Those who say, "What happened to the old Propagandhi?" I say, ask The Weakerthans. To those who say it has no substance musically, I say, listen closer.

Each song is carefully constructed and every lyric is written to compel the listener think and feel. If you can't do those two things, this isn't for you.

Sidenote: I have this on vinyl and a very worn-out compact disc. Get the vinyl. You get a free download (as of now) and the art is amazing.

I was SO stoked to get this album when it first came out. I'd already been a longtime fan of "How To Clean Everything" and "Less Talk, More Rock," but the progression into their 3rd record "Today's Empires... Tomorrow's Ashes" absolutely blew my mind upon it's release.

It's no secret that Propagandhi lost some of their audience over the years due to their experimentation outside that "90's Fat Wreck Chords sound" into less humor-based/snotty material, which to me, is just closed-minded of those former listeners. By the time "Today's Empires..." came out, I thought there was no stopping the beautiful and intricately enhanced fury of the Propagandhi train. Then their 4th record, "Potemkin City Limits" came out...

The album opens with "A Speculative Fiction," which any fan of Anthrax's "Among The Living" should immediately raise an eyebrow to upon first listen. But as simply as I can state: THIS IS A LONG AND BORING RECORD. The band's performance is great, and Chris and Rod still produce some of the coolest melodic thrash riffs known to man, but there seem to be better song PARTS than actual songs. So many of these tracks are far too long in length, which there's nothing wrong with if you know what you're doing in epic dynamic arrangements, but that just isn't the case here. It seems as if the music took a back seat to the lyrical content on this album, and after several plays of it, I found myself repeatedly saying to myself, "End the damned song, already!!" In parody of their 2nd album, this one should've been named "Less Rock, More Talk." The only exception to the Potemkin Road To Boredom is "Superbowl Patriot XXXVI," a 30-something second track that does one very key thing - it's the ONLY track on the album that gets right to the point.

I'm not sure what it is about "Potemkin City Limits" that has earned it so many good reviews. I personally just can't get into it and I've really tried. But thankfully, their next album "Supporting Caste" would make up for my disappointment in this one.

If you loved the first three albums, AVOID THIS ONE and pick up "Supporting Caste" instead. Also, if you dig Rod's voice and have yet to purchase I Spy's "Perversity Is Spreading... It's About Time!" anthology, you're making a big mistake by not doing so.

Oh im so tired of ppl talking about how to clean.... That album sucks, it sounds like NOFX. This album is light years ahead of that album. Its one of my favs...

This album is absolutely incredible. Propagandhi had already proven themselves with past CD's as the greatest songwriters in modern punk, but with this album it solidifies it and puts them far, far ahead. There is a lot more melody to be found here, but there's still plenty of speed. The songs are very well put together and unique. The lyrics for this album are their best and they are incredible. This album should NOT be listened to without its lyrics. I've even just shown people the lyrics instead of the band and they were blown away. Chris' singing is much better on this album and Todd's voice improved even more. Todd's voice sounds quite different from TETA and its a vast improvement. There's a chance this album might alienate some fans of punk but there's no denying their credibility. This album is a masterpiece.

My first Prop. album actually... old school punker, used to hear the "new school" kids blasting Prop.'s first albums in a kitchen I used to work in... the philosophy is not new to me... but the passion, the fury, the serious musicianship... this is a momentous album, with a larger-than-life, almost epic sound... and it perfectly sums up my angry, deep, black mood of late... there is a profundity here.. one has a sense of depth... sublime at times, the sound takes older emo-core, mixes it with lighter screamo stuff, into a kind of thrash opera... trust me, it's a good and important album... I would expect better still from these guys...Punk Cookery, The Punk Rocker's Cafe Cookbook, Vegetarian Specialties

Propagandhi is "progressive" in both a literal and figurative sense. Literal in that from album to album, their music progresses and evolves, and figurative in the way that the word is used in the musical lexicon, meaning technical or complex. What strikes me as I read these other reviews is that people seem to be turned off by the literal progression of Propagandhi's music. They wanted another TETA, apparently. TETA is a great album, but I thought that Propagandhi fans would recognize and embrace the fact that this is not a band that puts out the same album twice.

Really, any fan of TETA should find plenty to love and more on Potemkin City Limits. Both albums retain the speed and intensity of their earlier "punk" influenced albums, but largely exchange the catchy "pop" hooks for metal crunch and muscle, with a big dose of hardcore supplied by The Rod. They are a pop-punk band no longer, and in a case of what I can only assume is amazing foresight, their music now finally lives up to their self-imposed tag of "pogressive thrash" (used by Chris and Jord prior to recording their first album). How did they know in the early 90's that they would become progressive thrash in the early 00's??

For me, this is by far the greatest Propagandhi album, and one of my all-time favorite albums period. I love the longer songs. They now give themselves time to not only finish a lyrical thought, but a musical one as well. They have never flexed their musical or political muscles as hard as they do here. Whereas before they gave us anthems to shout along with, now they delve deeper and will make you want to grab the booklet to read the lyrics (while you thrash away). Once you've read the lyrics and the lightbulb has gone on, you'll realize that Propagandhi is still delivering anthems, only now you'll feel like a smarter, more productive member of society as you shout along.

The album has a handful of good - decent songs on it. The band has really upped the experimental factor on this album, which I always welcome. Punk revival bands tend to suffer from monotony, ex: Pennywise, so its good that they are at least trying something different. What makes their experiment flawed is that they made the mistake of dragging a couple of the songs out too long. The end result: dry material.

This album lacks the tenacity and energy of their previous albums, such as "Less Talk, More Rock" and "Todays Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes".

Alright, let's get a few things straight. First, this is not a punk record. If you're looking for a punk record, look up Fear, The Saints, or The Circle Jerks. Second, if your idea of metal or punk contains any of the following bands, kill yourself: Limp Bizkit, Korn, System of a Down, Tool, Fall Out Boy. Now, onto the review. Very probably the best album of the year. These guys have more talent and intelligence than every single SoCal pop-punk band put together (minus Bad Religion.) The lyrics are biting political commentary, with incredible depth and knowledge. While Anti-Flag and NOFX are content with sloganeering and general "I hate the Government" diatribes, these guys go straight for the jugular, and force you to actually put some thought into what they are saying. Track by track, there are not any really weak tracks , just outstanding tracks and even more outstanding tracks. Which are which generally are up to you. So, if you wish for intelligent thrash, look into this album. If your looking for a nice pop-punk album to hate your parents to because they grounded you, look elsewhere. Amen.

Did anyone actually listen to the music on this record? Coming from the perspective that Today's Empire's Tomorrows Ashes was one of the best albums of it's generation, this in a musical context falls to pieces. The Rods bass is just out right poor (it was great on TETA), and 'Glen Lambert!'s (Chris Hannah's) guitar lines are dull, one dimensional and a shadow of the riffs produced on TETA. Quite frankly, this record is lazy. Did anyone notice that almost every song is far to long, slows down and eventually fizzles out towards the end? The singing was disjointed, incoherant and unenlightened (e.g. compare 'Rock For Sustainable Capitalism' to 'Back To The Motor League'. It's very telling). From a political perspective, the obvious knowlege, research, sensible perspective and anger was on display (as always, I mean...its Propagandhi), but again linking it back to music there seemed to be very little passion. TETA was a passionate expression of some of the wrongs done to the world/people by certain people/administration's, and the feeling was infectious, because the music was so passionate, rocking but also interesting and delicatly complex, and the singing and lyrics all came together with it to express some of the frustration about modern world, but mixed with the disire to inject some creativity and inspiration into the dull mix that is western society. Potemkin... was politically "we're all going down in a haze of gasoline and nuclear fall out" with music to match: it's like they've lost hope. Stoped bothering. The politically charged (and I mean charged full of life, not knowledge) Propagandhi of the TETA wouldn't have produced this trash. Its a shame; other than Jord the whole thing was a step back, rather than forward, and the notes and lyrics in the record really show how little these guys SEEM to care anymore............However I must give some facts: Todays Empires Tommorrows Ashes is a work of genius, one of the best records ever, go out and buy it right now you fool. And on this album the songs Iteration and Die Jugend Marschiert are very good, and Name And Address Withheld isn't too bad. Though all could do with having the last minute cut off.....

Please subdue your negative review and give me the pulpit so I can express my point of view against the encore that will be played for another five years - until the sway of Propagandhi is back preaching its old ways. I say Propagandhe, whatever happened to the good ole days of ska anti-manifestos and cracks on homophobes? Let's ponder the greater things under the sky and the trees of mankind's bitter earth. You're not the only ones who can rhyme, let alone dissent from the current point of view. How hopeless is this diatribe of insults to the modern mind, or am I just speculating on the en vogue fashion of sitting on your mattress praying for the end of diabolism. Let me tell you a thing or two about the state of the modern world; after thousands of years of war and no peace a holy band of three Canadians will solve the problem through egotistical lyrics and confinement in a room. Ha! Let the pigeons roost on this review against the negative points of view spewing from played out college boys looking for something to do. Someone to listen to an already languished cry..."Out here you're as good as dead...Don't kill yourself yet...Adulthood's worse." There's no hope but ourselves and this hidden Gnosticism will save us someday even though we may not be here to say. But won't there be others then? Preaching the same tired out nonsense of peace on earth through human hands, the same hands that ruined the once sacred soil. No my friends, record your error now, the world will be saved someday above the barren graves of those who didn't recognize that it is God who will sanctify - who will reconcile the world to its original way.