The Decline
| The Decline | |
|---|---|
| Extended Play from NOFX | |
|
Publication |
|
| Label (s) | Fat Wreck Chords |
|
Format (s) |
EP, vinyl |
|
Title (number) |
1 |
|
running time |
18 min 19 s or 20 min 51 s on the vinyl version |
| occupation |
|
The Decline (German: Der Niedergang ) is an EP by the US punk band NOFX . It was released on November 23, 1999 and was produced by Ryan Greene and Fat Mike . It reached number 200 on the Billboard 200 charts.
The special thing about this EP is that it only contains one track (with the exception of the vinyl version, which contains an additional song), which at 18 minutes and 19 seconds is one of the longest punk rock songs ever released.
content
Musically this is the most complex work that NOFX have ever recorded. The piece begins with the driving rhythm of Fat Mike's loud and rough voice, which is typical for NOFX, and the short shouts of Eric Melvin (the so-called "Mel-Yells"). In the course of the piece, however, the fast drumming is often interrupted, e.g. E.g. through sudden slow parts in which the voice fades into softness and the guitar is only used minimally, or parts in which nothing can be heard but distorted explosion noises. A theme is repeated several times in different rhythmic positions, with wind instruments played by El Hefe and a constant chord. With this theme, the song ends at around 14 min 55 s. At first faintly, then more and more clearly, you can hear a tight goose step, bells and the calls of crowds. Only after two and a half minutes does the music slowly fade away.
Lyrically the song is directed against a number of errors that NOFX see in the American system. The song complains, among other things, that the USA instills patriotism and wants to cover up its own mistakes with it. It is also criticized that people themselves are afraid of the truth and of change.
Track list
- The Decline - 18:19
- Clams Have Feelings Too (actually they don't) - 2:32 (only on the vinyl version)
Chart success
| Charts | Top position |
Weeks |
|---|---|---|
 United States
|
200 | 1 |
Web links
- ↑ Chart search. Billboard, accessed April 26, 2017 .