Anti Men by Anti Establishment: A Punk Rock Gem That Still Kicks You in the Teeth
Let’s get one thing straight—punk rock isn’t supposed to be pretty. It’s raw, it’s messy, and sometimes it feels like someone just dumped a bucket of cold water on your face. That’s exactly what Anti Men by Anti Establishment does. Released way back in 1983 in the UK under Glass Records (or was it A Glass Record? Who cares, right?), this album hits hard and doesn’t apologize for it. Produced by Rat Scabies—yeah, THAT Rat Scabies from The Damned—you know they weren’t messing around when they made this.
Now, let me tell ya about two tracks that stick with you like gum on a hot summer sidewalk: “Anti Men” and “Misunderstood.”
First up, “Anti Men.” Man, this track is like getting sucker-punched by your own thoughts. The guitars are all jagged edges, slicing through the mix like broken glass. And those lyrics? They’re not trying to win any poetry awards, but damn if they don’t hit where it hurts. It’s basically a middle finger to conformity, wrapped up in two minutes of pure chaos. Every time I hear it, I feel like I’m 17 again, pissed off at everything and everyone, even though I couldn’t explain why. That’s the magic of punk—it doesn’t need to make sense; it just needs to feel real. And this song feels REAL.
Then there’s “Misunderstood,” which is… well, kind of self-explanatory, isn’t it? But don’t let the title fool ya into thinking it’s some whiny emo anthem. Nope. This track rips. There’s an urgency to the vocals, like the singer’s got something stuck in their throat—or maybe their soul. The bassline grooves so hard it almost tricks you into thinking it’s fun until you realize how heavy the words actually are. It’s about feeling alienated, lost, and yeah, misunderstood. But instead of wallowing, it channels that frustration into energy. By the end, you’re not sad anymore—you’re ready to take on the world. Or at least scream at it.
What makes Anti Men stand out isn’t just its sound—it’s the attitude. This isn’t polished stadium rock or trendy new wave crap. It’s dirty, unapologetic, and dripping with venom. Listening to it now feels like opening a time capsule from a forgotten era, except nothing about it feels dated. Maybe because we’re still living in a world full of anti-men—and anti-women too, honestly.
Here’s the kicker though: as much as this album screams rebellion, it also reminds you that being angry doesn’t mean you’re alone. In fact, sometimes anger can bring people together. Weird, huh? So crank this baby up loud, let it mess up your hair, and remember—it’s okay to be mad. Just make sure you do something about it afterward.
