Mike Muir and his gang of suicidal maniacs are back!! This is the 13th Suicidal Tendencies release (although, the ninth studio album), with 13 new songs, 13 years since the last album (“Free Your Soul and Save My Mind” released in 2000), but the first without guitarist Mike Clark since 1987’s “Join the Army”. And it’s ferocious! Right between the classic Suicidal maniacal grindings and the killer Infectious Grooves flavour. As always. Although, last time was a lifetime ago and probably most of the nowadays headbanger kids don’t have a clue what the heck I’m talking about.
But once again, I have to notice that these “old guys” have a criminal sense of memorable melodies, have the guts to deliver killer and powerful riffs and murderous grooves, while most of the nowadays formed bands only delivering over-produced, but absolutely forgettable mass of noises. By the way, kind of sad, scary and alarming.
This is a typical, classic blending of thrash, punk and hardcore, the most genuine kind of crossover which was the trademark of Suicidal Tendencies right from its formation in 1981 as a punk band in Venice, California. The thrash metal flavour it’s less obvious, faded slowly in the last couple of decades, but it still there, while the more Infectious Grooves taste-like funk flavours are stronger now.
The result, it’s an unleashed, energetic and furious, groove full album with healthy balance and power shifts, some killer riffs and several memorable choruses and themes. “13” might be a little bit less arty then their 1992’s “The Art of Rebellion”, but definitively at least it’s the same weighty and creative. No shoegazing, no depression, no post-whatever, but real fury, guts, and tones of bone-cutter riffs, unbelievable, but typical Suicidal funky bass-lines, sing-a-long vocals and one after another great songs!!
We’ve been waiting more then a decade for this new ST album, but god damn it! it’s simply murderous! Cyco Miko – at age 50!! – it’s fresher, more energy full and convincing, then 99.9% of the blood-spitting and screaming “singers” nowadays.
My personal favorites are “Till My Last Breath”, “Who’s Afraid?”, “Slam City”, “Show Some Love…Tear It Down”, “Make Your Stand”, “Life…(Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It)”, “God Only Knows Who I Am”, “This World”, “This Ain’t A Celebration” and the rest of the four songs. Although, the album starting with the duo of “Shake It Out” and “Smash It!”, both songs with powerful 90’s thrash/speed metal flavour.
Definitively one of the best albums of 2013!
Buy it or steal it!!
Tracklist:
01. Shake It Out (3:51)
02. Smash It! (3:46)
03. This Ain’t A Celebration (3:32)
04. God Only Knows Who I Am (5:29)
05. Make Your Stand (5:54)
06. Who’s Afraid? (4:08)
07. Show Some Love…Tear It Down (3:31)
08. Cyco Style (4:41)
09. Slam City (5:36)
10. Till My Last Breath (4:40)
11. Living The Fight (4:22)
12. Life…(Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It) (4:36)
13. This World (5:07)
Mike Muir – lead vocals
Dean Pleasants – lead guitar
Nico Santora – rhythm guitar
Tim “RAWBIZ” Williams – bass
Eric Moore – drums
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