Review | Anti-Flag – Lies They Tell Our Children

Label: Universal Music

Having been a prominent name on the punk scene since their debut album ‘Die For The Government’ back in 1996, Pittsburgh’s Anti-Flag need no introduction as they drop their thirteenth studio album ‘Lies They Tell Our Children’.

Though they may be nearly thirty years deep into their career, Anti-Flag are showing absolutely no signs of slowing down or getting stale. Such is the pull of their name, for their latest album Anti-Flag have enlisted a slew of special guests from bands such as fellow punks Rise Against and Bad Religion to the lead singer of Metal band Killswitch Engage.

Songs such as ‘Modern Meta Medicine’ and ‘Laugh. Cry. Smile. Die’ have an air of youthful pop punk about them but it doesn’t blunt the venom in the message being delivered. Anti-Flag dip a toe into the grandiose with the anthemic ‘Victory Or Death (We Gave ‘em Hell)’. With a singalong chorus and a bombastic sound, this song is already set for festival season. ‘Shallow Graves’ is another example of Anti-Flag’s ability to write big rock epics with gigantic choruses as well as biting punk tracks.

Though ‘Lies They Tell Our Children’ is a grander and more rock heavy album than Anti-Flag’s cut throat punk past, it doesn’t feel dishonest or forced. It sounds like a band that has been at the top of their game for nearly thirty years growing and evolving which is rare this deep into a band’s career. With a who’s who of guest stars adding their own flavour to the mix, Anti-Flag have struck gold yet again.