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Bad Religion - New Maps of Hell Audio CD

A fair review of the Bad Religion "New Maps of Hell" 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.

Bad Religion Band: Bad Religion
Title: New Maps of Hell
Rating:
Release Date: 2007-07-10
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: 52 Seconds 2: Heroes & Martyrs 3: Germs of Perfection 4: New Dark Ages 5: Requiem for Dissent 6: Before You Die 7: Honest Goodbye 8: Dearly Beloved 9: Grains of Wrath 10: Murder 11: Scrutiny 12: Prodigal Son 13: The Grand Delusion 14: Lost Pilgrim 15: Submission Complete 16: Fields of Mars

Not perfect, but still very very good.


Not surprisingly, then, "New Maps Of Hell" sounds like those other Bad Religion albums you have. Ah, Bad Religion, one of the veteran punk bands that with each new album, you pretty much know what you're getting before you even take off the shrink wrap. Lots of fast tempos, good melodies, self righteous lyrics belted out melodically by the husky-voiced Greg Graffin, and every couple of songs you hit one of those darned chord sequences you've already heard them use before over and over and over and over again.

Still, the formula works quite well, and on this album, most of the songs are great. There are even a few stylistic flourishes too. For instance:

-"Fields Of Mars" has a huge huge HUGE soaring anthemic chorus! Its great!

-"New Dark Ages" is halfway to being an Iron Maiden song, with the galloping drums, the dual guitar harmonized lead lines, and the muted chords going jiggajiggajiggajigga just like in all those speed metal songs. Its also great!

-"Honest Goodbye" appears to be a Weezer song of some sort. The liner notes credit it to the band, but I know Rivers Cuomo had to have written this thing. Seriously, the mid-tempo chug, the minor-key-but-poppy "Whoa-oh-whoa-oh-whoa"s in the chorus, the sustained-note lead lines, the way the chords drop out at the start of the verse leaving the bass chug along with the drums. . . its absolutely a Weezer song. Its not a bad Weezer song, but it sounds super weird coming from a bunch of 80's punk icons!

The rest are most everything you'd expect from a very good BR album, there's just enough generic, average sounding songs to keep me from giving it a 5 out of 5, but all in all, its a darn good Bad Religion album.

If you like Bad Religion at all, you'll find a lot to love about "New Maps Of Hell. ".


Blah blah.. New America II??
5 stars I would have given it. I love these guys and if I had the option for a 1. I own all the albums (even Into the Unknown which was it's own whole fiasco) and this one sounds like dirty dish water compared to all but the New America album. I'm not sure if these guys are done or if this is just that bad album every epic band puts out once a decade. I sincerely hope this album is just a mistake, because they're just that good. . . .

Don't buy this album. Pick up "Recipe for Hate" or "Suffer" and enjoy some classic punk!.


Brutal, Dark, and Heavy = GREAT
The first half of the album barely leaves you the chance to catch your breath. Im not sure why a Bad Religion fan could be dissapointed with this, I have come to the conclusion that is at least in there top 5 albums. Just straight up musical brutality. The 2nd half is a little smoothed out, but not weak by any stretch. I think of all the things I love about BR, what i love most is that they dont sell out, but mangage to give you something fresh on each release. IF you wanted Empire 2 you wont get it here. IF you want Bad Religions Most aggressive work to date this is it. I cant go a day without listening to it, Very Loud!!.


Great album
If you like punk rock, you'll like this. If you like Bad Religion, you'll like this. It's not Bad Religions best, however, it DOES sound like Suffer era Bad Religion with newer production and a ton of impressive backing vocals. The reason I love this album so much is that it is consistent. There really is no really standout tracks, but instead many really good tracks. It won't fail to impress.


New Maps Of Hell
They were second main on the bill, and this was in Denver, Colorado and it had rained all day till Bad Religion came out, they played amazing and the entire crowed was throughing water bottles over from one side to the next and this went on for the entire set. Bad Religion-New Maps Of Hell ****

One of the most memorable things I have ever been apart of was seeing bad religion touring with the Warped tour in support of this album which was to come out the next day. . . . fantastic.

The next day I bought the album and put it on and was not disappointed in the slight. While it isn't the greatest Bad Religion I have ever heard it is certainly the best since Stranger Than Fiction. Graffins lyrics are as always very intelligent and informative. Bret Gurewitz and crew lay down solid guitar lines and Brooks Wackerman is still beating the crap out of his drums like it's 1985.

'Heroes & Martyrs' along with 'Germs Of Perfection' point to subject matter often not tackled. As "un-punk" as this statement is 'New Dark Ages' should have been a hit single. 'Requiem For Dissent' sounds and feels like Stranger Than Fiction would have been a better home for it but is still good. 'Honest Goodbye' became a hit despite it's shocking imagery of In Cold Blood, which is refreshing, and 'Grains Of Wrath' is one of the very best songs Bad Religion ever did. Many are pointing to '52 Seconds' as the albums opus, and I must say it sounds all too familiar for them.

Is this worth owning for more than just the hit singles yes, and in fact it was one of the better albums to emerge from 2007.


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