Customer Reviews: Read 53 more reviews...
 definitively badass. Milestone. November 4, 2004
Campbell Roark (from under the floorboards and through the woods...)
25 out of 26 found this review helpful
Perfection. Snotty. Furious. High-minded. Vitriolic. Probably kick-started thousands of bands. And what perfect f^(king cover @rt. The lyrics to this hit you like a brick to the back of the head, but a brick that you have come to love and cherish.
"The masses are obsequious, contented in their sleep. The vortex of their minds ensconced within the murky deep."
"I don't know if the billions will survive but I'll believe in God when 1 and 1 are 5."
Awesome. Hells yes. Right before they started reinventing themselves on NO CONTROL and making the world's definitive hardcore album: "Against the Grain"... Before it all, there was this. Takes me back to high school, sitting in my mom's basement, listening to BR and consulting a dictionary for the big words.
I don't know you, punk- and I don't care how bad you may think BR have become over the course of the 90's (I stand by most of their releases): we can all put aside our differences and agree that this album is one of those rarities that makes life worthwhile.
the blueprint August 24, 2005
Jeema (OH)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This CD is basically the So-Cal skate-punk blueprint and probably the best Bad Religion CD ever, period. Every track is loud, angry, straight-ahead, and catchy as heck. The most surprising thing, though, is that the subject matter of a lot of these songs seems almost more pertinent today than it was in 1988, in songs like "You Are the Government", "1000 More Fools", "What Can You Do?". Take a listen and hear for yourself...
deserves 10 stars July 28, 2005
Cynthia
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
"Suffer" is one of the greatest punk albums ever made. Period. Greg's vocals, wow, what can I say. The man can f***ing sing. The lyrics are incredibly powerful, and mostly about self-reliance and thinking for yourself. The title track is the best song. Next, and a very close second, is my favorite BR song: "You Are (The Government)." This song is really short, but very powerful. "You are the government, you are jurisprudence, you are the volition, you are jurisdiction, and I make a difference too." The third best song for me is "Do What You Want." I love the lyrics - "Do what you want, but don't do it around me . . . Do what you must, do all you can. Break all the f***ing rules and go to hell with Superman and die like a champion ya hey!" This album is so great that I have owned several copies over the years - I listen to it so much that I keep wearing it out. Do yourself a favor and buy "Suffer" right now.
The perfect median between pop-punk and hardcore. May 20, 2003
MaratsBathing (NY)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Always caring more about song craft than aggression, Bad Religion basically created So-Cal melodic punk/hardcore and without them, bands like AFI and Pennywise would simply not exist. Their sound, at the time, was totally unique. They managed to incorporate melodies and pop sensibilities with hyper-intelligent sociopolitical lyrics and blistering hardcore tempos. The result was divine, and it is shown in all its glory on Suffer, the best and quintessential Bad Religion record.The album starts off with "You are (the government)" and doesn't slow down from there. Tracks like "1000 more fools", "Suffer", "When?", and "Do what you want" will keep you coming back to Suffer for more. Bad Religion (and this album), as suggested in my title, are what I like to call the perfect median between pop-punk and hardcore. If you like Black Flag and Minor Threat, you'll like this (unless you're a die-hard hardcore fan and don't like anything more melodic and "softer" than the aforementioned). At the same time, if you like Millencolin, NOFX, and other 90s pop-punk bands, you'll like this (unless you really, really like that "funny" punk or songs about girls). Personally, I can't stand any 90s pop-punk, but I'd assume that Suffer is something that a fan of it will like. This album can put lyrics like, "I don't know if the billions will survive, but, I'll believe in God when 1 and 1 are 5" and "The masses of humanity will always have to suffer" into fast, hard, but very intelligent and melodic songs. This is an extremely accessible album, but, at the same time, never gets old. At first listen, the songs tend to all sound the same (a problem with practically all Bad Religion albums), but after you listen to it more, it really grows on you and you'll become addicted (to satisfy the addiction, you should definitely pick up No Control, their 2nd best). If you're hesitant to buy this album, try downloading "When?" and "Suffer" (the song). I believe that these two songs best represent what the rest of album sounds like, so if you really dig those songs, you've got to get Suffer. If you really like Suffer, buy No Control (BR's 2nd best). Buy Suffer now. You won't regret it.
The masses of humanity have got to purchase Suffer February 5, 2006
MotherPhuckingPunkRocka
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Amazing album. Groundbreaking punk rock. Greg Graffin is a lyrical genius. The amount Bad Religion improved from How Could Hell Be Any Worse to Suffer is astounding. Every track is like an orgasm for the ears, but my personal favorites are You Are the Government, 1000 More Fools, How Much is Enough, When, Best For You, Suffer, and Do What You Want. Some mentally inferior classmates of mine always ask me how I know all these big words, and I think NOFX sums it up best: "I bought Suffer, and then I bought a thesaurus" While some bands may sound pretentious and arrogant using such a range of vocabulary in addition to their strong political statements, but Bad Religion pulls it off perfectly. Read for yourself:
Hey sit down and listen and they'll tell you when you're wrong.
Eradicate but vindicate as "progress" creeps along.
Puritan work ethic maintains its subconscious edge
As Old Glory maintains your consciousness.
I heard them say that the meek shall reign on earth,
Phantasmal myriads of sane bucolic birth.
I've seen the rapture in a starving baby's eyes,
Inchoate beatitude, the Lord of the Flies.
And that's just from 2 tracks. Trust me, Suffer is well worth your money. If you buy one Bad Religion CD, let this be it.
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