The Process of Belief

After reuniting with Bad Religion to tour in support of The New America, Brett Gurewitz officially rejoined the band he co-founded for this album. It was a welcome homecoming. Though the group had written classic songs in Gurewitz’s absence, there was no substitute for the creative frisson between Gurewitz and lead singer Greg Graffin. The process of reforming with Gurewitz and returning to Epitaph was certainly personal for the band, and The Process of Belief is notable for its shift toward songs written from an internal, individualized perspective. Gurewitz songs like “Supersonic” are introspective, while “Broken” and “You Don’t Belong” identify with the adolescent struggles of young punk characters. Graffin, meanwhile, launches into political attack mode with “Materialist” and “Kyoto Now!,” but he also expands into new territory with “Evangeline,” a tale of crime that alludes to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1755 poem of the same name. Instrumentally, the band is in fighting form, with a three-pronged attack in the form of guitarists Gurewitz, Greg Hetson, and Brian Baker. A feeling of unity has always abounded in the ranks of Bad Religion, and it shows in the band's songs.