The Empire Strikes First

The Empire Strikes First
Studio album by Bad Religion
Released	June 8, 2004
Recorded	November 2003 - February 2004
Studio	Sound City in Los Angeles
Genre	Punk rock
Length	39:42
Label	Epitaph
Producer	Brett Gurewitz, Greg Graffin
Bad Religion chronology
Punk Rock Songs (2002) The Empire Strikes First (2004) New Maps of Hell (2007)

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.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	70/100[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
IGN	[4]
Robert Christgau	[5]
RTÉ	[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]

It peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200 album chart,^[8] 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

1. "Overture" (Gurewitz) – 1:09
2. "Sinister Rouge" (Graffin) – 1:53
3. "Social Suicide" (Graffin) – 1:35
4. "Atheist Peace" (Graffin) – 1:57
5. "All There Is" (Gurewitz) – 2:57
6. "Los Angeles Is Burning" (Gurewitz) – 3:23
7. "Let Them Eat War" (Gurewitz, Francis, Wackerman, Baker, Bentley) – 2:57
8. "God's Love" (Graffin) – 2:32
9. "To Another Abyss" (Graffin) – 4:07
10. "The Quickening" (Gurewitz, Wackerman, Chris Wollard) – 2:19
11. "The Empire Strikes First" (Gurewitz, Baker) – 3:23
12. "Beyond Electric Dreams" (Gurewitz, Wackerman, Wollard) – 4:02
13. "Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever" (Gurewitz) – 3:49
14. "Live Again (The Fall of Man)" (Graffin) – 3:35

Japan bonus track

15. "The Surface of Me" (Graffin) – 3:01

Personnel

Bad Religion

• Greg Graffin – lead vocals, producer
• Greg Hetson – guitar
• Brian Baker – guitar, backup vocals
• Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backup vocals, producer
• Jay Bentley – bass guitar, backup vocals
• Brooks Wackerman – drums, percussion

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. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
2. "The Empire Strikes First by Bad Religion". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
3. AllMusic
4. IGN
5. "Robert Christgau: CG: bad religion". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
6. "Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First". RTÉ News. June 30, 2004.
7. "Album Reviews". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
8. "The Empire Strikes First's entry at Billboard.com". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06.

External links

• The Empire Strikes First at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)