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I can’t contain myself. Literally. It is dangerous to do things like this at work. There is simply too much energy to be controlled. I’ve got that incredibly inspired, angry, empowered, and sad feeling; it only comes from music and it only comes in small amounts. You get a tingling all over your body and you want to do something crazy; usually anything that involves flailing your around and hurting your body.

Yesterday, I heard a brand new track by Anti-Flag called “Spit In The Face”. It comes from their yet-to-be released full-length entitled “The Bright Lights of America”. If the album, slated to drop on April 1st (my one year anniversary with my girlfriend), is anything like this one track, it could very well be one of my all-time favorites.

I had a word document open as I listened for the first time and I started writing. This is what came out:

“Heart Attack! Bass?!?!?!?!?, so aggressive, so pissed off, so fast!
I hate friendly fire too! Screaming, 2 step breakdown,
I’m shivering….bass and vocal break? AHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Right from the beginning with the piano complementing the expertly produced punk quartet, I was set up for an overwhelming auditory experience. A frantic and desperate drum-lead section takes us to an inspiring use of the supreme, stage-dive inducing” fast drums with pick-slides” technique.

Chris #2 breaks the vocal silence with his characteristically melodically rough and passionate screaming. Once Justin Sane makes himself heard in the chorus, you realize the vocals for the song have reached a near-perfect level for aggressive/melodic music.

After a Propagandhi-esque guitar solo and a return to the chorus, a mid-song breakdown calls in an eerie siren to set the mood for a forlorn sing-along. It really makes you want to shed a tear and raise your fist. I can just imagine a whole venue full of frustrated kids (finally getting a chance to vent the feelings they’ve been holding in for who knows how long) singing along at the top of their lungs. When the drum cuts out in the last measure all you can hear is thousands of voices screaming, “I am infallible. I am untouchable!”.

The next new section takes the cake as my favorite. A two-step breakdown. Hardcore 101. It’s beautiful. I want to dance even though I don’t know how. I don’t know if I can even put the amazing power of this section into words.

The only part of the song I take issue with is the last return to the chorus. I don’t think it’s necessary. But still, it does little to diminish the song.

But seriously, how about that bass sound?

Listen now.

After listening to this, I can’t help but think of how the Anti-flag fans of the “Die For the Government” era would view a song like this. Anti-flag has really come a long way. Are they even recognizable as that band that started in 1988? Well, this is a huge discussion I’m about to get into, so I’ll just back off.