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All Music Guide:
Featuring ex-members of Vision, H20, and Undertow, and inspired by East Coast hardcore legends Youth of Today, New Jersey's Ensign was originally a quartet featuring vocalist Tim Shaw, guitarist John Fraunberger, bassist Nate Gluck, and drummer Ryan Murphy. Indecision released their self-titled debut EP, quickly followed by the four-song Fall from Grace, which includes a cover of Instead's "We'll Make the Difference." In 1997, their first-full length, Direction of Things to Come, was released to a wave of critical praise, creating a fan base throughout the country. The follow-up full-length, Cast the First Stone, was released by California's Nitro Records in 1999, featuring new guitarist Ryan "Mackenzie" Donoghue and drummer John O'Neill. In 2000, Indecision released a compilation of the group's early work, titled Three Years, Two Months, Eleven Days; Ensign's official third album, The Price of Progression, appeared on Nitro in early 2001, featuring new guitarist Chris Byrnes and new bassist Chris Oliver (Gluck switched to guitar). The covers album Love the Music, Hate the Kids appeared in the fall of 2003 via Blackout, featuring the guys paying homage to such acts as the Descendents, Dag Nasty, the Replacements, and more. By then, Ensign had gone through a few more players and consisted of Shaw and Gluck (back on bass) alongside drummer Brian Kozuch and guitarist Frank Piegaro.
Wikipedia:
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry. The word has also given rise to the military rank of "ensign", a rank of junior officer once responsible for bearing the ensign.
The word is derived from the Latin plural insignia.
National ensigns
In nautical use, the ensign is flown at the stern of a ship or boat to indicate its nationality. Ensigns may also be flown from the gaff of a ship, and may be shifted to a yardarm when the ship is under way, where it is known as a steaming ensign. Vexillologists distinguish three varieties of a national flag when used as an ensign:
A civil ensign (usage symbol ) is worn by merchant and pleasure vessels. In some countries the yacht ensign, used on recreational boats or ships instead of merchant vessels, differs from the civil ensign.A state ensign or government ensign (usage symbol ) is worn by government vessels, such as coast guard ships.A naval ensign (usage symbol ) is used by a country's navy.Many countries do not distinguish between these uses, and employ only one national flag and ensign in all cases. Others (like the United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan) use different ensigns. Such ensigns are strictly regulated and indicate if the boat is a warship, a merchant vessel or a yacht, for example.
If a warship goes into battle, large versions of naval ensigns (called battle ensigns) are used.
Heraldic ensigns
In heraldry, an ensign is the ornament or sign, such as the crown, coronet, or mitre, borne above the charge or arms.
Air ensigns
With the creation of independent air forces and the growth in civil aviation in the first half of the 20th century, a range of distinguishing flags and ensigns were adopted. Such ensigns may be divided into air force ensigns (such as the Royal Air Force Ensign) and civil air ensigns. Air ensigns are often light blue in colour.
Gallery
Ensign of the Russian Navy
The Red Ensign as currently used for British civilian vessels
Naval Ensign of the Indian Navy
Naval ensign of Italy
United States Coast Guard ensign
Polish Navy ensign
Royal Australian Navy ensign (foreground), Royal Australian Navy jack (background)
Royal Australian Air Force Ensign
Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force
Spanish yacht ensign
Finnish yacht club ensign. The circled X represents the club emblem
