Flatfoot 56"s third label-backed studio effort, Black Thorn, is a rollicking barrage of Celtic punk and folk-tinged hardcore straight from the streets of the South Side of Chicago. Produced by the Street Dogs" Johnny Rioux, Black Thorn tightly packs the quartet"s eclectic and driving musical charge into thirteen tracks that celebrate the pride of the working class and their Chicago roots. As cathartic as it is ambitious, Black Thorn is an emphatic assault that remains vintage Flatfoot in its effortless combination of Celtic instrumentation and street corner punk rock. Bagpipes and mandolins remain just as vital as drums and guitars in defining Flatfoot"s sound. The beautifully packaged digipak CD features an 8-panel insert and stunning artwork.