Many moons has it been since I first heard the sermons of Father Graffin and Father Gurewitz. And many moons has it been since they have given the good word together. And though I may have strayed a bit during that time, now that they sing from on high once more, it is once again true that the only good religion is Bad Religion.

As every punk/music news site has flogged like a dead horse with something still making it’s nerves twitch, the dynamic duo of Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz have reunited to produce perhaps the best Bad Religion record to date.

Our fore fathers of punk rock have once again, created a blissful record that flows well from beginning to end and back again. From the first second the laser caresses the shiny plastic surface to when it regretfully comes to the end of the album, it is plainly clear that Bad Religion has aged like fine wine.

The sonic shower of three guitars, mixed with the ooos and aaahs that no other band seems to be able to reproduce quite right, nor even Bad Religion without Mr. Brett, and the new human drum machine of Brooks Wackerman come to show us that the glory days were definitely not lost.

Indeed, quite honestly the golden age of Bad Religion may yet be ahead of us. As some have noticed, the songs have, over the years, grown steadly more thoughtful and insightful. For who could have seen anyone sneaking songs like Sorrow, with it’s rather slow (almost Dream Of Unityish) tempo, into the mix of Suffer or Against the Grain? Nor would the amazing harmonies and experience of hearing the choruses of Epiphany fit anyplace, even in Stranger Than Fiction in which the harmonies abounded.

Where are the little tidbits that the describe the songs asks the reader? Why am I being swooned in wit? Why indeed! For this CD is much like an experience, you could describe a section or two, but it would fail to portray the whole sensation that you remember and look forward to every time your speakers burst forth in joyful song.

This record is quite truly something new, and it is quite truly Bad Religion.