Suicidal Tendencies
The Art of Rebellion

THE REVIEW

The nineties started off fantastically for Mike Muir's band; the album "Lights... Camera... Revolution!", released in 1990, saw Suicidal Tendencies further shuffle the deck. They proved that it was not at all heretical to unite and fuse together Hardcore, Punk, Thrash, and even Funk Metal, thanks in particular to the bass presence of the new addition, Robert Trujillo.

Two years have passed, and things haven't changed because "The Art Of Rebellion" can very well be considered a carbon copy of its predecessor; although it may not reach the absolute excellence because, at least this time, the band dares too much, pushing even further forward with sound experimentation. Too much on the table as they say, with a duration nearing a full hour; in my opinion, trimming a couple of tracks for about ten minutes, especially towards the end of the work, would have certainly benefited the overall result of the piece. That said, nothing prevents me from giving four stars to the sixth work, in chronological order, of the band from Venice: because Suicidal are an institution in the history of Crossover.

The recordings turn out to be complicated because there’s the defection of drummer R.J. Herrera to consider; but Mike overcomes the problem by hiring the very young, and completely unknown, Josh Freese. A risky choice but one that proves to be successful given the prodigious technique showcased by Josh in all twelve tracks present on the album.

The other key elements are obviously the HyperMetallic Groove of Robert's bass, also engaged in the writing of some pieces. A sound, that of Roberto Agustín Miguel Santiago Samuel Perez de la Santa Concepción Trujillo Veracruz Batista (I swear this is his full name!!!), that looms large, dictating deadly rhythms, particularly raging in those tracks where Suicidal remember to be primarily a damn Hardcore band. Without forgetting the mighty metallic lashes pulled down by the two guitars of Rocky George and Mike Clark and the sometimes rapped, sometimes melodically fine singing of leader Cyco Myco.

The scorching "Can’t Stop" and "Accept My Sacrifice" open the batch of tracks: and they are blows and pains.

There is room for the quasi-ballad "Nobody Hears," for the ferocity of "Monopoly On Sorrow," and for the irony of "Gotta Kill Captain Stupid."

The usual sinister and hypercritical lyrics complete the package.

Solid and fiercely angry... I'LL HATE YOU BETTER...

Diabolos Rising 666.