True North

One of the strongest and most influential classic punk bands of their time, Bad Religion, is back in full force with their newest effort, True North – an album that proudly shows the world they never lost their reigning hold on the punk scene. Having gained their notoriety in the punk arena of the 80s, cementing their place in the hearts of ‘old school’ punks, this LA-based sextet is known for their signature three-part vocal harmonies (the oozin’ aahs) and provocative lyrical subject matter on politics and religion.

Two decades later and a number of significant lineup changes, Bad Religion launches their 16th studio album, True North, and a coinciding tour to give their long-time fans the best way to kick off the New Year.

Rest assured that True North is exactly what long time fans have been looking for. Bad Religion has not given up anything that has made them a staple in the hardcore punk world. Their music is still fun - a perfect thrashing, danceable beat, paired with lyrics that, if you take the time to listen, deliver a powerful commentary on the current state of the world, cleverly stylized with tongue in cheek wordplay.

It’s everything you love about Bad Religion amped up to a hundred. The band, known for going out of their way to accommodate the fans, decided to release the entire album to stream on YouTube a week before their scheduled release on January 22.

The 16 tracks delivered on this album are bursts of everything that punk should be – short and to-the-point songs (the longest being “Hello Cruel World” at just shy of four minutes), full of frantic and fast musicianship - tight guitars, steady and driven drums, and powerful vocal play.

“Robin Hood in Reverse” stands out as a personal favorite off the album. The song starts out referencing lyrics from a rhyme I remember as a kid “Here is the church, there is the steeple…” before it unravels to reveal a dystopian truth, one that begs a further look into the layers of word smithing locked in the hailstorm of music.

“Dharma and the Bomb” is another song with significant religious references to Hindu and Buddhist spiritualities, lost purities in a commercialized and sensationalized world. “Yeah Kali is coming and you’d better believe it, that girl’s got the atom and the bhagavad ghita, oh yeah samsara’s coming down like Dharma and the bomb”.

“Fuck You”, the first track released for radio play, along with “Nothing to Dismay”, take the titles for having the most rocking, chant worthy and fist pumping choruses to send frenzied crowds into a partying ruckus.

True North is a quick album, half an hour from beginning to end, full of punk anthems to be played loud and proud, rock out to, dance, kick and stomp to your heart’s content. My only complaint is that it ends too soon.

- Samantha Wu