Forostar
Ancient Mariner
The Empire Strikes First is a fine follow up album. Can't disagree with most you wrote, apart from the title track being included in a section going nowhere (unless you see it as being in the first 75%). I'd say it is one of the cooler songs of the album. I do not mind Beyond Electric Dreams as much as you. Perhaps the repetition at the end bothers somewhat but as a whole this rocks! I like that type of riffing. One of the best 3 albums Bad Religion made since Brett returned.
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Let's put a line there because now we're entering an era of not so great Bad Religion albums (in my view of course; it's a lot about taste).
New Maps of Hell
Requiem for Dissent's has a bad chorus and the rest of the song I find (below) average sounding. I do not like Honest Goodbye. Irritating vocal style. The who o ow bit is worse than most on The New America album. Prodigal Son again. Yuck. The best moment of The Grand Illusion is its last chord. I do like more about it but in the end the oo hoows did not do a good service.
alright / good but not that great songs:
Murder (I see what you mean but I like infectious chorus)
Grains of Wrath (wonderful bridge although the rest not that brilliant)
Heroes and Martyrs (top chorus!)
Favourite songs:
New Dark Ages
Before You Die (great bounce indeed!)
Lost Pilgrim (an absolute highlight with the most wonderful melodies and harmonies of the 21st century output)
Submission Complete (phenomenal Arabic vibe, rhythms, drums and solo; it could do with less dominant hoo hooows but the melodies and music are too good to be that bothered)
Overall I think this album should have less forgettable or bad moments in order to be positive about it. Maybe it is a melodic album, but regularly I think the melodies are not good. Literally forgettable as soon as I turn on another Bad Religion album. IMO the best four songs have a grabbing quality that is present in greater numbers (!) on most earlier releases. I'd say this album is the one but least good release of 1981-2007 (or even later/all output; surely a bottom 3 album).
Bonus tracks I appreciate:
Adam's Atoms (acoustic):
Chronophobia (acoustic):
= = = = = = =
Let's put a line there because now we're entering an era of not so great Bad Religion albums (in my view of course; it's a lot about taste).
New Maps of Hell
Requiem for Dissent's has a bad chorus and the rest of the song I find (below) average sounding. I do not like Honest Goodbye. Irritating vocal style. The who o ow bit is worse than most on The New America album. Prodigal Son again. Yuck. The best moment of The Grand Illusion is its last chord. I do like more about it but in the end the oo hoows did not do a good service.
alright / good but not that great songs:
Murder (I see what you mean but I like infectious chorus)
Grains of Wrath (wonderful bridge although the rest not that brilliant)
Heroes and Martyrs (top chorus!)
Favourite songs:
New Dark Ages
Before You Die (great bounce indeed!)
Lost Pilgrim (an absolute highlight with the most wonderful melodies and harmonies of the 21st century output)
Submission Complete (phenomenal Arabic vibe, rhythms, drums and solo; it could do with less dominant hoo hooows but the melodies and music are too good to be that bothered)
Overall I think this album should have less forgettable or bad moments in order to be positive about it. Maybe it is a melodic album, but regularly I think the melodies are not good. Literally forgettable as soon as I turn on another Bad Religion album. IMO the best four songs have a grabbing quality that is present in greater numbers (!) on most earlier releases. I'd say this album is the one but least good release of 1981-2007 (or even later/all output; surely a bottom 3 album).
Bonus tracks I appreciate:
Adam's Atoms (acoustic):
Chronophobia (acoustic):
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