PICK OF THE MONTH

BAD RELIGION >> THE PROCESS OF BELIEF. EPITAPH 2002

This CD could easily mark another notch in Bad Religion’s already lengthy discography, but there’s something special about this release. It marks the return of the band’s previous guitarist and songwriter, Brett Gurewitz.

Did we mention Gurewitz is also the owner of Epitaph Records? Well, he is. And despite having to juggle the act of rock star with corporate duties, the album comes off beautifully. Die-hard Bad Religion fans will have no problem associating with The Process of Belief, as it follows many of the band’s traditional directions. It opens fast and runs fast—with only two songs over three-minutes long—through 14 tracks. And it finishes, well, just as damned fast.

While it’s easy to simply enjoy the album for its music and energy, Bad Religion maintains their reputation for lyrics—which are more socially charged than Rage Against the Machine at a Native American beauty pageant. In the midst of all this blurring speed-punk, Bad Religion explores insecurities, questions conventional thinking, and defies mainstream thought on a much higher level than the typical “screw teachers” pop act. Come to think of it, when was the last time a punk album included words like “deist,” “petrochemical plunder,” or “incipient senescence?”

The Process of Belief is a regular vocabulary test compared to some of the Special Ed musings that pass for music these days. But even if the heavy messaging isn’t your bag, Bad Religion’s driving style and piercing rifts are enough to teach your ignorant ass a lesson. - By Eric Seeger