Gfk - If Liberty Isn't Given, It Should Be Taken

  by Daniel Cressey

published: 16 / 10 / 2004

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Review

That Quebec based metallic hardcore band GFK are politically charged is apparent from their song titles. The lyrics themselves are often harder to make out, but the political leaning here is obvious. This is entirely understandable when you notice that this album is released on the G7 Welcoming Committee label, the same people who let out Propagandhi’s 'Today’s Empires, Tomorrows Ashes' album. GFK – Government Fury Kills – are political through and through and not just on the surface. As ‘Direct Action is More than Wearing a Che Guevara Shirt’ makes clear, this is no Manic Street Preachers style politics-as-fashion-or-publicity angle. GFK would not get invited onto Jools Holland, and if they somehow stumbled into his studio they would probably give him a lecture on why he shouldn’t be releasing records on Warner Bros. “It’s time to get up and fight” GFK sing, in one of the rare moments when they’re not gutturally shouting. In many ways this album is the sonic equivalent of a fight. The guitars thrash, the drums pound and your ears will damn well bleed. The music and the message here are inextricably linked. Full on in a very refreshing way, 'If Liberty Isn’t Given...' has something to say, and a very angry way of saying it.

Track Listing:-

1 The End Of Our Contribution To Modern Slavery
2 Rethinking Basic Antiracism
3 Globaliverne
4 Time And Space Compression
5 Years Of Feminism Destroyed
6 Mathew Sheppard, Carlos Giuliani...
7 Power Is Invisible Until You Provoke It
8 Todo Para Todos
9 Prison Of Life
10 Religious Icons Are Creations Of Men
11 Direct Action Is More Than Wearing A Che Guevara Shirt