Formed in 1988, the Pennsylvanians of Anti-Flag keep reminding us that punk can't be limited to a few marketing slogans for teenagers (Offspring, Green Day), that it's a real political fight led before them by The Clash or The Dead Kennedys. Burn after burn, this rage didn't dry up and the band even tried a few enriching adventures (the latest one was the transmutation of their punk repertoire into acoustic).
Twelfth studio album, ''20/20 Vision'' cannot be the album of appeasement. The time is always at the fight and without any surprise, the American president is the main target in this opus. Its title seems to refuse the compromise of the ostrich, adopted by a multitude of Western countries. The slogans accumulate clearly delivering their grievances: 'Hate Conquers All', 'Christian Nationalist', 'Un-American', 'A Nation Sleeps'. The voice of the American president even has the privilege of starting the listening process with a sentence - isolated from its context - that we will not comment on.
Seeing the Amnesty International soundtrack in ''20/20 Vision'' would however be a mistake. If the impact of political slogans is as anxiety-provoking as a water pistol, we are left with the essential: music. If the country is asleep, it needs to be woken up, and 'Hate Conquers All' relies on a heavier hardcore sound with an infernal guitar riff and a screaming voice. If hate is a virus, no doubt Anti-Flag has contracted it and generously wishes to pass it on to us. Contrary to Montastruc, Anti-Flag finds a more punk energy not without seduction. The unifying chorus of 'Christian Nationalist' sgould stay for a long time in your head. The very melodic 'Unbreakable' features a devastating guitar solo as if to prove that Anti-Flag is not afraid of anyone. 'Un-American', a beautiful ballad with a unifying chorus, will delight you with its counterpoint aesthetic: what better than a love song to tell the story of a disenchantment?
If the lyrics are typical of a committed band, Anti-Flag have not skimped on the music. In about thirty minutes, the Americans unveil seduction exercises, sometimes melodic and caressing, sometimes chaotic and dark. Although music and politics don't mix well, Anti-Flag nevertheless manages to find an alchemy which is not just an accompaniment to the lyrics but a real sounding board for all their anger and frustrations without skipping the "irony" part.