bleeding kansas (digital EP)

by abolitionist

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1.
03:39
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2.
03:02
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3.
03:12
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4.
03:06
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5.
04:04
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about

In October of 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown led twenty-five men - composed of former slaves, fellow abolitionists, and his sons - in an ill-fated raid on the federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His idea was to steal its weapons, arm the town's slaves, and lead them into the surrounding hills to wage an insurrection against the institution of slavery. It was a failure and John Brown was subsequently executed. His actions, however, confirmed to the slavocracy that it was under attack by the supposedly anti-slavery Northern states and the first American Civil War began soon after. The rest is history. Blood-soaked history.

credits

released 15 August 2012
music & lyrics by dustin herron. all instrumentation by dustin herron. engineered & mixed by steve hunter @ means of production studios (corvallis, oregon) between november 2011 and august 2012. mastered by scott craggs @ old colony (boston, massachusetts). art by joshua mikel/sharkguts (atlanta, georgia).

tags

tags: punk political punk post-hardcore Portland

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Track Name: bleeding kansas
Things are not right here but, then again, when have they have been?. Manifest destiny. It's our land, thanks to slavery. The battle's in Kansas, out west where the river's long. People dying in Kansas. Shot in the head for thinking slavery's done. They're bleeding in Kansas. No border, no self-control. They're killing in Kansas. Confusion reigns in many a lost soul. Take me over to Kansas. No comprise when the blood is on the wall. United states of America. No north, no south, just one land for us all. They're bleeding in Kansas.
Track Name: what we need is action
You say you want a free state. You want it now before it's too late. Where we all have opportunity. Where there exists no impunity. I'm afraid we'll have to fight for it. I'm afraid we'll have to die for it. Beware the ones with the dough on their face. They've all bought into the lie of the master race. What we need is action. What we is action now. What need is action. Pick up that gun, put down that plow. This isn't a race war. We've heard all the lies before. Listen to your heart now. Feel the heavy whip as it cuts into your brow. We are all the same here. All kept in line by the violent fear that the rich men lie about. It's all about profit in textile amounts.
Track Name: pottawatomie
We forced you out in the dead of night. You slave-catchers didn't even fight. Live by the sword, hearts choked with mud. Enslave my brother and we'll drown you in your blood. You fight this Free State, you'll burn its towns. You sacked poor Lawrence, burned it to the ground. But on this springtime night with air so sweet. We'll take your fire as we slash you from your feet. It's true we murder you, steal you from your wives. But this is war so just that it's focusing all of our lives. You can't deny it - it's our people's way. Fight until the death until peace is here to stay.
Track Name: cut the head off this snake
Gather up the pikes, son, it's time we head down south. Gather up the men, son, we're going where God can't be found. Where the devil makes his home. Down to the armory, we march without a sound - righteous, but terrified - on this wet October ground. Gonna be a very cold trip. Never surrender. Not till every last one is free. Never surrender to this slavocracy. You are some brave men, you've led hardscrabble lives but for this righteous cause you would gladly die. All twenty-five of you. A band of brothers, both black and white. Down to the armory, where we'll bring the fight. It's much too late for them. Let's bring the fight to them, show them how it's done. No time for politics when it's freedom to be won. Let's cut the head off this snake. I see it now, boys, that train is just ahead. Pull down those wires, make sure the telegraph is dead. The time to strike is now.
Track Name: we will vanquish you
The golden leaves outside fall to the ground, fall to their place in the universe, while we take fire in this space. Holed up like a dog. It doesn't seem a place I'd like to die. Best to forget that now. Just watch the breeze blow from the sky. You killed my family. Frederick shot in August sun. Osawatomie. I've lived a dream that's paid in blood. You will exsanguinate. This oath I've made one thousand times. You will exsanguinate. All will see your system's lies. We will vanquish you. Better run while you still can. We will vanquish you. You're a dying breed on stolen land. It's a battle cry. Heed it now before it's too late. It's a battle cry. To die a slave is the worst fate.