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Empire Strikes First

Bad Religion - Empire Strikes First Audio CD

A fair review of the Bad Religion "Empire Strikes First" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Bad Religion reviews here, or go back to the Bad Religion tabs.

Band: Bad Religion
Title: Empire Strikes First
Rating:

Release Date: 2004-06-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Overture 2: Sinister Rouge 3: Social Suicide 4: Atheist Peace 5: All There Is 6: Angeles Is Burning 7: Let Them Eat War 8: God's Love 9: To Another Abyss 10: Quickening 11: Empire Strikes First 12: Beyond Electric Dreams 13: Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever 14: Live Again (The Fall of Man) 15: Surface of Me [*]

Don't know about the bonus track but...
A few words about the basher down below. .

There is more to punk than hardcore. The Clash were never hardcore. The Ramones were never hardcore. The Sex Pistols were never hardcore. Iggy Pop was never hardcore. Are they not punk enough for you either? Are they "corporate punks"? I get so tired of you self-appointed punk police.

There is nothing wrong with melodic punk that has harmonies to it. It's musically sound, it's lyrically incredible, and it's just great music. You're missing out, man.

Oh yeah, and how can they be "corporate punks" when they're not on a major?

1. Overture: Very eerie, very cool. Great tone-setter for the disc.
2. Sinister Rouge: BR have always had amazing album openers, from Generator to Incomplete to Gray Race to You've Got A Chance to Supersonic to Sinister Rouge.
3. Social Suicide: I heard it on Punk-O-Rama 9 before I heard the album, and I knew then and there how much I was looking forward to TESF. It's a catchy melody with great vocals (as always) from Greg.
4. Atheist Peace: The title is great, a play on religious war. Of course, I tend to disagree that the opposite of religion is atheism, but I am well aware that Greg and Brett understand that. Good song.
5. All There Is: One of those many BR songs that sort of grows on you. I didn't really like it at first, but it crept up on me and I really dig it.
6. Los Angeles is Burning: Best BR song since Infected. Hands down. My new Top Three BR songs are American Jesus, Infected, and LA Is Burning.
7. Let Them Eat War: I heard the preview track of this about a week before I got the CD, and I really enjoyed Sage Francis' guest spot. All in all, one of the best songs on the disc.
8. God's Love: Eh. It's alright.
9. To Another Abyss: BR always have a couple crappy songs right in a row on every CD except STF. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that on TESF, they had the presence of mind to put a good song, To Another Abyss, between the two duds.
10. The Quickening: I kept hoping that this one would grow on me like so many BR songs do. But it didn't.
11. Empire Strikes First: Classic. Easily in my top 10 BR songs of all time.
12. Beyond Electric Dreams: Another one that I didn't like at first but crept up on me. When I'm just skimming through my favorite songs on TESF, I go Sinister Rouge, LA Is Burning, Empire Strikes First, and Beyond Electric Dreams. The end (a magazine referred to it as an "extended coda"--sounds musical) is the best part.
13. Boot Stamping on a Huma. . . :Long title. Comes from Orwell, I guess. You know, I couldn't tell you what the hell the lyrics mean, but I really like the song.
14. Live Again: I didn't know it was about suicide bombers till I read this magazine article (find the article on the Epitaph website. ) I knew it had to do with religion. Anyway, it's yet another great album closer in the tradition of Walk Away, Only Entertainment, 21st Century Digital Boy, All Things Must Cease, Don't Sell Me Short, and Bored and Extremely Dangerous.
15. This bonus track, I haven't heard. I'd like to. Perhaps I will download it. Perhaps it will be on Punk-O-Rama 10, like they did with Shattered Faith and Who We Are--great songs, btw.

Old Bad fashion
Like the other ones, this one rocks! Guys get back on top again with this new release. I got this album on the net, waiting desparatly to buy it on June. I'm proud to be a Bad Religion-punk-rocker! Hope to see them on Vans Warped Tour! SOLID!.

better than you could hope a new album would be
I was horribly disappointed with The New America, pleasantly surprised with Process of Belief and fully impressed with this. For a band that's been around as long and has put out as many albums as bad religion has, they've put out a very impressive new album. I agree with what the first reviewer said and fully suggest buying this album. Don't expect another No Control, but don't expect another season 5 of the Simpsons, you know?.

Just a comment...
"

The Golden Years?! That is a joke right? "Generator" was the clearest sign of the end for a once great band. "the golden years of 'Generator' and 'Recipe for Hate'. "Recipe for Hate" was utter crap and the end of BR for good. Nevermind their attempt to be corporate punks at this point. . .

I tried to give Recipe away after one listen but no one would take it, so I threw it away. Bad Religion hasn't done a great record since "No Control". Only BR worth listening to are "How Could Hell Be Any Worse", "Suffer", "No Control" and all the early stuff they put into 80-85 (includes "How Could Hell. . . "). "Against the Grain" is ok. Anything else is a waste of money, including this new junk.

Bad Religion shines in a time of peril
The president in office is not making any friends, killing our troops, and creating a complete mess of everything while trying to distract us with "God's will" and a mission to mars. The US is currently at war with everyone.

Enter Bad Religion and the best effort put forth by them in years. When you have so much political travesty, the songs write themselves.

Lyrics aside, the music is unmistakably BR, without a doubt. Empire is a throwback to the golden years of "Generator" and "Recipe for Hate". Harmonies are dead on. There is still life yet to be had out of this band.

The second track, "Siniter Rouge", is the bottle rocket that gets you ready for the rest of the album. It has a classic metal double kick with a fatty helping of punk you.

"Los Angeles is Burning" is a tongue in cheek prophecy about the end of the world in LA. Very catchy tune, even has a nod to Opreration Ivy near the end.

"Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever". Other than being one of the coolest (and cheesy) titles I've heard in a while, this Dr. Seuss-ian song is sung in quotes, something that is seldom seen and works well for the song, giving it a personal touch.

I enjoyed this album so much, I decided to write my first review. I hope older BR fans will pick this up in June and enjoy it as much as I do. New BR fans should pick this up as well, and while you're at it, pick up the five remastered albums that were just released too.

You can see a complete list of all Bad Religion discography, or go back to the Bad Religion tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.