In a world ruled increasingly by superstition and intolerance, Bad Religion's rousing wall-of-sound punk seems about as necessary now as ever before. It is the impassioned sound of reason, anthems of a bittersweet idealism and a guarded hope set to propulsive guitars and charging drumbeats. And while most groups with even half the artistic output have long ago morphed into stylistic self parody, Bad Religion is currently surging forward with a renewed creative intensity. Their fourteenth album, entitled New Maps of Hell, is both a nod to the band's defiant past and an undeniable step forward in the evolution of a genre they helped to define. While many of the new songs are as brutally fast and unflinchingly heartfelt as anything the band has done before, the record is also filled with unexpected sounds, inventive rhythms and lush pop choruses.
"I think we're reaching back to our roots as a garage band and doing some really aggressive music," guitarist and co-songwriter Brett Gurewitz says. "But we're also trying to look forward and write some really interesting new rock songs."
After some years away, Gurewitz has been back in the fold for the previous two records, Process of Belief and The Empire Strikes First, both discs widely accepted as a return to form for the veteran band. He is again accompanying his longtime friends, co songwriter and singer Greg Graffin and original bassist Jay Bentley. The (slightly) newer band members read like a punk rock all star team, with guitarist Greg Hetson of the legendary Circle Jerks and Brian Baker of hardcore pioneers Minor Threat. The latest addition being a startling young drum prodigy and sought after session drummer named Brooks Wackerman.
For this latest record, Bad Religion convened with renowned producer Joe Barresi at a downtown Hollywood recording studio just blocks from so many of the nightclubs and halls where the band first inspired legions of like minded young malcontents amidst the vibrant eighties Los Angeles punk scene. Back then, the band members had been young teen rebels from the dystopian suburbs of the nearby San Fernando Valley, leather clad intelligentsia lashing out at a pervasive culture of greed and conformity. And while the band might now look less like brash young upstarts and more like hip college professors (singer Graffin is, in fact, a college professor) - there's still a whole lot to rail against and the band is undeniably up to the task.
"I think at heart, Bad Religion has always been anti establishment and about open mindedness," Gurewitz says. "Since we we're kids, this country has vacillated between varying degrees of anti intellectualism, machismo and religiosity - maybe now more than ever. And we write with a secular humanist world view which really goes against all that."
This sentiment is echoed in his lyrics to the blistering state-of-the-art hardcore of Welcome to the New Dark Ages. As a frantic wall of guitars power a rousing sing along chorus, Graffin's surprisingly soulful voice calls out: 'Welcome to the new dark ages / I hope you're living right / these are the new dark ages / and the world might end tonight / So how do you sleep - there's nothing to keep. This is deep / because we're animals with golden rules who can't be moved by rational views.'
It is this world view which infuses so much of New Maps of Hell. But there is also a sense of inner turmoil absent from the band's previous efforts. Where before there had been a defiant questioning and call for change, there is now an underlying sense of lost idealism - an acknowledgement that all the angry protest songs in the world could not prevent the mess we're in. And as unsettling as this sentiment might be for the longstanding firebrands, it has undoubtedly inspired a vital and emotionally charged record.
"Living in this world can leave you with a pretty bleak outlook," Graffin says, at the recording studio. "But then we still have that same naive hope we had as angry idealistic teenagers, that human beings will hear this music and think, 'This isn't right and I'm gonna do something about it.' There's a song called Requiem for Dissent on this record which is actually one of the more uplifting songs - the idea behind it being to try and raise the dead rebel from his grave."
And while a stunning new record from one of the most influential bands in recent history may not be enough save this messed up world, it might very well inspire a few defiant souls into action. Watching the band rip through a live set in front of a few thousand exhilarated fans days after completing New Maps to Hell, the sheer power of Bad Religion's music is unquestionable. The kids are pressed against the barrier, many with eyes closed and fists raised, singing each lyric as if it means the world to them. The entire affair has an intensely inspirational and cathartic air, like some riotous punk rock baptism in the name of free thought and dissent.
"I think a lot of our fans are just angry nerds like us,"Gurewitz says afterwards. "And that's really who we write for. Being a humanist and an intellectual is about as rebellious as it gets these days."
"In the end we do this because we still care deeply about inspiring people," Graffin adds. "I know that may sound a little lofty, but the truth is when I was a teenager, music was only thing that gave me hope in this world."
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Thanks for the great show last night. Way to knock that rust off! This H.O.B. run is historical in so many ways....reuniting alot of bands from back in the day, showcasing the newer bands, and bringing up the newest of the new. I our book, thats called giving back....and thats but one reason why punk rock is just as vibrant and alive today as it was 30 years ago, unlike so many genres. Different yes...dead? ha, far from it. Again, great performance...it was good seeing ya...and btw, great fuckin new shirts! the Ronald Regan one is my fav....
We are playing the upcoming LOUD 2010 Music Festival. And we need your help to promote the band. We would love to see you on our fans list! Could not do it without all your support. www.reverbnation.com/theirrits. FREE download for you all just to sucker you in of course.:) Cheers
Howdy! We lowered our prices for one inch buttons $18 for 100! and now you have the option to get 1.5 inch buttons! Still get rim text for free! Thanks -gnat Decaying Youth Buttons www.decayingyouth.com We are still making patches! www.faceplantindy.com
Hi! We're Emancipacion colectiva, from San Miguel, Argentina. We are a band self-defined as “Residual Hardcore”, and we believe in Automanagement science 5 years. There's so few ways for 100% independent bands to be promoted so we use this one to show our work and the way we think thru our lyrics. We hope you understand, thanks.
Listen to us: http://www.myspace.com/emancipacioncolectiva
Download ours albums for Free!: http://www.emanciparte.com.ar
if this post is a problem for you, please, erase it.
Thanks, by the way! (and scuse my poor english XD )
HEY!!! ARK MUZIC PRODUCTION WHO PRODUCE PATO ARE LOOKING TO PRODUCE 10 NEW ARTIST. FROM AROUND THE UNITED SATES. YOU WILL SPEND 1 WEEK IN LA IN OUR HOLLYWOOD RECORDING STUDIO MAKING YOUR HIT SINGLES AND WORKING WITH PRODUCERS LIKE CLARENCE JEY, WE WILL ALSO CREAT A GREAT WEB PRESENCE FOR YOU, AND GIVE YOU INTENSIVE PRACTICE IN OUR REHEARSAL STUDIO'S. WE WILLALSO MAKING YOUR MUSIC VIDEO WITH OUR HIT VIDEOGRAPHER KEVIN TRAN. YOU WILL ALSO RECEIVE VIP TREATMENT IN HOLLYWOOD TOP CLUBS WHILE YOU ARE STAYING IN HOLLY WOODS FAMOUS HOTELS. THIS WILL BE THE HOTTEST PROJECT FOR THE STARTING UP ARTIST TO BECOME ESTABLISHED /RECORD LABEL READY, AND YOU WILL GET TO MEET OUR ARTISTS LIKE "PATO" AND MORE, BY THE END OF THE PROJECT WE WILL SUBMIT YOUR FINAL WORK TO OUR MAJOUR RECORD LABELS IN EUROPE, AND YOU WILL ALSO GET TO KEEP YOUR FINAL WORK. GO TO WWW.ARKMUSICPRODUCTION.COM FOR ALL THE DETAILS NOW.
!! NOCHE DE DIABLOS 2!! SKA AND PUNK SLAMFEST THIS FRIDAY MARCH 19 2010 STARTS @6PM ALL AGES LOCATED AT 1346 ELWOOD ST LOS ANGELES CA 90021 NEAREST CROSS STREETS ARE ALAMEDA AND OLYMPIC SHOW SUPPORT WEAR A BAND T-SHIRT OF ANY OF THE BANDS THAT ARE PLAYING WITH US TONIGHT AND ENTRANCE IS ONLY 5 BUX!!!!
NOCHE DE DIABLOS 2
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INDOOR OUTDOOR
TAKE THE RED@6:15PM/SIN PIEDAD@6:00PM INFEXCION @7:00PM/SR PEPPERS@6:45PM PISTOLEROS 7:45PM/HUMACHINE@7:30PM RAZON SKEPTICA@8:30PM/LA LIBERACION@8:15PM LOS SKALLEJEROS@9:00PM MASKARADOS@9:00PM LIBERTADORES@9:30PM/MASS TERROR@9:15PM VIACRUSIS @10:15PM/FESTER YOUTH@10:00PM ..O..N..K.. @11:00PM/RUDO MOVIMIENTO@10:45PM PALOS VERDES@11:45PM/CHIPMUNKES DE TIJUANA@11:30PM
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hey whats up? how r ya? just droppin by to say hello and spread some love... we wanted to let you know that we just posted three new tracks and we are getting some really good feedback...we have a lot of new stuff happening (new layout, new videos, merch, etc) If your into heavy music at all, then you will like what we do... if you dig, then vote for us for warped tour 2010.. we need your help
Hello, I'm from Brazil in 05/12/2004 - Anhembi - São Paulo / SP you played along with the pennywise I was there and played on stage 2 cd's of SmonerS for you, I wonder if you heard the cd? Forte Abraço, SMonerS - (: -)
A WHATS UP! A IM PROMOTIN NOW CHECK THIS OUT ITS GNA BE SUPER SICK ITS CALLED ELECTRO BOOGIE NIGHT ITS A RAVE EVENT WITH SICK ASS DJS LIKE DBTH! DSKOTEK THE HOMIE INPULSE! AND THAT SICK ASS CHINITO JOE DIRT! THAT LIL FOOL IS DOWN! ITS SAT MARCH 27TH!! HUGE LINE UP MASSIVE SPOT!
Saturday March 27, 2010 Electro Boogie Night Brings you Electro Boogie Night The Music Festival $5 b4 10 pm with FLyer or RSVP @ going.com/jgent
YOUR MAIN EVENT FOR THE NIGHT
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
Your Residents Dj's
Joe Dirt Dskotek Dj Lexxx Dj Inpulse Paplo Luano Prasyte DJ Israel
All happening at The Warehouse 1268 S. Ditman AVe, Commerce between Oylmpic blvd.& Union Pacific Ave.
our company Kellerkalt is pleased to inform you that from now on we are also available to you electronically. We welcome you to our very own website with the non-misleading URL kellerkalt.at to enjoy an amazingly rich supply of nonsense. Altogether with our participance in the soicial network with the very misleading name myspace the full extend of our web presence is hearby achieved. Now it is time to conquer radio and television. Today the internet, tomorrow TV!
Do i remember you guys promising to come back to Australia in 2010 in September/October? Was that a promise? I've seen you guys four times and its simply not enough! Please come back! How about doing Brisbane, Newcastle and Sydney? or throw in a second brisbane show again like you did in 07. That way, living on the east coast, i can achieve the treble, three shows! Im talking crap now, so got to go. Love you guys!
THE SAVALAS - Making of the new album PORNOCRACY Recording session of the new album "Pornocracy" Recorded between San Diego and Los Angeles in the Summer of 2009 ; Featurings by Martyn Lenoble (Porno For Pyros,Jane's Addiction, Dave Gahan etc) Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, Queens of the Sone Age, Mondo Generator) Scott Mcloud (Girls against Boys, Paramount Style) Jesse (Mean Dinosaur), Massimo Pupillo (ZU) Xabier Iriondo (Afterhours, Uncode Duello) ecc ecc Pornocracy will be released by ABOVE GROUND RECORDS and distibuited by ADA in the USA http://www.myspace.com/savalasband http://abovegroundrecords.net/
Online Now!
