Review Summary: Anti-flag going back to their roots, yet making something seemingly more original than previous albums.
Ok, so after the release of the differently directed "The Bright Lights Of America", adding to a sturdy back-catalogue of "sellout" cries, The People Or The Gun shows signs of a band who feels they have a point to prove, whether that be to their former fans/label or music fans in general. Although a few instances still point towards elements from the latest two albums, there really is a back to "formulaic" approach and it compliments the band.
It came as a relief to (me at least) hear the first riff of the first song on this album. "Sodom, Gomorrah, Washington DC" opens with a catchy lead hook, reminiscent to that of "I'd Tell You But...". Unlike past albums, Chris #2 takes on the challenge of vocals on this opening track and it gives the desired effect. Amongst the powerful vocals we can distinguish lines such as: "Religion is the opiate of the weak", yelled with the ferocity that Justin's "nasally whine" lacks. It's somewhat of a typical Chris #2 song,and after a fairly tedious slogan-like chorus, a trademark Sane solo helps bring a promising opening song to a close. The momentum is somewhat maintained on the stellar track "The Economy Is Suffering... Let It Die". Justin's vocals dominate this song and it seems to synchronise well with the chugging guitars, along with the slight alternations to rhythm in the verses. One problem I usually have with Anti-flag is sometimes they can fall on their face lyrically. So, I'm pleasantly surprised to not have cringed after getting through the first two songs.
After the tongue in cheek closure of "The Economy Is Suffering..."["When the cities burn down we'll all keep warm" e.t.c], the refreshing and somewhat tongue-in-cheek humour is sustained on "The Gre(A)t Depression" (I'm not sure why the "A" is capitalised in brackets either). This Woodie Guthrie inspired track indicates that Anti-flag still have a somewhat creative spark. After an atmospheric guitar riff, a pounding bass drum comes in followed by some neat drum fills. A celtic influenced riff comes in to give the song a trademark trait lending a certain amount of originality. To put the proverbial icing on the great start to this album "We Are The One uses a guitar riff and vocal line as angsty, powerful and raw as off The Terror State's Tearing Down The Borders. Justin Sane is oft overlooked as a talented guitarist, but there is no doubting that the often criticised "whiny" singer, can play well. Again, the song gains a stamp of originality because unlike the "woah-oh" infested album For Blood And Empire", this track sees the first use of them. Usually woah's are used to add a further melody to the song via backing vocals, but not in this track. The "woah's" in the post-chorus just add more to the intensity; just when you think it's going to die down, it gets better. The bass also comes to attention in this song with a renewed tone complimenting what there is left to compliment.
The "Bright Lights" hangover is portrayed in the anti-climactic and rather repetitive "This is The First Night". Rather importantly the intensity of the album is galvanised through the course of "No War Without Warriors". A simple riff leads into ultimately the-most-pissed-off song Anti-flag have ever written. Chris #2 again vents his anger: [I point my finger at you/Beau monde through and through/But you still hate everything] followed by off-the-cuff growling. "When All The Lights Go Out" started again in almost predictable Anti-flag fashion - a catchy hook. This track is symbolic of the album as a whole: the rejuvenated intensity amongst the vocals, the nicely toned basslines, the catchy riffs and cliched lyrics. What this album has what the other don't is that for the first time we hear both singers trading lines off each other.
While Anti-flag lost the faith of a lot of fans with the Bright Lights Of America, this album shows a band producing songs as though their careers (if you want to call a "hobby" a career) depended on it: it probably did. My only quirks with this album it ends with two tracks that aren't as memorable as any of the first 4and the cliche lyrics still exist (although no more "bush-bashing").
