Punky Melbourne rockers Assassins unleash their powerful new single ‘Always Free’, tackling the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Freshly released on July 7, ‘Always Free’ is the third original single from punky Melbourne rockers Assassins, whose lyrics deal with the Russo-Ukrainian war that escalated last February.
Their new song marks their second single in two years after 2021’s ‘Believe’, which followed EP’s Substance and Confidence.
Funnily enough, Assassins may have started working on new music from 2015 if members Andrew Butler, Craig Park and Eddie Smith hadn’t met again through chance, since originally being active in Melbourne from 1981 to 1989.
With their collective goal being to always look forward and not back, the seeds for new songs were sown as new experiences flowed into the lives of the trio, leading to new singles like ‘Always Free’.
Assassins’ new single is immediately attention-grabbing through its punchy snare drum intro, which leads into a high-velocity riff from their trademark wall of guitar sound. While their music is dirty, deep and raw, the finesse of their playing has every note and chord cutting through the mix under strong lead vocals.
“You left them dyin’ in the middle of the road”, is bitter in its directness, making for a powerful opening lyric. “You left them grieving with nowhere else to go”, continues
the tirade against the Russian government, displaying the vitriol of punk’s true spirit.
While these opening lines are fuelled by rage and disappointment, ‘Always Free’s chorussalutes the resilience of the Ukrainian people, who “fight for freedom everyday”, with “the blood they shed [being] not in vain”.
Considering the global legacy of brilliantly heavy songs inspired by the brutality of war, Assassins’ new single continues in this righteous tradition. Their final chants of “not your country” boil the flaw of Russia’s unjustifiable actions down to its essence.
Since reforming eight years ago after being broken up for 26 years, Assassins’ seasoned edge and rocking performances at venues like Melbourne’s Cherry Bar and Workers Club have re-established the band as a force to be reckoned with, which has to recent support slots with Spy Vs Spy and Sarah McLeod from The Superjesus.
Wrap your ear holes around ‘Always Free’ below:
Review by Corin Shearston
