The Process Of Belief
by Ian Winwood

Kerrang!, January 19, 2002

THIS IS the album that seasoned devotees of Bad Religion thought might never come.. After a messy split from his bandmates eight years ago- due, in a peanutshell, to their opting to leave his Epitaph label and sign with the Atlantic Group- guitarist, “Mr. Brett” Gurewitz is back in the band (who in turn are back on his label) and re-united with vocalist Greg Graffin for the most dynamic punk songwriting partnership since a white man was last seen in Hammersmith Palais. Back to the Known, indeed.

It must be said, though, that “The Process of Belief” is not the best album Bad Religion have made. It lacks the insistent energy of “Against The Grain” or the leaned solidity of “The Gray Race”. It does, however, feature some of the best songs this band have written: “Evangeline” (perhaps a sister song to 1990’s “Anasthesia”, itself a take on Elvis Costello’s “Alison”). “Sorrow” (again, a possible partner for 92’s “Generator”), “You Don’t Belong” and “Supersonic”. At it’s best, “TPOB” combines Graffin’s and Gurewitz’s worldviews to great effect; that is, we’re only gonna die from our own arrogance (Graffin) but before this happens life is a thing of some colour, wonder and splendour. For anyone not really interested in this- and it’s always been a matter of debate just how many of the band’s fans are- there’s always the music. Music which, as usual, is strong enough, fast enough and filled with passion enough to stand the band (still) in the finest of company.

There are many who believe Bad Religion to be boring and formulaic, but a case for the defence would argue that this is a group who are always stylised yet never stagnant. And at a time when Punk rock tends to be as conformist and routine as any of the targets it originally set out to vilify- or at the very least extreme- it is a comfort and pleasure to have a band such as Bad Religion to rely on.