Chicago based skate punk band Counterpunch had their new hit single “We, The Role” release last month. It contains a song by the same name and was paired with their upcoming 7” album “Handbook For The Recently Debriefed,” which became available January 29th via Thousands Islands Records (North America) and SBÄM Records (EU). For those who need a refresher, Counterpunch was formed in 2004. Their metal drenched Skate Punk, inspired by the Fat Wreck era of modern punk rock, has seen them tour around the world alongside some of the biggest names of the scene. “Handbook For The Recently Debriefed” and “We, The Role” are their first new songs since the band’s previous album “Bruises” in 2014.
Despite “We, The Role” being lyrically inspired and written in 2018, watching the music video for “We, The Role” we’re reminded of some events that unfolded before our eyes in 2020, from the COVID-19 Pandemic to Wildfires and Protests. Now for some, these may be touchy subjects, but to others it may be exactly what they need. Perhaps, a listener is yearning for a song that can relate to their most recent experiences and just tell it how it is, or how it’s been. Right off the bat like a true punk anthem, with the first few lyrics, this song jumps to the point “It’s getting seriously fucked out there”.
In many ways, the song speaks of how the news and social media has consumed us. The song encourages us listeners to “unplug your brain” in other words- open our eyes to what is going on around us in the real, not necessarily in the media and to be safe while being smart.
To better pinpoint what the band means; in their own words: “It’s partially about the media landscapes we invite into our lives, how they prevent us from seeing the world in more accurate or charitable ways, and how it feels to ultimately realize you’ve been unwittingly made the star of a shitty reality show that’s been tailor-made to your specific outrages. In a way, the world has been forced to act on the set of a TV show we never wanted to be part of, and it’s had real consequences for the ways we’ve interacted and treated one another.”
Author: Enrico Versace
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