When a band is able to create a new style in music they can become legendary. Fans will continue to come in throughout a long career of releasing music that appeals them. The band Suicidal Tendencies is truly one of these bands and are still out there sharing new music with the world.
The band began back in 1980 in Venice, California. From the start, Suicidal Tendencies introduced a brand of Crossover Thrash with heavy elements of Punk and Metal that drew in large audiences of rage ready fans. The band was put into the national awareness in 1983 with the music video for “Institutionalized” being one of the first hardcore punk videos to receive substantial airplay on MTV.
Now 35 years later and Suicidal Tendencies is still going strong. On September 30th, 2016 they released their 13th album titled World Gone Mad. The 11 track record will be the band’s first studio album featuring the legendary drummer Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Dead Cross) and the new members Ra Diaz on bass and Jeff Pogan on guitar.
World Gone Mad opens up with a bang on “Clap Like Ozzy”. The energetic guitar and funk feel of the bass is hammered forward by Mike Muir’s powerful and melodic vocals. The theme of life and death and how we deal with it opens up the minds of the listener and prepares them for the full force they are about to take in. The melodic, and downright pretty, instrumentation of “Get Your Fight On” contradicts the title for the first minute and a half before speeding up and providing the energy to go with the war chant of the song.
The title track “World Gone Mad” provides a head bobbing beat that will have crowds singing along to the anthemic chorus, especially after this wild Presidential Election we just completed in America. The distorted guitar chugging on “Damage Control” adds a new layer to the record with a progressive, almost psychedelic feel. The song continues with interesting bass and guitar solos and drum fills that show that Suicidal Tendencies are always innovating their sound.
The album closes with the ballad-like track “This World”. The lyrics are not exactly a love letter to the world but again make the listener think and look inside themselves to form their own opinions. The mellow feel is a perfect way to allow you to bring your energy level back to an almost normal level to return to the daily grind.
Keep up with Suicidal Tendencies and get the new record at http://www.suicidaltendencies.com/
