How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
| How Could Hell Be Any Worse? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Studio album by Bad Religion | ||||
| Released | January 19, 1982 | |||
| Recorded | October–November 1980 and January 1981 | |||
| Studio | Track Record, North Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Hardcore punk, punk rock | |||
| Length | 29:54 55:28 (2004 re-release) |
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| Label | Epitaph | |||
| Producer | Bad Religion | |||
| Bad Religion chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |
  (original) |
| AllMusic |
(2004 remaster) |
| Robert Christgau | (B) |
How Could Hell Be Any Worse? is the first full-length album by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on January 19, 1982 by Epitaph Records. Released almost a year after their self-titled EP, it was financed by a $1,000 loan by guitarist Brett Gurewitz's father. Its success surprised the band when it sold 10,000 copies in under a year.
How Could Hell Be Any Worse? was recorded over two time periods at Track Record Studios in North Hollywood, California, during October–November 1980 and again in January 1981. After the original recording sessions, drummer Jay Ziskrout left Bad Religion and was replaced by his friend and the band's roadie Pete Finestone, who was brought in to complete the rest of the album. Though not yet credited as a member of the band, future guitarist Greg Hetson, who was in Circle Jerks during this time, provided a guitar solo on "Part III". How Could Hell Be Any Worse? was also Bad Religion's last album featuring Jay Bentley on bass for six years, until 1988's Suffer.
The front cover photograph was taken by Edward Colver near the Hollywood Bowl, while the back cover featured one of Gustave Dore's illustrations of Dante's Divine Comedy.
Bad Religion had made at least two attempts to make a full-length studio album after the recording of their self-titled EP, which was finished prior to the sessions of How Could Hell Be Any Worse?. The band, lacking money at the time, recorded most of the album for free at Track Record Studios in North Hollywood, California over two nights, from October 31 to November 1, 1980; seven songs were recorded on the first night and mixed on the following day. Throughout November of that year, Bad Religion continued to write new material, and drummer Jay Ziskrout soon left the band, replaced by his friend and roadie Pete Finestone. Vocalist Greg Graffin said regarding Ziskrout's departure: "It was for some really stupid reason. Like 'you guys don't listen to me enough, fuck you, I quit.' He walked out of the rehearsal studio, and left his drums and everything. We're halfway finished with How Could Hell Be Any Worse, and Bad Religion was without a drummer". After "some quick practices" at Graffin's mother's garage, also referred to as The Hellhole, Bad Religion returned to recording How Could Hell Be Any Worse? again in January 1981 and finished the album over the weekend.
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