Bad Religion - The Process of Belief

Comeback or not, The Process of Belief is an Instant Classic

Its rare that a band considered by many to be releasing a comeback album ends up recording the BEST album of their career. Bad Religion does just that! This is THE BEST Bad Religion album ever recorded, and that's saying something.

Gurewitz makes his presence felt in his triumphant return to Bad Religion. This album has his staple guitar licks all over it. However, what often gets overlooked is the fact that BR acquired a new drummer after Bobby McShay left the band one year prior to the recording of this album. The new drummer (whose name escapes me at the moment) IS PHENOMENAL and provides a major upgrade whether you realize it or not. He, along with Gurewitz, are the driving forces behind this powerful punk rock. As always, lead singer Greg Graffin is dazzling, stringing together the most intelligent multi-syllabic lyrics in rock. He remains among the most distinctive and inspiring voices in music today.

My only gripe is the band's semi-bothersome habit of opening an album with 2 or 3 very short, frenetic, pointless tracks that seem to serve no purpose other than to announce "LOOK AT US, WE STILL PLAY REALLY FAST!!", but once things settle down a bit Bad Religion shines brightly.

March 9, 2008

It's easy to imagine

All the reviews you will read about this album will talk about Mr. Brett's return. You will also read about the fact that this marks Bad Religion's return to Epitaph. Though those are two important things to mention about the album, I think the most important thing to say is that the songwriting is top notch. The intensity and melodiousness of this record is like a breath of fresh air after the stagnant "New America." (Personally I was convinced that was to be their last album, it just had that sputtering out sound to it.)

From the first seconds of "Supersonic" the listener becomes acutely aware that Bad Religion is not only back, they are better than ever. It is not until "Broken" that they even give you a second to breathe. "Broken" then gives you a radio-friendly pop sheen that is unexpected and welcome. Immediately after, however, the speed is back.

From "Sorrow" to "Sound Defense" and from "Evangeline" to "Lie," Process is proof that Bad Religion still is the best rock and roll act of the last twenty years (and counting.) March 4, 2007

What a come back

BR hadn't had an album out for a while before this one and being reunited with Brett Gurewitz helped out a lot. This album is definitely more rock than punk, but the fast tempos are still there. Greg Graffin's voice is controlled and fluid with his delivery and the guitar is booming and this album just plain out kills. One of my favorite driving albums. It is very short though, but EVERY song is outstanding. A good starting point for people new to BR. Then work your way back. November 26, 2006

Great Music For Those Who Usually Hate Hardcore

First of all, let me admit that I am a 35 year old man who rarely likes fast or loud music anymore. I usually spend my time listening to groups like Belle and Sabastian, Stone Roses, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, The Smiths, etc. It's not that I haven't tried listening to certain hardcore punk or modern heavy metal bands. It's just that I find their lack of melody and lack of originality terribly frustrating and boring. It's not simply that my ears can't take "loud" music anymore. The heavy metal groups are usually fronted by a singer who wants to either sound like the Cookie Monster or Rob Halford. A normal sounding voice is simply too much to ask from these guys. Most hardcore groups are rarely original and just try to play as fast as they can and usually have a singer who likes to sing with a whiny voice or a gruff voice.


Imagine my surprise when I finally found a group that played fast and had a singer who had a voice that a man over 30 could tolerate. As if that wasn't enough, this group also had songs that were highly melodic and not lyrically inane. The first album I ever heard from Bad Religion was No Control. The songs weren't as melodic as I would have liked, but I found the music and the singer's voice and style of singing absolutely invigorating. Sadly, the album was a cassette and it eventually fell apart. Since I wasn't absolutely in love with the album, I never actively sought to buy it again.

Years later I bought a bunch of cassettes from an Ebay auction. Bad Religion's Recipe for Hate was included in the lot. I decided to listen to it once. I figured at least the singer wouldn't give this rapidly aging dude a headache. Needless to say, I was blown away by the album. It was much more melodic than No Control. I truly love RECIPE. I then read some reviews of other albums and decided to buy Against the Grain. Sadly, I didn't find that album appealing. The music just sounded too thrashy, too short and seemed repetitive and didn't reach the melodic heights of RECIPE.

I had no idea which album to buy next or even if I should buy another album. I'm glad to say that PROCESS was my next choice. The few bad reviews came from people saying it was too poppy and wasn't hard enough. This was my clue that I would probably enjoy it more than Against the Grain. My decision turned out to be a good one. This album is much more melodic than Against the Grain. I simply love it. The songs are more diverse and more melodic. I'm planning to buy the EMPIRE album next. The old hardcore fans don't seem to enjoy it as much as their older albums. That's a sign to me that EMPIRE is probably going to be great.

When you are 35 years old, you are no longer interested whether a group has "sold out." You no longer get into major arguments with your friends if the new album by your favorite group sounds "wimpy." Trust me, I went through that phase when I was young. Metallica has had to deal with such stuff from their old heavy metal fans. It's rather pathetic to watch. I'm now only interested in what sounds good. Bad Religion no longer make albums like they did fifteen years ago. They have not sold out. Their melodies have grown and the songs are more diverse. They have simply grown and gotten better. For those who want them to sound like they did fifteen years ago, it's not going to happen. They can't return to what they once were. They must be who they currently are and not what you want them to be. Graffin is simply too smart to have remained stagnant.

By the way, if anyone knows another hardcore band they might think I like, mention it in future reviews. Right now Bad Religion is the only hardcore punk band I can truly say I like. I heard the Misfits and love the singer's Elvis voice and many of the songs have great hooks, but the production on those albums is so bad, I can't listen to them. July 22, 2006

Excellent

Great album people, thanks to the guys from BR for returning to form. All songs deserve 5 stars. Well except for epiphany, id give that a 4. Epiphany has two meanings, im sure of it. One is to do with God and the other is to do with a realization of something profound. Since im religous i tend to think that this song is singing about the latter even though i dont think it is.
Anyway a 5/5 album. Buy it! July 5, 2006

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