Anti-Flag: The Terror State

(Fat Wreck, 2003)

"You can murder the rebel, but you can't murder the rebellion"

Discovery: See first AF entry.

Result: This is Anti-Flag's last independent release, before they made the much-criticized decision to jump to a major. I'm the last person to call someone a sellout, I do, however, feel like you can't really be against flags but for major labels. Especially in this day and age, majors are not really needed, and I don't buy the "our message to more people" argument. It doesn't appear that Anti-Flag has gained any more popularity in recent major-label years over their indie ones. But, I digress. This album is their best in my opinion, as it transcends the usual punk rock chord party, while still addressing the heavy issues of current times.

Stand-out Tracks: "Turncoat", "Sold As Freedom", "You Can Kill the Protester, But You Can't Kill the Protest"

Anti-Flag: Underground Network

(Fat Wreck, 2001)

"They try to blind us but we stand up and fight"

Discovery: See previous entry.

Result: This album was AF's Fat Wreck debut, and brought the band a higher profile on this indie heavyweight. You still have the angry and political lyrics, but add to it some more advanced songwriting to get another batch of punk rock anthems.

Stand-out Tracks: "Angry, Young and Poor", "Underground Network", "Stars and Stripes"

Anti-Flag: Die for the Government

(New Red Archives, 1996)

"Punk by the book"

Discovery: Anti-Flag was another one of those bands that as a young kid first getting into punk rock and politics, I couldn't avoid hearing about or getting into. I have a random collection of their albums, but they always put on a great live show, and ignite some of that old punk rock angst even in their (and my) ripe age.

Result: This album was AF's debut, and would set the tone for many, many angry punk rock records full of anthems complete with plenty of gang-vocal chants about various injustices in the world. I find Anti-Flag a bit much these days so I don't really listen to them that often, but the times I've seen them in recent years have still been pretty fun.

Stand-out Tracks: "Drink Drank Punk", "She's My Little GoGo Dancer", "Punk by the Book"