Bad Religion: New Maps of Hell

Bad Religion: New Maps of Hell

2007

Epitaph Records

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing:  1. 52 Seconds  2. Heroes & Martyrs  3. Germs of Perfection  4. New Dark Ages  5. Requiem for Dissent  6. Before You Die  7. Honest Goodbye   8. Dearly Beloved  9. Grains of Wrath  10. Murder  11 . Scrutiny  12. Prodigal Son  13. The Grand Delusion  14. Lost Pilgrim  15 .Submission Complete  16. Fields of Mars

Bad Religion sounds reinvigorated  here...especially after playing this back to back with "The Empire Strike First." The tempos are even more racing but they maintain quality hooks for a good chunk of the  running time.

The record kind of fools you at first...It starts with a series of brief, blistering hardcore songs (the likes of which you haven't heard since "How Could Hell be Any Worse.") Their effect is somewhat like a 500 mph bucket of ice water in the face...It certainly gets your attention...And I'm crazy about that harmonized lead during "New Dark Ages," the band is making good use out of their many guitarists...I love it...

..And just when you start to become fatigued by this approach, they start tossing in the pop songs...and there's certainly some great ones here..."Prodigal Son" is a like a punk rock take on 70's  power-pop, and it ultimately comes off  unlike anything they've ever attempted before.

"Honest Mistake" is another mid-tempo fist-pumping anthem and "Fields of Mars" is seriously one of the most glorious Bad Religion tracks yet...I'm dead serious...You have to check this one out...Finally an epic closer that can stand up to "Skyscraper" from "Recipe for Hate." Hell, I probably like this one more...It absolutely soars...with it's grand vocal harmonies and surging classic rock chorus...There's even a majestic piano break...If anything check out this album for this alone...You don't want to miss it...

I do somewhat think that all the fast stuff on here is eclipsed by the high-quality of the mid-tempo material.. Discounting their pre-"Generator" material, of course, I don't think they successfully pulled off  a 100% effective full-speed hardcore record until 2013's True North."   But all in all, another recommendable record if melodic hardcore's your thing... If you're not already into them at this  point, I doubt there's much here that would change your mind...

 Let's check out "Fields of Mars" by Bad Religion...You're gonna like this...