Age of Unreason

Released in 2019, Age of Unreason ended the longest studio gap in Bad Religion's history, arriving six years after True North. It marks a significant lineup shift with the debut of guitarist Mike Dimkich and drummer Jamie Miller, whose tighter, more focused rhythmic approach defines the album's pacing. Produced by Carlos de la Garza, the record departs from the long-standing Joe Barresi era, opting for a sonic profile that is notably crisp and punchy. Lyrically, the album is a direct response to the global rise of populism and the erosion of Enlightenment values, with tracks like 'The Profane Rights of Man' and 'Do the Paranoid Style' utilizing Graffin's academic background to dissect contemporary paranoia. Critics noted that despite being the band's seventeenth album, it maintained a level of urgency and relevance that many of their peers had lost, cementing their status as the premier intellectuals of the punk genre.