11. Alexisonfire - Old Crows, Young Cardinals

I'd been waiting what seemed a long, LONG time for this. Alexisonfire are close to my favourite band, pipped to the post only by Brand New. Their 2006 work Crisis is by far one of my favourite albums, so there was a lot to live up to with this release.
Old Crows, Young Cardinals has been described by the band as a musical history of Alexisonfire. It tells the story of the early days through to the present in a high-tempo, aggressive post-hardcore chronology. First track 'Old Crows' boasts the chorus "We are not the kids we used to be, stop wishing for yesterday", the band telling how they've matured both in body and in their music. 'Sons of Privilege' is a straight up hate-America song, the couldn't-care-less line "It's time to justify your pride" ringing clearly through the end of the song. By far my favourite track from the album is 'Born and Raised', a fast-paced four-minute scream-along relating to the breakthrough of the band from St. Catherine's, Canada. The song really allows all the members to show off their individual talents, what with Dallas Green's lead riffs and vocals, George taking a new approach to his screaming, and the intricate drum lines from Ratbeard. The rhythm and bass guitars also let rip, setting the pace for the rest of the album.
Easily one of my favourite new releases from 2009, and probably my favourite Alexisonfire recording.