Have you ever wanted to tell your girlfriend something but you're scared
that she might take it all wrong, and it might blow-up in your face, so you just let it slide so as to not make waves and avoid drama. As far as I'm concerned this is a pretty apt metaphor for the present status of older classic punk bands. It seems like these bands are afraid to try something new with their sound for fear of rocking the boat and losing their loyal fan base. That they might take the attitude of, 'what the hell is this,' 'I knew it - they sold out,' or 'why are
they trying to be so artsy.' Thus bands like Pennywise and Bad Religion
stick to their guns and follow the recipe that has worked in the past and regurgitate the same stuff album after album.

Then again this type of a situation can be a double-edged sword. Look at
what happened to A.F.I., they used to be on of the best punk bands of the
nineties and with the slow transition into a more Goth rock sound, they've left behind alot of their older more punk fans behind. So it goes sometimes - damned if you do and damned if you don't.

On the new Bad Religion album, The Empire Strikes First, Bad Religion
seems to be using the same template for good records as always. I don't
want to get yelled at by saying this, but I feel that if you've heard
one Bad Religion album you've heard them all. Respectfully though I
take my hat off to these guys for rockin' for so many years. They are
definitely legends not only in punk rock but well beyond, inspiring
countless bands to form. Their stance on war and religion are legendary.
I remember hearing the Bad Religion lyrics, 'I'll believe in God when
one and one are five,' and 'Go to hell with Superman and die like a
champion 'YAHH-HEY!!' It was this kind of attitude that inspired a confused fourteen year old to think outside the social box for the first time. At the end of the day, however, if you are a die-hard Bad Religion fan it does not matter what I say, you probably already have the CD. I guess my point is that chances are you've already heard it, even before you get it unwrapped and into your player.