July 18, 2007

Two of the year's biggest releases are (almost) available to play to death at our leisure.

Bad Religions New Maps Of Hell is officially out and moistening the delicates of fans everywhere and Against Me's New Wave, is almost out and already sparking a wave of contention amongst punk rock purist worldwide (I swear one day I will go 'Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back' on the entire population of the punknews.org message boards and personally visit and cause grievous bodily harm to those over opinionated elitist asshats).

Firstly, who'd have thought Bad Religion could come up with another largely faultless album. Honest Goodbye was initially, a downright terrifying discovery. I had thought it would serve as good indication of the dour tone of the legendary band's fourteenth album, but it now sits nicely amongst a collection of songs so fucking badass and inspiring, it makes me wanna get all Greg Graffin in the 'Sorrow' video and thrust my fist about in the air like a preacher man on the gack.

I mean, how GOOD is Grains Of Wrath!?

New Wave on the other hand, scared the wits out of me at first listen. Pretty sure I worked my way through Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and then Acceptance within the first 10 listens, and eventually saw the light weeks later when I found- within the significantly slower pace and lack of Eternal Cowboy fury and thrash- an album of beautifully crafted tunes with the same honesty and intent apparent in their finest moments many years ago.

Hell, they included many of these songs in sets during their Australian tour, and I didn't see anyone storm the venue in protest, because I don't think anyone noticed and because in the end it still sounds like Against Me and God they're amazing and if you don't crack a smile or feel some form of awkward, unidentifiable stimulation possibly of the sexual nature during the final chorus of Thrash Unreal, then please seek professional help.