The Empire Strikes First
Encyclopedia
The Empire Strikes First is the thirteenth studio album by Bad Religion
released on June 8, 2004.
of preventive war
, and a play on the name of the popular Star Wars
movie The Empire Strikes Back
.
." Throughout the album, and especially in the song "Boot Stamping On A Human Face Forever," are references to the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
by George Orwell
.
, the album was recorded at Sound City in Los Angeles, California
. Recording lasted from November 2003 to February 2004.
album chart, 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 #40 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
(North America)
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
released on June 8, 2004.
Title inspiration
The title is a reference to the new Bush DoctrineBush Doctrine
The Bush Doctrine is a phrase used to describe various related foreign policy principles of former United States president George W. Bush. The phrase was first used by Charles Krauthammer in June 2001 to describe the Bush Administration's unilateral withdrawals from the ABM treaty and the Kyoto...
of preventive war
Preventive war
A preventive war or preventative war is a war initiated to prevent another party from attacking, when an attack by that party is not imminent or known to be planned. Preventive war aims to forestall a shift in the balance of power by strategically attacking before the balance of power has a chance...
, and a play on the name of the popular Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
movie The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
.
Lyrics
Although some of the album is related to the Iraq War, the band also touches on familiar topics like religion, the environment, and the media on the hit song "Los Angeles Is BurningLos Angeles Is Burning
"Los Angeles Is Burning" is the first single by punk band Bad Religion from their 2004 album The Empire Strikes First. The song reached number 40 on the Modern Rock Tracks in July 2004.-Meaning and composition:...
." Throughout the album, and especially in the song "Boot Stamping On A Human Face Forever," are references to the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
by George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
.
Production and marketing
Like its predecessor, The Process of BeliefThe Process of Belief
The Process of Belief is the twelfth studio album by the American punk rock band Bad Religion. It was produced by its leaders Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz, and was released on January 22, 2002 through Epitaph Records. After touring in support of its previous full-length studio album, The New...
, the album was recorded at Sound City in Los Angeles, California
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Recording lasted from November 2003 to February 2004.
Reception
The Empire Strikes First was released on June 8, 2004 and peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart, the highest position the band had attained at the time. The album scored a minor radio hit with, "Los Angeles Is Burning
Los Angeles Is Burning
"Los Angeles Is Burning" is the first single by punk band Bad Religion from their 2004 album The Empire Strikes First. The song reached number 40 on the Modern Rock Tracks in July 2004.-Meaning and composition:...
", which also reached #40 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Track listing
- "Overture" (Gurewitz) – 1:09
- "Sinister Rouge" (Graffin) – 1:53
- "Social Suicide" (Graffin) – 1:35
- "Atheist Peace"(Graffin) – 1:57
- "All There Is" (Gurewitz) – 2:57
- "Los Angeles Is BurningLos Angeles Is Burning"Los Angeles Is Burning" is the first single by punk band Bad Religion from their 2004 album The Empire Strikes First. The song reached number 40 on the Modern Rock Tracks in July 2004.-Meaning and composition:...
" (Gurewitz) – 3:23 - "Let Them Eat War" (Gurewitz, Francis, Wackerman, Baker, Bentley) – 2:57
- "God's Love" (Graffin) – 2:32
- "To Another Abyss" (Graffin) – 4:07
- "The Quickening" (Gurewitz, Wollard, Wackerman) – 2:19
- "The Empire Strikes First" (Gurewitz, Baker) – 3:23
- "Beyond Electric Dreams" (Gurewitz, Wollard, Wackerman) – 4:02
- "Boot Stamping on a Human Face ForeverBoot Stamping on a Human Face Forever"Boot Stamping On A Human Face Forever" is punk rock song by Bad Religion on their 2004 album The Empire Strikes First.The title of the song is direct quote from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four....
" (Gurewitz) – 3:49 - "Live Again (The Fall of Man)" (Graffin) – 3:35
Bad Religion
- Greg GraffinGreg GraffinGregory Walter Graffin, Ph.D. is an American punk rock musician, college professor, and author. He is most recognized as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the noted Los Angeles band Bad Religion, which he co-founded in 1979 and is the band's only constant member, even though it now features two...
– lead vocals, producer - Greg HetsonGreg HetsonGreg Hetson is an American guitarist. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and has lived in Los Angeles, California since he was 2 years old...
– guitar - Brian BakerBrian Baker (musician)Brian Baker is an American punk rock musician. He is best known as one of the founding members of the hardcore punk band Minor Threat, and as a guitarist in Bad Religion since 1994 alongside Greg Hetson...
– guitar, backup vocals - Brett GurewitzBrett GurewitzBrett W. Gurewitz , nicknamed Mr. Brett, is the guitarist and a songwriter of Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records and sister-labels ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Fat Possum Records, and Hellcat Records...
– guitar, backup vocals, producer - Jay BentleyJay BentleyJay Dee Bentley is the bassist and co-founding member of the punk rock group Bad Religion. He has played with the band through its whole existence with a small break between 1983 and 1985.-Bad Religion:...
– bass guitar, backup vocals - Brooks WackermanBrooks WackermanBrooks Wackerman is the current drummer for the American punk band Bad Religion and the younger brother of Chad Wackerman, formerly a member of Frank Zappa's band.-Career:...
– drums, percussion
Musicians
- David Bragger – violin on "Atheist Peace"
- Mike Campbell – guitar on "Los Angeles is Burning"
- Sage FrancisSage FrancisPaul "Sage" Francis is a hip-hop artist from Providence, Rhode Island.-Biography:Born Paul Francis in Miami, Florida, Sage Francis is a rapper/writer/performer from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of the independent hip-hop record label Strange Famous Records...
– guest vocals on "Let Them Eat War" - John Ginty – Hammond B-3 on "Los Angeles is Burning"
- Leopold RossLeopold RossLeopold Ross is an English musician, record producer, recording engineer, music programmer and part-time model.Leopold is a guitarist in LA based band Io Echo, and an occasional contributor to the band 12 Rounds.-Career:...
– Sonic Alienator on "Beyond Electric Dreams" - Claude Sarne – goth choir soprano on "Sinister Rouge"
Other
- Atticus RossAtticus RossAtticus Ross is an English musician, composer and producer. Ross, along with Trent Reznor, won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Social Network in 2011.-Early career:...
– programming - Joe BarresiJoe BarresiJoe Barresi is an American record engineer and producer who has worked with bands such as Kyuss, The Melvins, Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Coheed and Cambria, Tomahawk, L7, The Jesus Lizard, Parkway Drive and Bad Religion.-Biography:...
– 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 | |
| Worldwide | |
| United States |
Charts
Album - BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(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 |