The Casualties Return with “People Over Power,” First Original Song in Eight Years: Stream

The Casualties have returned with the one-off single “People Over Power,” the New York City street punks’ first original song in eight years.

The two-and-a-half-minute track is a politically charged anthem in the classic punk-rock vein, touting high-speed drumming, simple chugging chords, and the grizzled bark of frontman David Rodriguez. While his lyrics might be hard to make out amid the sonic fray, Rodriguez gave a pointed summary of the song’s meaning in the press release.

“We’re getting stomped by the world, by the government, by the bad news,” Rodriguez said. “We want systemic change, total transformation, degradation to the state. ‘People over Power’: It’s as simple as it sounds.”

Added drummer Marc “Meggers” Eggers, “It’s a protest song through and through. We want the vibe to be: You listen, get angry, get your crew together, and get out on the streets.”

The Casualties have only released one proper full-length album since Rodriguez took over as frontman in 2017 — 2018’s Written in Blood — though all signs point to the band picking up the activity. Last year, the group was featured on a Motörhead punk tribute album, covering the song “The Hammer.”

The new single “People Over Power” arrives via Epitaph imprint Hellcat Records and can be streamed below.

“People Over Power” Artwork: