: Indian Ladder
The band is currently on tour supporting their new album.
May 01: Loud Open Stage – San Luis Potos (MX)
May 02: Foro Independencia – Guadalajara (MX)
May 03: El Cuartel – Mexico D.F. (MX)
May 12: O’Brien’s – Allston, MA (w/ Heartsounds, Great Lakes USA, Tied to a Bear)
May 13: Acheron – Brooklyn, NY (w/ Heartsounds, Ambitions)
May 14: Low Beat – Albany, NY (w/ Drag the River, Heartsounds)
May 16: Pouzza Fest – Montreal, QC, Canada #(w/ 88 Fingers Louie, The Bruce Lee Band, The Planet Smashers, more)
Jun 18: Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 19: Simons677 – Providence, RI (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 20: Higher Ground – S. Burlington, VT (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 21: Port City Music Hall – Portland, ME (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 23: The Waiting Room – Buffalo, NY (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 24: Frankies – Toledo, OH (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 25: The Basement – Columbus, OH (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 26: The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Jun 27: Basement Transmissions – Erie, PA (w/ Anti-Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
Anti-Flag has posted their lyric video for “Sky is Falling,” off of their Spinefarm debut American Spring, out May 26, 2015. The song focuses on drone strikes, following the recent event of an American and an Italian citizen were killed by one and media attention has been anywhere but on this serious subject.
The band commented:
“We release this song and video days after President Obama apologized for a drone strike that inadvertently killed an American and an Italian being held captive by al Qaeda in Pakistan. President Obama did the right thing by apologizing to the victims and their families. But otherwise, his apologies fall short of the target.
“We call on President Obama to extend his apologies to victims of U.S. drone strikes who do not hold U.S. and European passports. Furthermore, we demand an end to the U.S. drone program.
“There are countless innocent victims, families and communities whose lives have been devastated by illegal, out of control, and unaccountable U.S. drone strikes. This onslaught of aggression is sold to the American people as a surgical strike program that combats terrorism and makes the U.S. safer, when its net total result is neither.
“During the Vietnam War, U.S. soldiers were under orders to win over the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people while simultaneously ordered to burn down their villages. For obvious reasons, this policy was a failure. U.S. drone policy is no different, turning innocent people who would otherwise not be in opposition to America against the U.S.
“This policy is immoral, unethical and unproductive. Amnesty International has questioned the legality of the U.S. drone program in relation to international law.
“This song focuses on the fact that dropping bombs on people’s heads is terror, regardless of who is dropping those bombs. Be it a high tech U.S. drone firing munitions without warning or a suicide bomber detonating an explosive vest without warning, instruments of terror are those that keep a civilian population on edge due to the constant threat of attack.”
Anti-Flag is streaming a lyric video for “Fabled World,” off of American Spring, out May 26, 2015 via Spinefarm Records. Watch it below.
The band has a string of upcoming May tour dates with The Homeless Gospel Choir and War On Women.
AMERICAN SPRING TOUR DATES
w/ The Homeless Gospel Choir and War On Women
May 14: South Gate House – Newport, KY
May 15: FUBAR – St. Louis, MO
May 17: The Record Bar – Kansas, MO
May 18: Wooly’s – Des Moines, IA
May 19: Slowdown – Omaha, NE
May 20: Aggie Theatre – Ft. Collins, CO
May 21: Marquis Theater – Denver, CO
May 23: Punk Rock Bowling – Las Vegas, NV
Anti Flag on Facebook
Anti Flag on Twitter
Anti Flag on Instagram
Baltimore hardcore outfit War On Women will be supporting Anti Flag on a string of upcoming shows, which includes an appearance at South By Southwest and Spillover Fest in Dallas, TX. They are promoting their debut self titled full length release, produced by J. Robbins at the Magpie Cage (Against Me!, Coliseum, Lemuria) and out now via Bridge9.
Mar 21: BD Riley’s – Austin, TX (SXSW 11pm)
Mar 22: Spillover Festival – Dallas, TX
May 14: South Gate House – Newport, KY (w/ Anti Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
May 15: Fubar – St. Louis, MO (w/ Anti Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
May 17: The Record Bar – Kansas City, MO (w/ Anti Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
May 18: Wooly’s – Des Moines, IA (w/ Anti Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
May 20: Aggie Theatre – Ft. Collins, CO (w/ Anti Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
May 21: The Marquis Theater – Denver, CO (w/ Anti Flag, The Homeless Gospel Choir)
