Thursday 19 February 2009

Review - Propagandhi - Supporting Caste

Propagandhi - Supporting Caste

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7 out of 10

I have a feeling the purists are going to hate this. There are tunes! There are solos! There is singing! Not necessarily all things one would associate with a Propagandhi album. You know what though? I think this is up there with their best.

I wasn't really a fan until Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes - the band was always a little bit too straightforward and po faced for my liking, and they've stepped further away from that mould with this new album. There are full on thrash punk songs (This is Your Life being a prime example) but most of the album takes a more sedate pace, taking cues from the likes of Latterman and Rise Against with just a hint of Iron Maiden and Rush in some of the riffing. The lyrics are just as straight laced as ever (although do I detect just an iota of humour?) but let's be honest, anything else just wouldn't be Propagandhi.

It's not perfect - at times it veers too far towards mid paced emo metal and suffers accordingly. Some bits are alarmingly close to sounding like Thrice, and it could be argued that the steadier pace does lose some of the immediacy of the full bore earlier material. On the whole though, it's a mature and powerful album from a band that sounds like it's growing up with some grace.

Also, the secret track is AMAZING.

Listen: www.myspace.com/propagandhi

Tracklist:
1. Night Matters
2. Supporting Caste
3. Tertium non Datur
4. Dear Coach's Corner
5. This is Your Life
6. Human(e) Meat
7. Potemkin City Limits
8. Funeral Procession
9. Without Love
10. Incalculatable Effects
11. The Banger's Embrace
12. Last Will and Testament

3 comments:

Neil King said...

seriously?
kill yourself.

kylewagoner said...

I doubt Propagandhi take ANYTHING from bands like Rise Against. I think it's kind of the other way around completely. Rise Against get shittier and shittier, Propagandhi redefine art with every release. But it's definitely an amazing album.

Unknown said...

couldn't agree more with the rise against comment. anyway it feels like ages since i've heard a band who newest release is their best- and this is it. fast as fuck and angry political punk rock at its best. im sick and tired of listening to bands that i loved 5 years ago who now completely suck (thrice, maybe?). ive been playing this on repeat for the last week and that's not going to change any time soon.