Mixerr Album Reviews #2,104

War On Errorism is the most politically conscience album ever in all of NOFX’s discography. NOFX didn't change their approach at being a politically conscious well hardcore punk group. They tackle their known favorite subjects such as drinking, anti-religion standing up to injustices, anti-patriotism along with the themes of partying, and observations about the band scene. Their songwriting has improved!

War On Errorism is satire of American politics. Notice how much the album is very much anti-Bush. Coincidence? I think not. This whole album is aimed at former president George W. Bush because of how he mislead the public into believing the war in Iraq was necessary and for the injustices he committed.

We all know NOFX has a penchant for fast music and dirty jokes. War On Errorism had the typical hard edge punk rock sound, penchant for fast music, ska punk, politics, logic, and the dirty jokes of course. They get edge with their lyrics. Most of the album blends together. They have fulfilled their potential on this album. This album is a must have for any hardcore NOFX fans out there!


The Separation of Church and Skate deals with how punk rock is becoming soft, watered down, and censored. NOFX states that punk rock has been corporatized and censored much to their dismay. The song deals the absurdity of how punk rock has become so safe and kid friendly. The title is a play on the phrase “The separation of Church and State”.

The opening op this song shows us in a subtle manner that punk rock has become safe to the point where it’s kid friendly (child friendly).

By 2003, many rockers felt the rock scene was emo bands who they are considered punk but are really not. Emo’s are considered as posers by rockers. Take the Warped Tour for instance. Many emo bands opened up and performed at the Warped Tour during the early 2000s. Many legendary punk groups such as NOFX, MXPX,

These lyrics explain that punk rock concerts don’t have the freedom they once had.  Bands performing at punk rock concerts no longer have freedom to do the things they once did either. Alcohol and drugs are now strictly off-limits. Alcohol and drugs have been replaced by kid-friendly food such as fries and coke. This goes against what punk stands for.

The kids who used to live for beer and speed
Now want their fries and coke
Cursing and birds are not allowed
In fact let's keep noise levels down

Fat Mike is saying that religion (church) and punk rock (skate) need to be kept apart because religion is making skate (punk rock) soft, watered down, safe, and censored. Punk and skate culture are closely tied together. Fat Mike does not want to see punk rock suppressed and invalidated by religion, big corporations, or any authority figures who have power.

These lyrics deal with how censored  and soft punk rock is becoming. When did punk rock become so safe? When did punk rock become so tame? These fucking bands all sound the same.

Why don't we put pads on the kids?
Helmets, head gear and mouth pieces!
Then we could pad the floors and walls
Put cameras inside bathroom stalls
We make sure only nice bands play
Make every show a matinee
Teach kids to be all they can be
And we could sing my country tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty

Parents choose to hide the horrors and truths of the world from their children. This only makes children worse because their parents are shielding them from reality. Now this is, in a way, a form of censorship because they are hiding the truth from them. 

Everyone loves to talk and brag about how great America is. People pass this sort of patriotism to the youth and indoctrinate them. However America has a dark history of slavery, corruption, domination, money, and war. This country thrives on war and money. These lyrics represent how kids are being brainwashed to believe how great the United States of America is.

Make every show a matinee
Teach kids to be all they can be
And we could sing my country tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty


Franco Un-American explains how Fat Mike went form being naive to becoming a socially and politically conscious member of American society. Franco Un-American criticizes how the stereotypical American citizen is apathetic and uncaring of the problems beyond their country and world. This song shows the mindset of a young man who had an “I don’t care” attitude. This song hits harder and harder every year. 17 years later the song means a lot more than ever!

Fat Mike is the protagonist of the story. The beginning of the song shows Fat Mike who is an uncaring, non-empathetic, totally apathetic person who could care less about the problems beyond his own country and world in terms of politics, socioeconomics, and social injustices. He starts to change his viewpoints and attitude towards the end of the song. He becomes a totally different person than shown in the beginning of the song.

Fat Mike never thought about the universe as it made himself feel small. He never thought about the problems of this planet such as global warming and radioactive sites. He never thought about problems such as global warming, radioactive sites, imperialistic wrongs, and animal rights. Global warming affects the Earth tremendously. So do imperialistic wrongs.

Verse 1 shows the typical mindset of young Americans. Many young Americans believe that people should not help out with issues that don’t affect them directly. Ignorance is bliss in this case.

[Verse 1]
Why think of all the bad things when life is so good?
Why help with an 'am' when there's always a 'could'?
Let the whales worry about the poisons in the sea
Outside of California, it's foreign policy
I don't want changes, I have no reactions
Your dilemmas are my distractions

Fat Mike doesn't want changes as he has no reactions. Your dilemmas are his distractions. That is how he feels about the world’s problems. He doesn’t want them, but doesn’t know how to fix them. That is what these lyrics mean, “I don't want changes, I have no reactions/Your dilemmas are my distractions”

He never looked around and never second-guessed. He was living happy and naively without questioning the problems of his country. Fat Mike was not alone as he too was like many American in this regard.

Then he read some Howard Zinn now he’s always depressed of all the problems inside the truth of humanity that are all too real. And now he can't sleep from years of apathy all because of reading a little on Noam Chomsky. Fat Mike was awakened by influential political commentators such as Michael Moore along with philosophers Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn. He sees no world peace cause of zealous armed forces.

Now Fat Mike is a vegetarian because of the dangers and health problems associated with fast food. The health problems of fast food convinced him to become a vegetarian. That is what the lyrics “I’m eating vegetation, cause of Fast Food Nation” mean.

Fat Mike starts changing his viewpoints and attitude at the end of the song which is during the bridge. He doesn’t want to be another American who doesn’t care. He doesn’t want to become an apathetic uncaring person. Problems of the world are something he now takes into consideration. Realizing the failures of his country, Fat Mike now wants to move to either Australia or Canada.

[Bridge]
I want to move north and be a Canadian
Or hang down low with the nice Australians
I don't want to be another "I-don't-care"-ican
What are we gonna do Franco, Franco Un-American


The song Anarchy Camp is basically about anarchy. The band goes all out with anarchism on this one. Anarchy Camp follows a reggae ska beat.

In this song there is a sense of equality at Anarchy Camp. This camp dictates that everyone must stay equal and no one may stand out from the rest. Individual success is viewed negatively and is frowned upon. Individual success is not celebrated either. Similar to The Law of Jante written by Norwegian writer Aksel Sandemose.

The following lyrics represent how anarchism against all authority regardless of the political spectrum. Be it conservative, liberal, communist, fascist, Marxist, etc. These lyrics are very anti-authority. Authority figures view this song as destruction of the system.

Rules of Anarchy Camp: reckless abandonment
Random acts of dumbness will be rewarded
If you see somebody taking charge, you'll be expected to beat them
Cause everyone who's no one will be participating
No one who is someone, will ever get to know

The joys of anarchism are destruction of the system, anti-totalitarianism, and negligence. With the absence of rules and hierarchy, people are free to do whatever they want without being told what to do by authority figures. An anarchists dream.


Decom-posuer is about this goth chick who a rocker. She’s a really good person but hates herself. Everyone thinks they’re helping this girl but they are really not. Ryan Greene and Fat Mike do a good job singing on the song.

She's a painting out of focus with no good sense of intention. She's authentic and true to herself. She’s a really good person but she hates herself. This girl means well and has good intentions. She's so innocent as her heart is filled with innocence. She's a model of disaster with a heart of revolution. Time will tell us if she's a lifer or a decom-poseur.

Everybody thinks they’re helping this girl but they’re only helping themselves. That is what the lyrics “Everybody wants to save her from herself/They really want to save themselves” mean. They do want to help her. They’ve just got their own agenda going on.


American Errorist (I Hate Hate Haters) is NOFX’s take on paradox of tolerance. The paradox of tolerance is a society that is tolerant of anything to the point having no execption will be destroyed by the intolerant. American Errorist is wordplay on “American terrorist”.

This is what Fat Mike is trying to tell us. A bit of intolerance and hatred needed to combat injustice which is more preferable than completely ignoring the whole situation. Read these lyric to get a better understanding if you can. This is a difficult subject to comprehend. “It's ok, allow yourself a little hate/Hatred is not so bad when directed at injustice/You can turn the other cheek, just don't turn the other way”

It’s a reason to forget about our differences and stand as a united front. Society will be destroyed by the intolerant soon enough. Ignoring the situation will worsen everything. The war has just begun! We must expose and humiliate American errorists. It's up to us.

I rate this album 5/5*****!!