Record Label: G7 Welcoming Committee Records
Genre: Thrash Punk
Band Link: link
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After yet another 4 year wait; Propagandhi follows up their 2005 masterpiece ‘Potemkin City Limits’ with their 2009 effort ‘Supporting Caste’. This time it will not be released on Fat Wreck, it will be released on their own G7 label, which is definitely a loss to Fat because this album does not disappoint!

Ever since Today’s Empires Tomorrow’s Ashes I feel Propagandhi have found their sound. With every album their sound has become even more cohesive and outright brilliantly composed; you will not find a boring moment or a section that drags and everything works and flows beautifully. Lyrically, they only continue to grow and have become less and less angry it appears. With each album the lyrics become more thought provoking and less campy or tongue in cheek as they were in the early days and this only adds to the sound that has come to be their own. Now, on to the album!

An aspect that really filled out their sound is the addition of David “The Beaver” Guillas (Giant Sons, Rough Music). For once, the dual guitar parts heard on the album can actually be replicated live and the songs themselves have a full sound that, while it wasn’t lacking in the past, seems to complete the band. ‘Supporting Caste’ Incorporates more of a Thrashy feel than I think ‘Potemkin’ did, down to the opening blast beats in Night Letters (after the intro that somewhat resembles the ‘Killing in the Name of’ intro by Rage Against The Machine) to tracks like ‘This Is Your Life’ and ‘Incalculable Effects’. While I am a diehard fan of Thrash, my favorite part of their sound has definitely become their melodic sections found in tracks such as ‘Dear Coaches Corner’ and ‘Tertium Non Datur’. I must agree with Chris’s quote stating:

“The new record seems like it will resemble a nuclear-powered space-age composite of Potemkin City Limits, Less Talk More Rock, Giant Son’s Anthology and a carefully measured dose of Today’s Empires Tomorrow’s Ashes”

This album takes every aspect that has made Propagandhi stand out from any scene and perfects it. They have, well, slowly to be fair, become one of the cornerstones of Punk sound and will hopefully influence a new generation greatly because the Punk scene needs more inventive and original bands that can put out albums that raise the bar consistently as Propagandhi have!

Be sure to hold for the secret track…. Satan’s there!

Bottom Line: They have yet again outdone themselves and made a milestone that other bands must aspire to surpass. Simply realize that you are taking on a grave task, because this album will make the most devout Catholic Republican cheer for Noam Chomsky to bring down the Vatican!
Notable Tracks: Dear Coaches Corner, Tertium Non Datur, Night Letters, Supporting Caste, Potemkin City Limits, The Funeral Procession, Without Love, Incalculable Effects, Last Will & Testament, The Bangers Embrace
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