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."
this page is currently operated by b-wack (p.k.a. "dr. rock") and jdb
each bad religion is independently owned and operated, some restrictions may apply. see your local representative for details. no shoes, no shirt, no service.
how're you doing BAD RELIGION ? we just wanted to talk, we'd love to hear what you think of our music! we have a show next friday at The Oasis with Taken the Coast, A Hero Named Hope, and Alanas Mark and we'd really appreciate it if we saw you there. Come drop us a comment, we reply to every single one!
(WE ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW BASSIST. SEND US A MESSAGE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED) Saturday February 20th, 2010. 8 p.m. $5 at Burnt Ramen in Richmond, CA. Dreadful Children (Seattle), Ill Gotten Gainz (Richmond), CHT (Richmond), NiHiLiST CUNT (East Bay)and The Rebel Spell (Vancouver).
Je vous annonce le lancement officiel du concour Show Yo Skill a l'issue du concour 5 Mcs seront retenus pour participer à la compile EYES3 World Wide que la team KicK DA BEAT'EAM RECORDS prépare et qui sera en téléchargement gratuit sur le net courant 2010
Si vous voulez y participer suivez les instructions:
Concour:
1 - Télécharge l'instru "Show Yo Skill" sur http://www.myspace.com/hemsation
2 - Enregistre ton son sur l'instrumental
3 - Envoi le son enregistré et mixé à : hemsation@hotmail.com
4 - Y joindre votre adresse mail et celle de votre blog (myspace, skyblog, soundclick, etc) dans un fichier bloc note
JUST ADDED: Opening weekend for “Absolut Late Night Comedy Series” features headliner Cee Jay – who has appeared on BET’s “Comic View” and Showtime’s “At The Apollo,” and opener Josh Phillips. Purchase your Cupid's Seduction ticket and be a part of this show compliments of Dirty Martini and TPD Entertainment. • Friday, February 12 – 10 p.m.
If you want to be the first to hear about new Angel Steel music, cds, merch and shows - be sure to sign up for the Angel Steel mailing list!! Send us an email at Angel.Steel.Rocks@gmail.com and put in the subject line: mailing list and we will add you to the list!!!
warped tour 2010 ????????????????? i seen ya in san diego 2007 warped tour my voice was shott but when flogging molly was up but when you guys came up after my voice was gone i was talkin like a zombie it was worth it. A NEW ABLUM FOR 2010????
Hello! Would you be so kind as to comment and rate my channel http://www.youtube.com/pauldubrovsky and each song there. Hope you like it and in this case you"ll share it with some of your friends. Thanks a lot :-) Paul Dubrovsky
hey guys, saying hello. I was just wondering if you guys are EVER going to come to oklahoma. We need a punk scene here, and who better to start it than the founders of punk. I love you guys, and im trying to teach my son about you guys. PLEASE VISIT OKC!!!!!!
HEY YOU ...................CHECK OUT OUR MUSIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ <----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <---------- JUST CLICK THE PICTURE HERE ON THE LEFT OF THE COMMENT -- <---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ <-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AND ENJOY, ADD US, AND GIVE US A SHOUT AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
Ey up! Cheers for accepting my add :) I hope you find the time to check out my stuff! Even if you don't take a listen feel free to reply to this because i'm bored and enjoy talking lol :) Adem
![HEMSATION - [ KDBTR ] -](http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/44/s_3c747a2c29604dda9ed48d7392c5dc2b.jpg)
Online Now!
