Fuck These Fucking Fascists is the fourth full-length by the Muslims, and their first on Epitaph. As the name suggests, it’s complex music steeped in subtle political theory.
Just kidding. This is straight-up angry, screamy punk with overt politics. Which is often needed, especially in the current environment. Besides the title track, other song titles include “Crotch Pop A Cop,” “Illegals,” “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot,” and the utterly ridiculous “John McCain’s Ghost Sneaks Into The White House And Tea Bags The President” give away the idea right up front. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. The band tells it like it is.
This is their fourth album in five years and that underscores the basic message here. It’s honest, raw, hardworking and determined. Songs range from the anti-fascism of the title track to concerns facing queer and other oppressed communities. It praises the underdog and demands that those in power stop and consider others’ points-of-view. Typically, they use harsh and humorous language to get that point across. While there are certainly some violent lyrics on the record, one gets the impression it’s intentionally over the top to make a point when you consider the sum of the whole instead of isolated snippets. “Illegals” is a great case in point and one of the better pieces of satire I’ve heard in a long time.
To keep it simple: Fuck These Fucking Fascists is angry as fuck. But it makes me smile every time I listen.
This is the kind of political punk that got me interested in the genre when I was younger. It’s direct and it isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers. It’s also pretty damn well done, with varied sounds between songs, dual vocalists changing things up, and well layered harmonies and even a few effects. Like any music this lyrically focused, some songs on the record overshadow the rest and a few of the songs here give off filler vibes but it never detracts from the energy. It’s urgent, it’s angry, and it wants you to actually listen.
