The Australian musicians Clare Easdown and Jade Ryan perform under the name The Cunning Linguists to deliver their fearless composition “BURN THE SWASTIKA.” The song emerged to fight neo-Nazi criminal elements alongside racism and hate rhetoric. The song bursts out with aggressive sounds that make you unable to miss its defiant presence.
The opening notes of “BURN THE SWASTIKA” burst forth with abundant energy at the very beginning of the music. The song generates a powerful wild feeling through its quick thrashing guitars and heavy drums. Punk music should remain authentic so the song delivers a rough unpolished real-sounding tone. This musical response emerged in response to neo-Nazi marches that took place in Australia when members of racist organizations displayed their beliefs and symbols openly. The musicians produced this track as their model against hateful displays.
The lyrics don’t hold back. The song identifies racists and reveals their weak and irrational anger. Through the line “Spineless pricks hiding behind a symbol and a limited mind” the song exposes racial groups that choose to use fear as a substitute for independent thought. Every line of the chorus declares without ambiguity that the message of the song demands the destruction of Nazi symbols and practitioners.
The song gains additional power because of its recording process. Clare produced the song at home where she used an Apple headset and iPhone to handle recording duties. The recording methods adopted by the artists for this song create an authentic unprocessed punk vibe similar to what a performance at an outdoor concert hall would deliver. The song’s recording captures the electric atmosphere of a compact crowd going wild with their screaming vocal responses.
The musical influences of Bikini Kill and Amyl and the Sniffers guide Clare and Jade to produce more than just an average tune. Through “BURN THE SWASTIKA” the artists deliver a forceful vocal statement against intolerance. Through this message punk music continues to function as a force which initiates transformation. This track stands for you if you defend against racism while striving to protect justice.
