10-10-2010, 01:03 PM
“The Dissent of Man,” the new Bad Religion album, is about what I expected. This is one of my favorite bands, and I like (and own) everything they’ve put out, including this one, but it’s far from their greatest release.
1. The Day That the Earth Stalled: 8/10 This is the best album opener since “Supersonic,” perfect pace for an opener too, and I like the lyrics. Now, if only it worked as a whole song…
2. Only Rain: 7/10 This is a nice moderately paced song, but it’s missing that something that could make it outstanding.
3. The Resist Stance: 8/10 This one has a lot thrown into it: metal intro, gang vocals, punk bridge, anthem lyrics, but loses points for being too short and ending with 20 seconds of a dead note.
4. Won’t Somebody: 9/10 This was my favorite new acoustic song on the special edition of “New Maps of Hell,” and I’m glad to see it made it on this album. I think I prefer the acoustic version, but this is nice too.
5. The Devil in Stitches: 6/10 This is one of the most original songs on the album, but I really don’t care for it. The lyrics have no hook, and they don’t fit with the music.
6. Pride and the Pallor: 6/10 Another somewhat original song, the lyrics fit the music better, but it still feels like a hook is missing.
7. Wrong Way Kids: 7/10 To the tune of “All There Is” with “I Want to Conquer the World” intro. It has a lot of promise at first, but disappoints a bit, still pretty good.
8. Meeting of the Minds: 10/10 To the tune of “Germs of Perfection” this time. I like this song a lot, better than “Germs of Perfection” and one of my favorites on the album, great lyrics and pacing.
9. Someone to Believe: 10/10 The riff has a Ramones feel to it, which is abnormal for Bad Religion. This song is the catchiest on the album and tied for my favorite with the previous.
10. Avalon: 9/10 This song had the potential to be one of the all-time great Bad Religion songs, but it falls a little short in the lyrics. It sounds like a longer version of “Social Suicide.”
11. Cyanide: 7/10 It’s different, I’ll give it that, and I kind of like when Bad Religion attempts love songs, but the lyrics are subpar and don’t fit the music.
12. Turn Your Back On Me: 5/10 Ditto the above, but worse.
13. Ad Hominem: 8/10 To the tune of “Watch It Die” this time. The lyrics are striking at first, and the song is catchy enough.
14. Where The Fun Is: 5/10 This one is clearly filler.
15. I Won’t Say Anything: 9/10 It’s original and charming, perhaps not the best closer, but I like it.
Overall, this album is very good, better than “New Maps of Hell,” but it doesn’t measure up with Bad Religion’s best. Since I gave “New Maps of Hell” 4/5, I think I have to give this one 5/5. It’s still a Bad Religion album after all.
1. The Day That the Earth Stalled: 8/10 This is the best album opener since “Supersonic,” perfect pace for an opener too, and I like the lyrics. Now, if only it worked as a whole song…
2. Only Rain: 7/10 This is a nice moderately paced song, but it’s missing that something that could make it outstanding.
3. The Resist Stance: 8/10 This one has a lot thrown into it: metal intro, gang vocals, punk bridge, anthem lyrics, but loses points for being too short and ending with 20 seconds of a dead note.
4. Won’t Somebody: 9/10 This was my favorite new acoustic song on the special edition of “New Maps of Hell,” and I’m glad to see it made it on this album. I think I prefer the acoustic version, but this is nice too.
5. The Devil in Stitches: 6/10 This is one of the most original songs on the album, but I really don’t care for it. The lyrics have no hook, and they don’t fit with the music.
6. Pride and the Pallor: 6/10 Another somewhat original song, the lyrics fit the music better, but it still feels like a hook is missing.
7. Wrong Way Kids: 7/10 To the tune of “All There Is” with “I Want to Conquer the World” intro. It has a lot of promise at first, but disappoints a bit, still pretty good.
8. Meeting of the Minds: 10/10 To the tune of “Germs of Perfection” this time. I like this song a lot, better than “Germs of Perfection” and one of my favorites on the album, great lyrics and pacing.
9. Someone to Believe: 10/10 The riff has a Ramones feel to it, which is abnormal for Bad Religion. This song is the catchiest on the album and tied for my favorite with the previous.
10. Avalon: 9/10 This song had the potential to be one of the all-time great Bad Religion songs, but it falls a little short in the lyrics. It sounds like a longer version of “Social Suicide.”
11. Cyanide: 7/10 It’s different, I’ll give it that, and I kind of like when Bad Religion attempts love songs, but the lyrics are subpar and don’t fit the music.
12. Turn Your Back On Me: 5/10 Ditto the above, but worse.
13. Ad Hominem: 8/10 To the tune of “Watch It Die” this time. The lyrics are striking at first, and the song is catchy enough.
14. Where The Fun Is: 5/10 This one is clearly filler.
15. I Won’t Say Anything: 9/10 It’s original and charming, perhaps not the best closer, but I like it.
Overall, this album is very good, better than “New Maps of Hell,” but it doesn’t measure up with Bad Religion’s best. Since I gave “New Maps of Hell” 4/5, I think I have to give this one 5/5. It’s still a Bad Religion album after all.
![[Image: AppealtoReason.jpg]](http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g100/baw01002/Album%20Covers/AppealtoReason.jpg)
"I looked up and saw you;
I know that you saw me.
We froze but for a moment
In empathy."-Rise Against
