After the Flags is the 9th song on the album Modern Synthesis. Kogie wrote both the music and the lyrics, but both he and Sparkles* revised the song many times.
This song was first played on the 19th May at the Scuzz Throwdown festival, where Area 11 performed it live ahead of the July 1st release of Modern Synthesis.
The official music video was posted on December 9, 2016, coinciding with the release of the Let It Resonate EP.
Lyrics
Area 11 - After The Flags -Official Lyric Video-
"But still it moves" I heard you cry
Matters of fact attract, with time to bide Thread sisters stay on my side
Heavy headed when we collide
Lead us down to the ocean
And wash our hands of campaigns for the self-assured now Fading white in surrender
And weary from the beating sun that blinds you
[Chorus]
Take a hit for catharsis
Take a hit for them all
After the flags they're selling off the wall I wanna die for a reason
I wanna kill for a cause
Before they fall
The fall won't kill but it's gonna hurt
And for a moment clear the haze from your eyes
To redefine the lines of flesh and dirt
A sudden tenderness, viscera surprise
Dressed in red to mourn the dead
6 o'clock, do you watch just to wince at this? Eyes are wide; we have been misled
And now you face the modern synthesis
Straighten out your fiction
As means to ends and ends to meaning guide you
[Chorus]
Take a hit for catharsis
Take a hit for them all
After the flags they're selling off the wall
I wanna die for a reason
I wanna kill for a cause
After the flags I'm nobody at all
Take a hit for catharsis
Take a hit for them all
After the flags they're selling off the wall (After the flags they're selling off the wall)
If I can't reach you with reason
You set us up for a fall
After the flags you're nobody at all
Music Video
"Bandana"
"Forcing Pairing:"
"COMPLETE"
The hackers' first message
The hackers' second message
The directional indicator
Area 11's location as they perform
A weird video filter that only is applied in the Area 11 Scenes
Bandana follows the tracker
Bandana follows the tracker
Bandana follows the tracker
Bandana follows the tracker
The face-off at the end
1/13
The music video for After the Flags has an interesting plot. At the beginning, a person, who will be referred to henceforth as Bandana for lack of a better name, is hanging out on a park bench. While browsing his phone, he discovers that it has been hacked by someone (or something). The logo shown below appears on the screen, along with some very faint lines of text: "AFTER THE FLAGS" is repeated several times, followed by "Forcing Pairing:" and "COMPLETE". The hackers display a few messages: "Do not follow blindly" and "How much is this worth to you?". The screen then fills with the word "follow"; finally, a directional indicator and countdown appear.
Over the course of the video, Bandana follows the indicator, parkouring across a city to try and follow the marker. It is inter-spliced with footage of Area 11 performing After the Flags in a walled area with an acoustic mirror (filmed at the Sound Mirrors in New Romney, UK). At the end of the video, Bandana makes it to the destination, which is where Area 11 happens to be playing. Area 11 stops playing the song, and the two face off. Notably, Kogie is missing in this final scene, however it has been confirmed on FaceBook that it was down to the camera angle. The video then cuts to black and shows the hacker's logo being replaced by the Digital Eye.
Trivia
The hacker's logo, which notably has two flags in it, on opposing sides.
Kogie has stated that the song is about what it means to have your identity defined by nationality and borders etc.
He wrote it by the sea in Italy.
Kogie and Sparkles* each revised it many times, and in the end compromised to create the final song.
It originally featured a 'groovy' bassline, but this was removed by the final iteration.
It used to feature a prominent key change, but Sparkles* ensured this was removed.
