After a long career including 12 studio albums and numerous singles, The Prisoners last album has been, physically, released today through Fat Chance and St. Jimmy's label, Molotov Records.
It's different from all their previous albums, still the good old Punk/Hardcore sound, but with some Progressive elements like complex guitar riffs and solos. I'll let St. Jimmy, the drummer, explain it all to us on a short interview, followed by a description of each song of the album by the band members and artwork!

Q: How was the recodring of this album?

St. Jimmy: Due it was released through my label, we had the freedom to write anything we wanted, when we wanted, without any rich manager to tell us what to do. On the other hand, we dealt with Favorite Son going into the drugs world again, he wasn't interested in the band anymore, and that lasted a long time. We needed him to write the guitar and translate his grandfather's diary so we could start writing the lyrics.
But yeah, the experience was great, Fat Chance is an amazing producer and we're still great friends.

Q: So that caused the delay of the album?

St. Jimmy: Yes. We had the theme of this album ready since the end of last year, it could have easily been released by April. Our kids also helped the delay, I can't deny *laughs*.

Q: What will fans think about this album?

St. Jimmy: You know what, we couldn't care less about what they think on this album. Sure that we love them, but it's their choice if they want to remain close-minded and listen to our first raw record, we never wanted to stay on the same melodies forever.

Q: Do you think this album will make a bigger impact than 'Mommy's Little Nightmare'?

St. Jimmy: I really don't know this answer. I mean, with Mommy's Little Nightmare we went from raw Punk/Hardcore to an Alternative Rock, and that was a huge impact for us and fans. Well, No Fascist Police was also a pretty Hardcore record, even a bit Crustcore sometimes, and its following has solos and complex melodies.

Q: Any other released planned?

St. Jimmy: We do have a little surprise planned for next year. In fact, it's almost sure we'll make it.



Tracks

01. Patriot Act?

Has a melodic hardcore feeling, like Bad Religion and alikes. Lyrics about when Favorite Son's grandfather enlisted on the Russian army and wasn't really sure of what that act meaned. He was proud to be Russian, but didn't know if it was the right way to show his love.

02. Charging, Comrades!

The song begins with a drum beat that reminds of soldiers marching. Soon you can listen to a male voice shouting "March!" in Russian. After a couple of seconds, some guitar chords are heard and soon after Favorite Son screams "Yes, sir!", also in Russian, the song begins. You can clearly tell that the guitar is the main instrument they worked out on this song. It's no longer the typical 3 chords, it has some small guitar solos on the middle and a 2 minutes guitar solo in the end.
Fat Chance's vocals are more spoken than sung. A little bit of screaming here and there, but just it.

03. Drowned in Blood

Beautiful ballad of how he felt after a couple weeks on the battles. All the blood and corpses everywhere, with nowhere to escape. Pretty much fight and shut your eyes or die in the horror.

04. Letters from Yesterday

A song about how the letters he received took so long to get to his hands. They were all checked first, before given to soldiers, invading his privacy. He used to get pictures of his wife 3 months pregnant, when she was already about 5. Heavy song with powerful guitar solo next to the end.

05. Stalingrad

Epic Punk song about the battle of Stalingrad in Russia. It begins with the sound of one gun shot, soon more shots are heard and the song begins. Fast drum beats and exploding guitar riffs are featured in the song from the beggining to the end. Catchy lyrics also. Short guitar solo next to end and you can hear the bass is a little distorted.

06. The Morning will Never Come

Probably the heaviest song of the album, one of the heaviest they ever made! Screams most of the time, followed with St. Jimmy's fast drum beats, and the bass distorted once again. It even gets to be a little Crustcore, also with a guitar solo. Lyrics about the pessimism when on war, that you fear you won't be alive to live the next morning.

07. The Sound of Freedom

A little poppy song, old fans probably will skip it. Had everything to be a single and have a video, it'd attract more fans, but the band doesn't seem to be doing this album to please the major audience. Lyrics about all the sounds you hear on battlefields, from gunshots to people screaming and begging for their lives, the sound of freedom.

08. Hell Seems like a Good Place

Another pessimist song. Not heavy though, another ballad. As the name suggests, hell seemed like a much better place after all those years killing people and watching you friends die. Worse than that, missing all the times he could be with his son and wife, safe at home.

09. It's All About Hate (When it Should be About Love)

When he enlisted on the army, he did it for love to his country and family. He didn't expect to find so much hate and deaths on the way, the majority fighting for the minority.

10. Glory Days Shall Come ft. The Lost

One of the best punk songs of all times, not trying to be a cocky fucker. Couldn't have ended the album with a better song. About all the hopes and dreams he had when the war was near the end. Based on the last page of his diary, 3 days before he was murdered by a nazi soldier. 5 minutes long, a bit heavy in the beggining, catchy chorus and crazy guitar solo on the end. The Lost add their unique sound to the song, making it even more unbelievably epic and great. Awesome collaboration.

The Prisoners have already begun their last world tour and are currently finishing touring Europe. Catch their concerts here.

Edited by user 13 September 2009 05:27:48(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Now you know how you made me feel when The Lost split up.
Bastard :'(

-Favorite Son [Guitar/The Prisoners]