Great rock n' roll doesn't have to be mindless and socially conscious tunes don't have to be dull. When art and entertainment devolve into mere commercial escapism, the status quo of an oppressive system and the empty banality of mediocre music will prevail.

Anti-Flag burst through the concrete wall of apathy like a proverbial desert flower. 'American Spring' is an empowering, energetic antidote to the crippling cynicism that infects even the most dedicated of rabble-rousers. Co-produced by AWOLNATION's Kenny Carkeet, Jim Kaufman and the band, Anti-Flag's tenth studio album is both a shot across the bow of the political discourse and creatively challenging.

'American Spring' is a stylistic leap forward that captures the essence of their dense catalog while conjuring a fresh new sound. Anti-Flag's commitment to high caliber neo-punk music remains as strong as their devotion to raising awareness. "I hope this record can be an encouragement to people to never give up," declares Justin Sane, guitarist/vocalist and cofounder of Anti-Flag. "I know that music changed my life."

As detailed by the essays in the 'American Spring' liner notes, Anti-Flag's lyrics are as socio-politically minded as ever, but through the lens of deeply personal experience. Drummer/co-founder Pat Thetic's uniquely identifiable rhythms and the dual vocals of Sane and bassist/vocalist Chris #2 ensure each song retains the sound Anti-Flag has established, even as Sane and longtime guitarist Chris Head unleash their heaviest riffs.

Punk icon Tim Armstrong (Operation Ivy, Rancid, The Transplants) guests on "Brandenburg Gate," a song Chris #2 envisioned as akin to Billy Bragg's "Socialism of the Heart" meets The Clash. "I've wanted to write a song with that sort of groove ever since I've known I can write songs."

"Without End" confronts the false doctrine of perpetual war, dismantling the idea that a military "victory" can be had over concepts like "terror," topped off with a blistering solo from Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine.

"Change happens one person at a time. It takes time. But it's important for those ideas to be out there," Sane insists. "It's impossible to connect with every single person. When you're putting an idea out there, you're just hoping it will resonate with enough people that it has some kind of ability to affect their lives. But change does happen in incremental steps. The first part of being involved is being aware. Then beyond that, there are steps we can all take to become a more active part of progressive resistance."

Yes, thankfully there remain those whose resilience is assured, who fight harder against adversity and difficult odds. They are the proud torchbearers for progressive collectivism, radical change, and a free expression with heavy social responsibility. They are the artists with the talent to create works worthy of their message. Bessie Smith, Woody Guthrie, MC5, Bad Religion, Boogie Down Productions, The Clash – and after more than two decades, Anti-Flag carries the tradition forward, injecting the underground and the mainstream with politically charged, deliberate, smart-but-no-less-visceral neo-punk.