Category: | Review - Internet | Publish date: | 5/26/2004 |
Source: | dailybruin.com | ||
Synopsis: |
The Empire Strikes First
by Vasiliki Marras
dailybruin.com, May 26, 2004
Anthems and extremely fast punk songs have characterized every Bad Religion album to date, and the band’s new release, “The Empire Strikes First,” is no exception. With strong political overtones and scathing social commentary, “The Empire Strikes First” is quite possibly the best release from the most articulate punk rock band of the last two decades.
The album begins with an eerie intro of guitar, keyboard and drums, and builds into the AFI-esque “Sinister Rouge,” a guitar-driven, fast-paced song with an operatic chorus layered throughout. Next on the album is “Social Suicide,” 1 minute and 33 seconds of blaring, high-energy “old school” punk, with the band abandoning the super- clean guitar riffs for one track.
In the title song “The Empire Strikes First,” singer Greg Graffin holds nothing back in criticizing the current government. The chorus – “Don’t want to live, don’t want to give, don’t want to be an E-M-P-I-R-E” – makes the liberal views of the band quite obvious.
The “Los Angeles is Burning” track already has been receiving some radio airplay, which is not surprising considering its hooks and Graffin’s distinct and almost relaxing timbre. With the high production quality, there likely will be more radio play for “The Empire Strikes First.”
The melodic guitars and upbeat tempos make the songs on “The Empire Strikes First” contagiously catchy, and the production quality is a little too perfect for punk rock. Despite this shortcoming, Bad Religion has put together an energetic, intelligent and listenable album that surely will catch the attention of many people, both political leftists and punk aficionados.