Imagine members of Good Riddance, The Descendents and Operation Ivy covering ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ while reciting the works of Noam Chomsky, and you may be somewhere in the vicinity of what the Suicide Machines sound like. In fact, fans of the band have been attempting to settle on what the Suicide Machines sound like since their inception. Constantly changing and evolving, this band are avid believers of the ‘If it ain’t broke, Fix it anyway’ approach, and they are all the better for it.
First appearing on the scene in 1996 with the punk/ska explosion that was ‘Destruction By Definition‘, they decided that angry, abrasive hardcore was the next step and 1998’s ‘Battle Hymns‘ was born. Not content with bouncing around within the punk genre, the usually comfortable third album was their most experimental yet. Mixing luscious pop harmonies with melodic punk hooks and heartfelt lyrics, 2000’s self-titled record split their fan base in half.
So, it’s come to this. ‘Steal This Record’. I am assuming the band don’t actually want you to obey the title of the album, as it was taken from a book by 60’s activist Abbie Hoffman entitled ‘Steal This Book’, a book that encapsulated a generation. With this collection of 14 punk rock anthems, the Suicide Machines hope to do the same.
From the first song to the last, one thing that is clearly evident is the band’s passion for their music. Energetic, opinionated and inspiring, and spilling over with perfect punk nuggets, this is the sound of The Suicide Machines. The icing on the cake, the gloss finish, the final word on this excellent band. ‘The Killing Blow’ is raucous but still wonderfully melodic. The title track is like an explosion in a fireworks factory. A glorious sense of urgency and a shout-a-long chorus of ‘Everything is for sale’ will have you punching the air in unison.
The autobiographical ‘Honor Among Thieves’ follows the same lines of sincere lyrical content with colossal guitars. ‘It’s The End Of The World As We Know It’ is one of the greatest covers of all time. The original REM version was nothing special, but this version cranks up the volume, puts some more gas in the tank and is a rip roaring sing a long from start to finish.
It isn’t all hardcore styling and punk rock riffs though. ‘Stand Up’ sticks out like a sore thumb, adding a bit of chilled out reggae to the mix and ‘Stay’ is an emotional pogo fest that wouldn’t look out of place on their self-titled experimental album. Saying that, it’s the destructive, bone shaking blasts of punk with a conscience that really make this record what it is. Socio-political lyrics are generally the order of the day, with ‘Leap Of Faith’, as well as being arguably the best track on offer, discussing the lack of belief in today’s society, and funk-punk laden ‘The Air We Breathe’ hitting out at the mindless, unquestioning allegiance to the ‘American Way’ that is tearing apart the United States from the inside.
To be honest with you, this record has everything. Reggae, punk, hardcore, and even thrash in the shape of ‘Off The Cuff’ and the stirring call to arms, ‘All My People’. ‘Scars’ is a wonderful slab of vintage Suicide Machines with a stunning chorus and is written about an old skateboarding friend of the band who was tragically murdered in Atlanta.
Many fans may have deserted them after they failed to release endless clones of their debut album, but anyone who appreciates inventiveness, originality and a band with a mind of their own who aren’t afraid to do something different for a change will love these guys and will love this record for what it is. The definitive Suicide Machines.
Ross