Agnostic Front hasn’t lost a step over the years and that makes their latest release, The American Dream Died, a powerful, politically charged hardcore punk romp. Police Violence – check, social inequality – check, blind nationalism – check, humanity’s unwillingness to learn from the past – check, corrupted government – double check!
Honestly this is the best Agnostic Front has sounded in a while. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy just about everything they do, but I haven’t really felt that fire, that angst since Riot, Riot, Upstart or maybe even Dead Yuppies. It feels like they guys went back, listened to their old albums, rediscovered their sound and then took it up to 11. From Roger Miret’s vocals to Pokey Mo’s drums everyone sounds fantastic and what a freaking relief!
The American Dream Died, is another one of those scratching-an-itch-I-didn’t-know-I-had kind of moments. I didn’t know that I was missing having a really good hardcore punk release until Agnostic Front released this and stirred up something deep inside my little punk rocker soul that I didn’t realize had slowly fallen asleep, but it’s waking up and I’m craving more.
Now that I’ve had this taste my greedy little ears I need more. Whose next? Will Gorilla Biscuits reunite and give us a taste of the good old days? Will Bad Brains bring back their former noise and slam their PMA in our faces? Will Comeback Kid release an album that doesn’t sound like they’ve given up and returns to the glory of Wake The Dead?
At least I have Agnostic Front’s The American Dream Died to keep my ears and feet busy until someone else joins the fray and I’m incredibly happy about that!
Rating: 4.73/5