The Empire Strikes First

The Empire Strikes First
Studio album by Bad Religion
Released June 8, 2004 (2004-06-08)
Recorded November 2003 - February 2004
Studio Sound City in Los Angeles
Genre Punk rock
Length 39:38
Label Epitaph
Producer Brett Gurewitz, Greg Graffin
Bad Religion chronology
Punk Rock Songs
(2002)Punk Rock Songs 2002		 The Empire Strikes First
(2004)		 New Maps of Hell
(2007)New Maps of Hell2007

The Empire Strikes First is the thirteenth studio album by Bad Religion, released on June 8, 2004.

Release

"Los Angeles Is Burning" was released to radio on April 27, 2004.[1] The Empire Strikes First was released on June 8, 2004. In October, the band went on a tour of the US with Rise Against.[2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic70/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
IGN9/10 [5]
Pitchfork8.2/10 [6]
RTÉ[7]
Robert Christgau[8]
Rolling Stone[9]

It peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200 album chart,[10] the highest position the band had attained at the time. The album scored a minor radio hit with, "Los Angeles Is Burning", which also reached No. 40 on the Billboard modern rock tracks chart.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Overture"Gurewitz1:09
2."Sinister Rouge"Graffin1:53
3."Social Suicide"Graffin1:35
4."Atheist Peace"Graffin1:57
5."All There Is"Gurewitz2:57
6."Los Angeles Is Burning"Gurewitz3:23
7."Let Them Eat War"Gurewitz, Francis, Wackerman, Baker, Bentley2:57
8."God's Love"Graffin2:32
9."To Another Abyss"Graffin4:07
10."The Quickening"Gurewitz, Wackerman, Chris Wollard2:19
11."The Empire Strikes First"Gurewitz, Baker3:23
12."Beyond Electric Dreams"Gurewitz, Wackerman, Wollard4:02
13."Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever"Gurewitz3:49
14."Live Again (The Fall of Man)"Graffin3:35

Personnel

Bad Religion

Additional personnel

Musicians

  • David Bragger – violin on "Atheist Peace"
  • Mike Campbell – guitar on "Los Angeles is Burning"
  • Sage Francis – guest vocals on "Let Them Eat War"
  • John Ginty – Hammond B-3 on "Los Angeles is Burning"
  • Leopold Ross – Sonic Alienator on "Beyond Electric Dreams"
  • Claude Sarne – goth choir soprano on "Sinister Rouge"

Other

  • Atticus Ross – programming
  • Joe Barresi – engineer, mixing
  • Tom Baker – mastering
  • Pete Martinez – assistant engineer
  • June Murakawa – assistant engineer
  • Nick Pritchard – design
  • Sean Murphy – photography
  • Matt Rubin – photography

Release history

Country Release date
United Kingdom June 7, 2004
Worldwide
United States June 8, 2004

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
2004 The Billboard 200 40
Top independent albums 2
Top Internet albums 40

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
2004 "Los Angeles Is Burning" Modern rock tracks 40

References

  1. ↑ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  2. ↑ UG Team (August 27, 2004). "In Brief: Marilyn Manson, Used, Slipknot, Bad Religion, Fu Manchu". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  3. ↑ "The Empire Strikes First by Bad Religion". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  4. ↑ AllMusic
  5. ↑ JR (July 19, 2004). "The Empire Strikes First". IGN. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  6. ↑ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/522-the-empire-strikes-first/
  7. ↑ "Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First". RTÉ News. June 30, 2004.
  8. ↑ "Robert Christgau: CG: bad religion". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Miller, Kirk (July 8, 2004). "The Empire Strikes First Review". Archived from the original on 11 March 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "The Empire Strikes First's entry at Billboard.com". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
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