The Empire Strikes First,
Bad ReligionThere are a number of things you remember being taught when you are a child. One of the things that has always stuck in my mind is the old adage “cheats never prosper”. Funny thing is, it turns out that they do. The president of the largest democracy in the world, George W Bush, is in the White House because he cheated the system. The man who stole an election is now the most powerful man on the planet. Having embarked on what many consider to be an unjust war, the world of punk rock is finally hitting back. Ladies and gentlemen this is punk rock legends Bad Religion with their latest effort, ‘The Empire Strikes First’.
Over the last few months, a number of figures in the punk rock scene have been turning their attentions to the situation surrounding Bush. However, Bad Religion are a band that have always commented on the world around them, and you get the feeling with this album that some of the anger of old has returned with a vengeance. That’s not to say this is an album concerned with just the one subject matter, it is an album, as always, full of a range of topics.
The opening ‘Overture’ sets the tone for what is to follow; a brooding hint at what is making this band tick at the moment. ‘Sinister Rouge’ comes screaming out of your stereo in a song that encompasses everything that makes this band what they are; melody, anger and great song writing. In fact the pairing of Graffin and Mr Brett, is on top form throughout, with perhaps a couple of exceptions in the shape of ‘The Quickening’ and ‘Beyond Electric Dreams’, two songs that are average at best.
In the main though, this album proves to be a strong follow up to the return to form that was ‘The Process of Belief’. The first half of the album, in particular, sees the band on the offensive. The likes of ‘Atheist Peace’ and ‘Gods Love’ tackle familiar themes and wrap them up in that traditional bad Religion sound. Of all the social commentaries of Bush that have been produced in song form, ‘Let Them Eat War’ is perhaps the best. It manages to encompass not just the impact of war, but the wider effect on the American people. Notable mentions must also go to the twin combination of ‘Los Angeles Is Burning’ and the title track ‘The Empire Strikes First’. They are simply great songs. But these are not songs that will date quickly; they are, in a very real sense, songs of human emotion, which are perhaps best summed up by the stunning ‘Boot Stamping On A Human Face Forever’.
‘The Empire Strikes First’ sees Bad Religion in the most passionate and vitriolic state they have been in for many years. If ‘The Process of Belief’ was about recapturing the musical side of the band, this is about recapturing the spirit of old. This is a very strong record and deserves its place amongst the bands better back catalogue. Bad Religion: still alive and certainly still kicking.
Mark
