by Johnny Loftus

In early 2004, Epitaph released remastered versions of four Bad Religion LPs, as well as a tour film dating from 1989. Suffer was always one of the band's strongest albums, marking the reunion of its original lineup, tighter playing, and the blazing erudition of cuts like "Land of Competition," "You Are (The Government)," and "What Can You Do?" The remastering process rights the faults of the original analog-to-digital transfer, amplifying the grit instead of applying unneeded 21st century gloss. The album also rings true aesthetically, especially in light of the factional muddle the punk and hardcore scenes find themselves in today. Suffer drives forward at a consistent, breakneck speed, the band's no-frills chording supporting Greg Graffin's still vital cautionary wordsmithing; it's not flashy, nor is it slick, but it gets the job done.