Suicidal Tendencies - Self-Titled
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Tomorrow’s a big day for metal anniversaries. Overkill’s Under the Influence and Slayer’s South of Heaven both turn 20, and Suicidal Tendencies’ self-titled debut turns 25. Now, Suicidal Tendencies isn’t a metal record. Other than a few metal-ish leads, it’s hardcore punk. It’s also Suicidal Tendencies at their most vicious – and fun. They weren’t weighed down yet by a subconscious, radio concerns, or experimentation with metal and funk; they were just snotty punks going for it. The video for “Institutionalized,” where Mike Muir looks like he’s 15, is one of the great treasures of the ’80s. (That’s Slayer’s Tom Araya pushing Muir at 0:35.) Between it, Black Flag, Repo Man, and Dogtown and Z-Boys, I have this warped image of ’80s SoCal as a beachfront heaven of punk shows filled with dudes in plaid and skaters doing that old-school, horizontal, hand-on-the-ground style. Happy 25th to one of the most awesomely juvenile albums ever.
InstitutionalizedI Saw Your Mommy
