Suicidal Tendencies Album: “The Art Of Rebellion”

In 1991, when the world was held in the grip of Whitney Houston, Michael Bolton musical haze, Tori Amos, Nirvana, and the Seattle Grunge scene broke on the charts and unseated the mellow gods. In the wake of that wave, while all record companies were looking to sign the "Next Nirvana," Suicidal Tendencies, long darlings of the skater set, masters of rage and anger, quietly released this most mature and stunning album. Had music's attention not been focused elsewhere, it would hold a much higher place in the public eye, I'm sure.

Focusing heavily upon a twin theme of depression and paranoia, the work moves with relentless grace through a series of incredibly orchestrated, well thought songs. It starts out angry and fast, with "Can't Stop" and "Accept My Sacrifice." Then in a decidedly un-Tendencies way, moves into the slower, sitting on the edge of sanity styled, "I Wasn't Meant to Feel This/Asleep at the Wheel," and gleefully topples over the edge into "Got to Kill Captain Stupid," and "Hate You Better." There simply isn't a bad track on this one.

The Tendencies show a lot of musical maturity as well, at this time, they were working on a number of side projects (as the band began to splinter,) like their Ska/Chilli Pepper inspired alter ego, "The Infectious Grooves." They bring the knowledge gleaned from these musical diversions to bear on this album. Gone are the blindingly fast, quantity over quality speed chords of the early albums, and Muir's voice has graduated from the near incoherent shouting of "institutionalized," to a smooth honey glaze that slides through the songs like an undertow, allowing the intellegent lyrics and musical turns to do the ripping.

At times almost unintrusive, but capable of crushing intensity, a worthy addition to any collection that include both Metalica and Tool.

When I bought this album I didnt get what I thought I was getting into. For awhile I was highly dissappointed listening to it, and to be honest I didnt like it to much. I gave 'The Art of Rebellion' some time though, and it grew on me. The lyrics can be a bit corny and annoying some of the time though, and that brings it down a half point - from a perfect five to a 4.5. Thats still really great, and perfect albums that truly warrent five stars are really far in between for me though. For anyone who wants an album they can listen to years for now (unlike those whiny emo bands who will be gone after the fad wears off), then pick up this album. You cant stop the run away emotions in me, you know... Never mind. Buy the album and you will know what I'm talking about.

lo and behold, these guys can bring it. rather than just put out the chops on the guitar that any 2 year old can do, this is an album with some premeir muscicianship. The vocals are good, the guitars are great and the baselines and drums thump. Though i like some of their earlier work ('how can i laugh tommorow...' and 'waking the dead' come to mind), i always found these guys to be somewhat amateur and i dont care what the die hards say. Well, they've gone pro now. Thats not to say they've sold out people,it simply means they've finally decided to stop ripping off people with albums with 1 or 2 good songs and put together a solid full album effort here. Buy this album and see what ST can do when they get serious.

The best way to describe this album is to say that it is the most radio worthy. This is the most mellow ST album and the most beautiful. I would say that Mike's voice shines best here and the song writing is grade 'A' all the way. "Gotta Kill Captain Stupid" is yet another movement toward their reoccurring crusade to abolish...stupidity, and "Monopoly on Sorrow" is purrrrrfect. Buy This, You won't be sorry.

The Art of Rebellion is one their most beautiful albums, though all of them are best in some way. The lyrics are great, the shouts that express the hopelesness, can be best heard in "Can't Stop". Well, it's their "deepest" album, the depression is so powerful, you just remember your sad memories you wanted to forget or present realities you can't forget. If you want to cry, if you want to shout, if you want to just sit and look straight to the wall for hours and hours, buy this album. If you are not a loser, well, you won't understand it anyway.