This review is part of a series looking back at significant albums on their anniversaries. Through the benefit of hindsight we will be viewing the album not just as it was released, but how it stands the test of time, as well as its place in the band’s discography and the genre in general.
Fat Wreck Chords – 06 February 2001
Yesterday’s Ashes, Today’s Insurrections
Winnipeg’s Propagandhi invaded the States after a very impressed Fat Mike would pump 1993’s How To Clean Everything and 1996’s Less Talk, More Rock into the Fat Wreck Chords catalogue. The two full lengths were noted to have “inspired NOFX to be more technical” while writing Punk In Drublic, and Chris Hannah’s thrashing delivery leaned perfectly against earnest indie punker and (former) bassist/singer/turned Weakerthan, John K. Samson.
The venture to their third release on Fat always drew me to the band’s original recruitment flyer in a local record store, reading “progressive thrash band looking for bass player.” This description, and countless demos and rarities would envision a very different band than these early pop punk releases. In 2001Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky would finally lock it shut in new bassist/singer Todd Kowalski, to become the Propagandhi we’ve known for the past two decades.
From the chilling intro sample of “Mate Ka Moris Ukun Rasik An,” teeth-grinding into Jordy’s double time drums, to the fucking shredding completion of “The Purina Hall of Fame,” Empires takes you on a haunting jog through history. Exposing sexism, racism, homophobia, and imperialism of the past, present, and future; sadly a future that hasn’t changed much.
The fourteen melodic hardcore and politically driven songs were such a surprise to their skate punk base, even Fat Mike didn’t know what to say at the time but, 20 years later, the die-hard fans’ tide has shifted. Propagandhi became a vocal cord for the fed-up, the hurt, the LGBTQ, the vegan, and more. Once the band handed that conversation to record players and concert venues, it changed the genre as we know it.
Host of “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?,” punk rock dad, OILER from the future, oh and my biggest fears are cold poo on my face when I’m sleeping, and spiders that walk on water. Jacket enthusiast, astrological sign.
