How Could Hell Be Any Worse - Bad Religion

Bad Religion's first album was a surprise success for the Southern Californian punk rockers, and has been widely hailed as the major inspiration for many later bands following the So-Cal sound, second only to 1988's definitive 'Suffer.' Funded in part by guitarist Brett Gurewitz's dad and produced on a tight budget, this has all the charm of D.I.Y. punk with uncharacteristic musical ability, and mixes its predominantly raw, Misfits-like guitars with upbeat percussion and Greg Graffin's distinctive vocals that aren't exactly melodic, but aren't aggressive either. With its hellish, Dantesque album art and strong political themes, this is angry punk that nevertheless ...