First single “Soldiers of Misfortune” is an emotional tribute — with a chorus that hints at vintage U2 — to fallen U.S. Army Reservist (and Filter fan) Sgt. Justin Eyerly who lost his life within days of being deployed to Iraq. And, it’s an instant classic. Recall that Filter’s first hit, “Hey Man, Nice Shot” (from Short Bus) was also a tribute, this one being to the late Republican Pennsylvania state treasurer Budd Dwyer, who took his own life in 1987 during a televised press conference. So, political (and patriotic) tributes are nothing new to Richard Patrick.
Track two, “What’s Next” starts off with that familiar slightly distorted bass (as heard on early Filter tracks) and the lyrics are an outright indictment of our government. Check out lyrics like “George Bush is f***ing us up,” and “look what they’ve done to us/we don’t know who to trust.”
But instead of moping about current state of affairs, he wants us to do something about it, hence the lyrics: ”It’s time we took up a stand/Take a wrong out of our hands.” It’s another vintage heavy and intense Filter number that doesn’t let up ‘til its end. The industrial metal of “The Take” has a similar vibe, though it does include an acoustic breakdown that leads to a crushing finale.
Elsewhere, there are a couple of future hit singles on the record that are in the vain of the last two records’ catchiest tunes, including “Kill The Day.” It’s a definite repeat-worthy midtempo number that could easily fit right in with Amalgamut’s quieter standouts like “The Only Way (Is The Wrong Way).” But the track’s flute-like high-end guitars add a new dimension to the Filter sound, at least in a way not easily identifiable before now.
The spacious track “Only You” definitely has its own identity but thematically, it is linked to the hypnotic, ambient and dreamy instrumental “Can Stop This,” as both songs share a “tentative hope” for the future, as well as the same acoustic guitar riffs. [Put together as one, the song becomes “Only You Can Stop This”]
Traces of Filter’s super-heavy (“nu metal”) numbers from previous records can be found on a couple of Anthems tracks, but “In Dreams” in particular, which has its ultra heavy guitars tuned down to Drop A (as they are on “Welcome To The Fold” and “Columind,” from Title of Record and Amalgamut, respectively).
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