Search - Bad Religion :: How Could Hell Be Any Worse?

How could the original tracks be any worse?

D. K. Malone | earth | 07/07/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I've owned the original Bad Religion six song EP since the early 80s. To this day, it's still my favorite Bad Religion record. Back when I was discovering the joy of replacing my old worn out vinyl records with CD re-releases, BR released "80-85" which contained How Could Hell Be Any Worse, the first EP, the Back To The Known EP, and some compilation tracks. The highlight for me was of course the tracks from the first EP. Or at least, it should have been. When I listened to that CD for the first time, I was sorely disappointed to discover that they didn't use the exact same tracks that were used on the original EP. It sounded like they may have started out as the same tracks I remembered, but had then been edited and altered with alternate takes, overdubs, a remix, and other such shenanigans. I found out about this new version of the 80-85 CD, and that it was remastered. I hoped that now finally I'd have the original versions of the 1st EP tracks on CD, but to no avail... this is the same stuff from the 80-85 disk. Damn it. Why not use the originals?



I'm taking off another star because it still annoys me that BR continues to stubbornly deny the existence of their 2nd album, Into the Unknown. For those of you who aren't aware, in 1983 BR released an LP with cover art that would have made Journey and Boston proud, and songs to match. Loud keyboards, acoustic guitars, 10+ minute songs, a conceptual quadrilogy... Somehow BR had become 70s arena rock. I really dug it. Not only were some of the songs great (especially the first three: It's Only Over When..., Chasing the Wild Goose, and Billy Gnosis) but I thought it was a response to the scene itself. In 1983 the punk scene had become unbearably conformist. If you didn't sound and dress according to accepted hardcore norms, you were rejected. It seemed like just the sort of thing BR would do, to release an album that was basically a big middle finger F-you to all of that. But the next thing I knew, they were refusing to acknowledge the record's existence, or making glib excuses like "Well, we were doing too much acid when we did that album." When they left it off of 80-85, I was disappointed in them, because leaving it out is a lie. At least it isn't quite so much of a lie to leave it off of this CD, but I'm sure some younger fans must wonder why they titled a record "Back to the Known."



Whatever. How Could Hell Be Any Worse is an all time L.A. hardcore classic, up there with Circle Jerks- Group Sex, Adolescents self titled LP, Black Flag- Damaged, Social Distortion- Mommy's Little Monster, etc., and Back to the Known was a great EP. Buy buy buy."

I've got the answer to the title- if this didn't exist.

Mage Brmarlin, Pixelante | Where I Live | 04/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Into the Unknown would have been nice here as well, but I'll just review the compilation that there is here. Each song blows me away, with catchy hooks, stabby claws, and Greg Graffin's voice delivers perfectly, while Brett, Jay Bentley, Pete Finestone and Jay Ziskrout throw out a set of blazingly incredibly fast yet melodic songs.



And that's just for the first 14 songs.



The version of the 1st EP they have here is great - although now because of the person who said its not the same version makes me want to hear it very badly. The music here pwns teh genre of punk.



After the first EP, the Into the Unknown album SHOULD go here. But it doesn't. Damn self-censorship. Anyway, the Back to the Known, is without Brett Gruewitz, who is being replaced by Greg Hetson. Oddly enough, it sounds a lot like The Gray Race. Except its so much better....The only low point is the version of "Bad Religion" on here -its a bit slow and not as good.



Wrapping it all up is the Public Service compilation. It is three songs, redone from the first EP. The versions on Public Service are better - "Bad Religion" and "Slaves" are even faster and better, while the second version of "Drastic Actions" is kicked up a notch or two.



This album is incredible, fortunately it has all the lyrics, and you might have to listen carefully if you're used to hearing other Bad Religion CDs first - Greg will sound incoherent at first - I still can't quite hear all the lyrics.



Bands should have to kill to achieve an album this great. This has been said somewhere or other on the Bad Religion website (I think), but I have to add that here.

(Disclaimer: Any bands trying to make a CD this great - don't kill anyone please....I don't wanna be an accomplice to a murder here!)"

Damn good album

Jonathan D. Rose | NOwhere | 12/11/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one fine album, but my only disappointment was it did not include "Into The Unknown". I managed to get a real copy of "Into The Unknown" on ebay for a hefty price. Please re-release it BR!



Song highlights include 'were only gonna die', 'latch key kids' & 'bad religion'

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