SUICIDAL TENDENCIES — Suicidal Tendencies (review)

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES — Suicidal Tendencies album cover Album · 1983 · Hardcore Punk Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Suicidal Tendencies" is the self-titled debut full-length studio album by US crossover/thrash metal act Suicidal Tendencies. The album was released through Frontiers Records in July 1983. The original vinyl version contained 12 tracks while the Virgin Records CD re-release featured 3 additional tracks. By the end of the 80s the album was out of print, to the great frustration of frontman Mike Muir, who decided to re-record all 12 tracks from the original release along with a couple of tracks from "Join the Army (1987)" and release them as the "Still Cyco After All These Years (1993)" album.

Featuring 12 tracks and a 28:16 minutes long playing time "Suicidal Tendencies" is an "over before you know it" no frills kind of album. Suicidal Tendencies are mostly known for playing thrash and later alternative/funky metal but they have always had hardcore punk elements in their sound and more on this album than on any other by the band. Actually it would probably be wrong to call this album a crossover thrash metal release because that genre term wasn´t coined yet in 1983. So this is basically a hardcore punk album with hints towards early thrash metal. No matter what you chose to call the music it´s filhty, raw and delivered with fierce conviction.

...but not only that! The tracks on the album are damn catchy and memorable too. Already this early on Suicidal Tendencies had a very unique sound, which is in large part due to the vocal style of frontman Mike Muir. Sometimes speak singing so fast that he almost stubbles on the words, sometimes singing in a raw "Fuck You" attitude style and sometimes singing with a high pitched voice. The rest of the band are very well playing too and easily go from blasting hardcore punk sections to mid-paced groovier sections and even venture into blues territory on "I Saw Your Mommy...". Early signs of the band´s future alternative/eclectic nature.

It´s not often you come across an album where each and every track on the album are killer material but "Suicidal Tendencies" is one such album. It´s an album that makes me go nuts and bang my head, it makes me smile (and even laugh at times) but it also makes me think about life and society. A rare achivement indeed. Tracks like "Institutionalized", "I Saw Your Mommy...", "Suicide's an Alternative / You'll Be Sorry" and "Suicidal Failure" are simply high quality material but I could mention any track on the album and the high quality stamp would fit. The fact that the album features a raw, powerful and well sounding production definitely isn´t a minus either.

Suicidal Tendencies have released quite a few great albums throughout their career, but none of them as influential as this one. This is a "must hear" album for fans of crossover thrash and I think a 4.5 star (90%) rating is fully deserved.
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