Recipe For Hate Review

"Recipe For Hate" is the seventh full-length album from punk rock icons Bad Religion.  The band sticks to their guns with this one as you get a hard hitting album filled with lyrics that make you think.  Frontman Greg Graffin always paints with his lyrics as he speaks about societal issues that plague us every day in a poetic way.  Songs such as "American Jesus" and "Struck A Nerve" serve as some of the more well-known Bad Religion tunes and overall the album rules with an iron fist in the punk scene.

A song that stood out on this album for me is "Skyscraper".  The anthemic track really inspires you with its infectious melodies and catchy riffs and considering its towards the end of the album, it leaves you off on an excellent note.  One thing in punk is that the majority of the tracks will often sound similar and this album is no different.  The similar tracks blend into one another as some tracks get lost in translation.  The difference that helps certain tracks stand out is change of pace.  "Struck A Nerve" is slowed down dramatically and Graffin makes sure you hear his words.  

With Bad Religion, you get what you pay for.  They hit you hard with knowledge and a horde of guitars to get their message across.  The often times redundant tracks could deter you from enjoying this album as a whole, but the punk rock kings reel you in with their sound that you probably fell in love with a long time ago.  This is also the album where the band "sold out" as they signed with Atlantic Records after leaving Epitaph.  They eventually returned to Epitaph but the production value stays the same course of what you've come to know and love from Bad Religion.

Final Summary:

The album is much more diverse than their previous works.  It features some hits but more misses than anything.  The album will grow on you after a while but at the end of the day, you can't deny the sound of Bad Religion.  The band puts everything they're offering on the table and they don't take returns.  "Recipe For Hate" isn't the best album they've ever released, but it does hold a special place in the hearts of punk rock fans as the melodically driven album finds a way to stay in your music library.

Rating: 7.8/10