Anti-Flag Announce New Acoustic Album, ‘American Reckoning’
The album features acoustic versions of songs from the Pittsburgh punks’ past two albums and covers of songs that inspired them.
Pittsburgh political punk band Anti-Flag have just announced a new acoustic album, American Reckoning, set to be released on Spinefarm Records on 28 September. The album features acoustic versions of songs from their past two albums, American Spring and 2017’s American Fall as well as covers of songs that inspired them.
Known for their left-wing politics, focusing on anti-war activism, imperialism, class struggle, human rights, and various socio-political sentiments, Anti-Flag have proven themselves as both dedicated activists and accomplished musicians since forming in 1993. Decades of strong political ideals and rousing punk rock songs have allowed the band to assemble a devoted fan base of like-minded individuals all across the world.
“When you’re a band that has been together as long as Anti-Flag has you take nothing for granted,” the band say in a statement. “We have far exceeded any personal expectations we have had for the band, our art and the reach that it has had. This chapter of our band started with the hope of American Spring, the anger of American Fall and comes to cessation with American Reckoning…
“This piece focuses on songs from both records (Spring/Fall) that we felt maintain their relevance, even in the distraction politic America, where issues and truth are distorted in a seconds time. We also wanted to provide insight into our influences that lead us to write the records, that’s where the covers come in. They are songs that people may not expect to be influential to Anti-Flag records but either in their messaging or sonics they were tremendously impactful to us as individuals and hence the song writing process.
“We cannot be knee jerk reactionary to a president that uses corporate media to endlessly lie, we created statements and art that we feel directly combat these tactics, American Reckoning has allowed us to revisit some of those previous statements and shine new light on them.”
American Reckoning was recorded in Pittsburgh, PA, and mixed and mastered by long time Anti-Flag engineer Justin Francis. The album’s artwork was designed by Doug Dean, who also did the artwork for both American Spring and American Fall.
In addition to their forthcoming album, Anti-Flag have released a new music video for the acoustic version of “The Debate Is Over (If You Want It)’. The video was filmed in the band’s hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, and directed by Josh Massie and Anti-Flag and you can watch it below.
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American Reckoning’s tracklisting is as follows:
‘The Debate Is Over (If You Want It)’
‘Trouble Follows Me’
‘American Attraction’
‘When The Wall Falls’
‘Racists’
‘Set Yourself On Fire’
‘Brandenburg Gate’
‘Gimme Some Truth’ (John Lennon cover)
‘For What It’s Worth’ (Buffalo Springfield cover)
‘Surrender’ (Cheap Trick cover)
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