From the looks of Propagandhi's practice space, which is adorned with all the metal paraphernalia that can fit, and the sound of their new album, Victory Lap, which leans heavily on flying V medleys, the long-running band would very much like to flex their love of classic metal fundamentals. There's probably no stretch on the album where that's more evident than "Failed Imagineer," a song that kicks off with an over-the-top Gene Simmons-esque cry of "Alright, people, we're gonna have a rock and roll party tonight!" before cracking into a chugging riff that would make Iron Maiden smile. But of course, no matter how much their sound morphs and evolves over the years, Propagandhi is still a punk band at its core.Though Victory Lap continues on the path of Propagandhi's sonic evolution, the band is very much the punk kids they were in the mid-90s. While "Failed Imagineer" might seem like your run-of-the-mill, good-time rock jam, it disguises a deeper meaning underneath as it sees them offering a drink to the hardened veterans of war. It's sort of the same twist that "Less Talk, More Rock" pulled back in '96, where they tricked boneheaded punks into slam-dancing to a deceptively fun song about a same-sex encounter. So by all means, bang your head to "Failed Imagineer." But just know that there's always more than meets the eye when you're dealing with Propagandhi.Victory Lap is out on September 29 via Epitaph Records.
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