By SoDak
In dropping the needle on the new seven-inch record by The Persecuted, a band from both Salt Lake City, Utah, and Austin, Texas, the opening notes remind me of the U.K. Subs and other early British punk bands. The vocals, however, are more reminiscent of U.S. bands such as Resist, Deprived, and Aus-Rotten, from the late 1980s and early 90s. This is straight-forward, no frills, no bullshit, political punk rock, which can be refreshing, as it has been a while since I have heard new music in this vein.
The opening track, “Terrorist U.S.A.,” is a medium-paced song, focused on the deaths associated with U.S. foreign policy, where bombing for peace is the American way.
Run through the flock while the reaper is calling,
Search for your family in the rubble that’s burning
No way to escape the bombs that are falling
An innocent victim of terrorist knowledge…
33 thousand civilians were killed
Bombs dropping like flies in the sands of the hills
Corpses decaying lying dead in the streets
All in the name of bringing freedom and peace.
The pace of the songs increases with the second track, “The Prisoner.” The chorus is to similar to the famous D.O.A. song with the same title, given the repeating of “the prisoner,” which has always been catchy. The third song, “Enslaved,” addresses being trapped in wage-slavery, as our lives are wasted, from “the cradle to the grave.” Both “So Many Lies” and “Brussel Bombs” focus on news media, misinformation, and the creation of fear. “State Patrol” takes aim at the role of the state and police in imposing control and domination through oppression. The drums and guitar on the final song, “Nixon’s Back,” have a driving beat, that is a bit hypnotic with the rhythmic vocals. The lyrics address the ongoing rise of fascism in the United States, where power and greed dominate, invoking the response:
Ridiculous politician
Should be shot
Has no concern for life at all
Begging from the poor
While the rich stay rich
The rich stay rich
The poor stay fucked.
The seven songs on this record clock-in at just over twelve minutes. They are catchy with gruff vocals, inviting the listener to sing along, expressing anger at the powers that be, who create so much death and misery.
The packaging for the record is quite nice, perfectly fitting the style of music. The lyric booklet in particular, a five-by-five, is well-done, filled with classic punk graphics. This is the third release from Rabbit Rabbit Records, out of Chicago. Kudos.
Persecuted Bandcamp:
https://the-persecuted.bandcamp.com
Rabbit Rabbit Records:
https://rabbitrabbitrecordspress.bigcartel.com/
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