Lars Frederiksen of Rancid has shared a dynamic new song and video, “Gods And Guns,” from his debut solo EP, To Victory, which is out on November 26. According to Heavy Consequence, the veteran punk rocker is teaming up with them to premiere the video for “God and Guns.” 

“God and Guns” starts off with folksy acoustic guitar strumming. Frederiksen enters the track with heavy presence. His raspy, almost yelling, singing voice takes complete control of the song and gives an intensity to it. While the song sounds very uplifting and happy, the video morphs from one scary shot to another. In one scene a group of vultures is eating a carcass, and then a house is burning, and then a menacing wolf is walking in the woods. The music video does a great job of accentuating Frederiksen’s lyrics, as he talks about how it “Won’t be alright,” and how everything is “fucked up.” 

Frederiksen told Heavy Consequence, “This is a song I wrote for my sons Wolfgang and Søren some years back. The love in it for them is authentic and strong. It’s very personal in that sense. It’s a song that I feel is appropriate for the times.” According to Heavy Consequence, Frederiksen was inspired to record the To Victory EP after performing a sold-out gig in Oakland in March 2020. He was scheduled to play more solo shows, but the pandemic put those plans on hold. So “God and Guns” is a song of the times; a song of 2020 and 2021. 

To Victory includes solo performances of songs from Frederiksen’s old bands, The Old Firm Casuals and Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards, as well as covers of songs by U.K. Subs and KISS. “Gods and Guns” is a new take on an Old Firm Casuals track.

Rancid just completed a U.S. tour with The Dropkick Murphys that spanned from August to October and covered 34 dates. 

To Victory EP Tracklist:
1. God and Guns (The Old Firm Casuals)
2. Army of Zombies (Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards)
3. Tomorrow’s Girls (U.K. Subs cover)
4. Motherland (The Old Firm Casuals)
5. Comin’ Home (KISS cover)
6. Skunx (Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards)