SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

"STill Cyco Punk After All These Years"

(Suicidal)

01. I Love Destruction

02. F.U.B.A.R.
03. All Kinda Crazy
04. Sippin' from the Insanitea
05. It's Always Something
06. Lost My Brain...Once Again
07. Nothin' to Lose
08. Gonna Be Alright
09. Ain't Gonna Get Me
10. All I Ever Get
11. Save a Peace for Me

RATING: 7/10

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SUICIDAL TENDENCIES are among the elite crew of pioneers and kings of crossover thrash who
began with the humblest of beginnings in Venice, California in the early eighties. The group didn't
just revel in an aesthetic of the underbelly of West Coast street life—it lived it. And it marched
directly across the grain of the ironically conservative realm of supposedly countercultural punk
rock music. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES was a street-punk band that was as uncompromising as it was
original. Following the 1983 release of its self-titled debut—an absolute banger that had a light-
hearted appeal whilst fully capturing the spirit of teen angst—the collective was banned for over
five years from playing in its Los Angeles stomping grounds due to ties to gangs and the associated
violence.

The legend has stuck around for over three decades, bringing us to "STill Cyco Punk After All These
Years", a re-recording and updated version of their iconic frontman's 1995 solo album: "Lost my
Brain! (Once Again)". The California band had taken a noticeable turn toward heavy metal and
thrash metal during that time period, so the original release, which came out during SUICIDAL
TENDENCIES' brief hiatus, was clearly an outlet for Mike Muir (aka Cyco Miko) to express his punk
leanings properly and clearly. With the revisiting of said release on 2018's "STill Cyco Punk After All
These Years", the legendary act has beefed up the songs that were originally churned out two
decades ago. While "Lost my Brain! (Once Again)" interestingly featured SEX PISTOLS' Steve
Jones and EXCEL's Adam Siegel, both on guitars, version 2.0 now includes the pummeling talents
of heavy-music drum-god Dave Lombardo.

There's a decidedly punk rock feel to the material without question. "STill Cyco Punk After All
These Years" isn't a crossover thrash album, nor a straight up thrash metal album, by any stretch
of the imagination. It's true to the core sound and spirit of SUICIDAL's earliest material, peppered
with a dash of the fun-loving heart and approach of Muir's funk metal supergroup, INFECTIOUS
GROOVES. "I Love Destruction" starts things off with a charging old-school punk surge that
benefits from Lombardo's belligerence. The properly placed gang vocals throughout—especially
on the burly "F.U.B.A.R", "Nothin' to Lose" and "All I Ever Get"—add to the anthemic aspect
underpinning the entirety of "STill Cyco Punk After All These Years". Most importantly on the vocal
front, Muir sounds as good as ever, which is quite impressive for a man who is 55.

Some purists argue that art should never be revisited, that the initial snapshot is the vision that
should remain unchanged forever. But the fact of the matter is that "STill Cyco Punk After All
These Years" is a better version of what was an enjoyable collection of songs the first time around.
The performances are better, and it's harder hitting without sacrificing the street-punk feel. "STill
Cyco Punk After All These Years" isn't mandatory nor essential listening, but it's an
enjoyable SUICIDAL TENDENCIES album that captures the early days' essence.

Author: Jay H. Gorania

Posted in: CD Reviews

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