Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal For Life CD

After the moderate success of Suicidal Tendencies' 1992 LP, The Art of Rebellion, the Venice-based quartet decided to ditch the ballads and return to their patented rebellious thrash. With Suicidal for Life, their follow-up album, they probably hoped for a return to underground credibility. But this album did little to retrieve credibility, and a lot to lose their growing fanbase. There's no debating, Suicidal for Life, was not well received by their label. Even by Suicidal Tendencies' standards, it's downright profane. Unfortunately, it's also not quite as effective. Unlike their earlier work, this collection exhibits little that could be considered revolutionary. Unless you consider foul-mouthed, posturing funk-thrash subversive. Gone is the social criticism of Lights.Camera.Revolution, only to be replaced by self-absorbed tracks like Don't Give a Fuck and No Fuck'n Problem. This was especially disappointing, because lead vocalist Mike Muir has many times proven himself as one of the most clever lyricists in the heavy metal genre. When separated from the lyrics, though, Suicidal for Life isn't a bad album. The guitar solos are terse and pertinent, and the tempo and energy support the intensity of Muir's vocals. It's an effective delivery, as the group's technical capabilities--which, in general, far exceed most comparable skater-punk bands--are placed on display more than on any other Suicidal Tendencies album. For a release of misdirected anger and pointless frustration, the album works fantastically. Otherwise, look up the band's earlier work. ~ Kieran McCarthy

Suicidal Tendencies' long relationship with Epic Records came to an end with 1994's Suicidal for Life and, as expected, the breakup was not a pretty one. The label's inability to introduce any of the group's groundbreaking albums to a significantly wider audience certainly didn't sit well with ST main man Mike Muir, who decided to run through the motions while being as gratuitously offensive as possible on this contractually necessary release. After a scathing though mercifully short rant called "Invocation" (a similarly goofy outro called "Benediction" closes the proceedings), the band launches into the self-explanatory "Don't Give a Fuck!," "No Fuck'n Problem," "Suicyco Muthafucka," and "Fucked Up Just Right!" Gee, think they were trying to piss someone off at the label? But while they pursue a noticeable return to ST's thrashcore roots after the overtly traditional power metal strains of 1992's The Art of Rebellion, tracks like "No Bullshit" and "Love Vs. Loneliness" (replete with Muir's trademark antisocial diatribes) tend to sound dated and tired. The first at least benefits from lead guitarist Rocky George's typically fluid and inventive soloing, while the second still qualifies as one of the album's best moments thanks to rhythm guitarist Mike Clark's powerful riffs. When they occur, the few surprises (as in the quirky noise fest of "What Else Could I Do?") are just that: different, but not necessarily great music. And it was certainly not surprising to see the band splinter into a million pieces soon after releasing this album. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia

Recorded at Ocean Way Studios, Hollywood, California and Groove Masters, Santa Monica, California.

Suicidal Tendencies: Mike Muir (vocals); Rocky George, Mike Clark (guitar); Robert Trujillo (bass); Jimmy DeGrasso (drums).