The Anti-Queens

START RUNNING (2015)

EmMoore

On START RUNNING, Toronto, Ontario’s Anti-Queens take no shit while providing a soundtrack for the revolution.

The vocal delivery is clear and smooth, making sure no word is missed as The Anti-Queens blast the stupidity of corporate thinking and social institutions. The drums are energetic and driving like a heartbeat throughout START RUNNING and weave together perfectly with the powerful guitars and bass. You can feel the power and confidence of The Anti-Queens flowing through your veins on every song. The passionate anger that they play with feels like a unifying force that makes you want to grab your friends and take to the streets while singing along to START RUNNING.

The Anti-Queens explore the complexities of modern-day feminism and the fight for equality on “4 Tits”. The track opens with a rousing chant of “Singing cause I wanna/Not because I gotta” asserting their independence and making everyone listening feel like they can do anything they want to. The drums, guitars and bass play together seamlessly throughout the track, complementing the lyrics expertly and creating a strong, in-your-face sound that is impossible to ignore. Near the end of the song, The Anti-Queens deliver a spoken-word speech through a megaphone highlighting differences between men and women before declaring “But in the end/When everything is said and done/And our lives are over/Our graves are identical.” This powerful lyric is paraphrased from the novel Minaret by Sudanese author Leila Aboulela and shows that even though everyone is equal in death, we must all continue to fight for equality in life.

On “Like A Flame”, The Anti-Queens are fed up with the way that corporations run the world and control the lives of so many people. They play with a fierce intensity that makes you feel like you’re witnessing the beginning of a revolution and will make you want to join them on the front lines. Layered vocal tracks along with gang vocals create a feeling of unity and solidarity amid frantic energy.

The Anti-Queens’ START RUNNING is well produced and each track crackles with intense energy. The drums, bass and guitar work perfectly together and play to each other’s strengths without forgetting to highlight their own skill. The vocals are clear and easy to hear, allowing their lyrics to be heard and felt with the intensity they intended. The songs flow seamlessly together with each one hitting its intended mark. The only fault I can find with this album is that there aren’t enough songs on it. I would give START RUNNING a solid 4.5/5.

The Anti-Queens show that they are a force to be reckoned with on START RUNNING while encouraging all of us to find our voice and join the fight.