Album · Bad Religion
The Empire Strikes First by Bad Religion
The Empire Strikes First is an album by Bad Religion, released in 2004. 2 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 18 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Los Angeles Is Burning”, on 17 lists with a best position of #21.
The Empire Strikes First, released on June 8, 2004, finds Bad Religion on Epitaph, the label Brett Gurewitz built, with Gurewitz and Greg Graffin producing, and it's as furious as anything the Los Angeles punks had put out in a long while. The Iraq War hangs over the whole thing, from "Atheist Peace" and "Let Them Eat War" to the title track, while "Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever" lifts its title from Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, a jab most likely aimed at the Patriot Act.
The lineup is a powerhouse: Graffin up front, Gurewitz, Greg Hetson and Brian Baker stacking guitars, Jay Bentley on bass and Brooks Wackerman hammering the drums at full gallop. The band's trademark three-part harmonies still soar over the blur, and "Los Angeles Is Burning" became the song the countdowns held on to. In a rare move for them, an outsider got a writing credit: Chris Wollard of Hot Water Music co-wrote two songs.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from The Empire Strikes First on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Is Burning | 17 | #21 | – | 2004–2014 | |
| 2 | The Empire Strikes First | 1 | #57 | – | 2004 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.