Anti-Flag - This Is The End (For You My Friend)

[pen]

The second single from For Blood And Empire goes for adds on July 17th. This actually sounds like a pretty typical punk song. Can't imagine it doing all that much.

[reception]

mms://66.186.0.101/allaccess/antithis.wma

[singingsparrow]

Then again, pretty typical punk songs have been successfully holding this format hostage plenty of times as of late, from She Wants Revenge to Fall Out Boy to Hawthorne Heights.

It's actually exactly for that understanding alone why this single may even have a shot to begin with. And with Alternative artists far less hesitant than every other format to express politics in music, that also works in favor for them.

Now, in terms of the single itself, there's not much to this song, and so there I will agree this probably won't be hyped, but Anti-Flag certainly has much of what it takes for them to suddenly break through and begin conquering this chart.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[American Idiot]

Sheesh.  This was played 9 times over the past week and is sitting at #231 on Alternative.  I'd say this totally BOMBED for sure.

[pen]

singingsparrow said:

Then again, pretty typical punk songs have been successfully holding this format hostage plenty of times as of late, from She Wants Revenge to Fall Out Boy to Hawthorne Heights.

It's actually exactly for that understanding alone why this single may even have a shot to begin with. And with Alternative artists far less hesitant than every other format to express politics in music, that also works in favor for them.

Now, in terms of the single itself, there's not much to this song, and so there I will agree this probably won't be hyped, but Anti-Flag certainly has much of what it takes for them to suddenly break through and begin conquering this chart.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

I don't think of Fall Out Boy or Hawthorne Heights as typical punk, since the former is kind of revitalizing pop-punk's viability by writing better and wittier songs than previous groups and the latter is not really punk but screamo, and they don't sound that typical either. She Wants Revenge is just not punk at all, for that matter.

When I say typical punk, I mean like really simplistic and straightforward kind of stuff that bands like Bad Religion, Anti-Flag, and especially Pennywise have more or less based their career on. There's no real spark to that style anymore, no real creativity, and since this song is pretty basic bare-bones punk, that's why I put it into that category. There's nothing special about it. It's just there.

[jdmasta289]

I'll just say that if Anti-Flag couldn't become successful over the past 15 years of being together, and couldn't become successful during punk's continuous "revitalization" in the mid-90's after the enormous success of Green Day, there's no reason to think they can become successful now.

I'd say the only difference between the success of Rise Against and this band is poster promotion (which only goes so far) and "Swing Life Away". Keep in mind that, although it had more lasting power at the time, "Give It All" peaked at about the same position as "The Press Corpse". I doubt many people were surprised that an all-acoustic song like "Swing Life Away" could gain radio airplay. That carried them through to their third single peaking in the low '20s and now "Ready To Fall" peaking where it is (although "Ready To Fall" has an exceptionally powerful chorus).

[pen]

I think Rise Against is better than Anti-Flag. They're a little more varied, and I think a bit heavier, and a bit more in touch with what works.

[Nicholas2.0]

I agree completely. And personally, though I agree with a lot of what Anti-Flag talk about, the extent to which that stacks their catalog is exhausting after awhile.

[jdmasta289]

penance said:

I think Rise Against is better than Anti-Flag. They're a little more varied, and I think a bit heavier, and a bit more in touch with what works.

Exactly on. Anti-Flag don't make any riffs that are particularly memorable, while Rise Against are capable of making that infectious hook in their choruses. Also, the screaming and vocal talents of Tim McIlrath are second-to-none. Rise Against break new ground, Anti-Flag don't. That's not to say I don't like Anti-Flag. They're like an Aiden to Rise Against's My Chemical Romance.

[Nicholas2.0]

I dispute that analogy because Anti-Flag actually have integrity and are obviously smart guys.

[jdmasta289]

nicholas said:

I dispute that analogy because Anti-Flag actually have integrity and are obviously smart guys.

Well, I don't dispute that. They're trying to communicate a message and I respect them for that. And obviously they've been in the game long enough (12 years and counting) that they know what punk rock is, but Rise Against, at least musically, are just better and know better how to generate hit songs in 2006 just a little better, that's all.

[pen]

nicholas said:

I dispute that analogy because Anti-Flag actually have integrity and are obviously smart guys.

They can have those things and still make boring music.

[crash46]

Umm, I think what was under dispute here was how Aiden had been brought into this equation when they don't have those things and still make boring music.

[pen]

crash46 said:

Umm, I think what was under dispute here was how Aiden had been brought into this equation when they don't have those things and still make boring music.

Oh, I see. My bad.