Anti-Flag Share New Song Laugh. Cry. Smile. Die. From 13th Studio LP 'Lies They Tell Our Children'
Monday, 01 August 2022
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Josh Massie
Anti-Flag have announced their 13th studio album, 'Lies They Tell Our Children'.
The Pittsburgh punk veterans will release the follow-up to 2020's '20/20 Vision' through Spinefarm Records on January 6. Introducing it, they said:
"Look, this is our 13th album. There’s no other way to put it; 'Lies They Tell Our Children' is the best fucking version of Anti-Flag we have ever been. We haven’t been afforded the privilege and ability to spend every day together writing and focusing on every detail of an album in well over a decade and I think you can feel that collaboration and collectiveness in these songs more than any other record of ours. That collaboration was only extrapolated on with the inclusion of the eight guests who are featured on the album, spanning genres, years of friendship, and a vast array of perspectives.
"The album itself is the first conceptual album the band has ever done, spawned out of a compulsive need to not just comment on the dystopian corporate wasteland we all face but to trace it back to the origin of this fate; the political policies, laws, cultural shifts, and lineage of injustice that have led us to the world we live in today.
"Like the band itself, of course the album is an anti-war statement both in the literal and figurative sense. This is an important moment in history and demands an urgent response, but we thought it was also important that we retrace our footsteps to the beginning of these issues. In order to better understand how to eradicate climate devastation, imperialism, war based economics, systems predicated upon racism, and the increasing belief that these things do not even exist, you have got to take people to the source. This idea is the crux of 'The Lies They Tell Our Children'; put this wretched history in their face and demand their empathy."
As a preview, they've unveiled the video for the fired-up lead single, Laugh. Cry. Smile. Die., which features Silverstein's Shane Told. It's one of many notable guest appearances on the record, which also includes Rise Against's Tim McIlrath, Killswitch Engage's Jesse Leach, and more.
Addressing climate change denial, the new cut finds the band delivering another infectious singalong punk anthem. It comes with a video created with the Indecline Activist Art Collective, viewable below.
Anti-Flag are currently touring Europe and have a handful of UK dates scheduled for later this week. They also have North American shows in the diary for the fall.
'Lies They Tell Our Children' tracklist:
1. Sold Everything
2. Modern Meta Medicine (featuring Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage)
3. Laugh. Cry. Smile. Die. (featuring Shane Told oF Silverstein)
4. The Fight Of Our Lives (featuring Tim McIlrath Of Rise Against and Brian Baker Of Bad Religion)
5. Imperialism (featuring Ashrita Kumar of Pinkshift)
6. Victory Or Death (We Gave 'Em Hell) (featuring Campino of Die Toten Hosen)
7. The Hazardous
8. Shallow Graves (featuring Tré Burt)
9. Work and Struggle
10. Nvrevr (featuring Stacey Dee of Bad Cop/Bad Cop)
11. Only In My Head
Anti Flag Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Wed August 03 2022 - SOUTHAMPTON Engine Rooms
Fri August 05 2022 - NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
Sat August 06 2022 - LONDON Garage
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