Album Review: Propagandhi - "Failed States"

     My 15 year old self would probably kick my ass for saying this, but despite how classic Propagandhi's early material may be, their more recent output is light years ahead of anything they did on their first few records. The pop-punk of their first two albums is a distant memory, having long since been replaced with a lethal, thrash infused hardcore attack. The band's sixth full-length effort, "Failed States," is the next logical step from 2009's near-masterpiece, "Supporting Caste." The slow build of opener "Note to Self" quickly gives way to the all out speed metal of the title track. The rest of the record alternates between relentless thrash and melodic passages that remind the listener that this is still very much a Propagandhi record. There are a few moments, such as on "Cognitive Suicide," when the guitar and bass lines weave into each other in an almost Fugazi-esque fashion, only to seamlessly launch back into a breakneck pace. The intro to "Rattan Cane" finds the band slowing down to a lurching, near doom metal groove, while "Hadron Collision" embraces the spirit of 80s crossover, complete with a wah-pedal soaked guitar solo. Lesser bands would fail miserably at mixing up so many sub-genres, but Propagandhi not only excel at it, they have used it to create a sound unlike any other band over the course of their six albums. Lyrically, this band has no peer. I have often made the mistake of comparing my own lyrical output with Propagandhi's, and that will always be a fatal mistake. No matter what it is you feel like you need to say in a song, chances are these guys have already said it better. While still directly taking on certain subjects, this album seems to have more of an underlying theme of personal responsibility. Many songs seem to share a common thread of the problems being faced in modern society being caused by the general population's inability, and sometimes unwillingness, to care about anything until it is too late. As always, the words are not only clever, but make you think about issues in a way you may not have before. Chris Hanna and Todd Kowalski spit out their respective vocal parts with venom and conviction rarely heard in music these days. All in all, I'm very tempted to call this record Propagandhi's finest hour, but, as with their previous two albums, I'm holding back simply because I feel like this one is another stepping stone towards something even greater.