All the fans of Anti-Flag can buy this album blind. The band did a good job with creating new songs: the massive singing, the fast rhythms and the sense for melodies are great as ever. Personally, I like this band for being able to make pure punk music without slamming the same pattern of six power chords in a row over and over again.

No, Anti-Flag is able to come up with some nice variation. Instead of the above things I just mentioned, the songs have more different dimensions that make this record interesting as it is. Whether it’s the more melodic ‘The Press Corpse’ the angry ‘Émigré’ or the hit-potential ‘This is the End (For You My Friend)’ with a nice slow pattern towards the climax, somewhere in the end of the song. All the songs are really to listen to with still some things to discover after a few more listening sessions and in my opinion, a punk band has than done a good job.

But, the way in which Anti-Flag really distinguishes themselves from others, is of course by using political messages. Listen to Émigré: ‘First they came for the Communists, but I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists, but I did not speak out. Next they came for the Trade Humanists, but I did not speak out. And then they came for me!!’ It’s amazing how suitable this punk rock is for using political messages. In my opinion, there are very few bands out there that are able to sound as convincing as Anti-Flag does on ‘For Blood and Empire’. Especially the last (wow, nice and fast) song ‘Depleted Uranium is a War Crime’ which also mentions the current situation in Afghanistan and Iraq touched me, with an explanation about the severity of the possible damages of this atom.
 

It may be clear, if you want to protest one of these days, this album should be a source of inspiration for you. Both having fun and making a statement are combined in a very, very convincing and entertaining way. Maybe a little more experimenting could give the band a more unique face but still, it’s an amazing album and by far the best punk record I’ve heard this year so far. And for you who have the intention to buy the album. Try to put it on your portable music devices and walk around your neighborhood and your city center while paying attention to the lyrics. It might give you some impressions you never had before. And that’s interesting isn’t it?