Artist: SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
Album: THE ART OF REBELLION RE-ISSUE (CD)

Year: 1992/ 2008
Media type: CD

Clearly on something of a roll, the band responded by releasing what many view as their finest hour in ‘Lights… Camera… Revolution!’ in 1990, by which time future Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo was an established member of the Suicidal ranks. Sonically encompassing a funkier element thanks to Trujillo, as well as more progressively inclined pieces, the album was an instant hit, fired by the rampaging opening track ‘You Can’t Bring Me Down’ which in one fell swoop became an instant favourite on the MTV show Headbanger’s Ball and also saw the band nominated for their first Grammy Award (they would eventually lose out on Best Metal Performance to Metallica’s cover of the Queen song ‘Stone Cold Crazy’). Both ‘Send Me Your Money’ and ‘Alone’ also featured as singles.

As if to prove that they were close to becoming beyond categorisation, Suicidal Tendencies headed out on tour supporting prog metal band Queensryche on an arena tour and later found themselves as part of the European leg of the Clash Of The Titans tour – an arena tour that in America featured Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax and Alice In Chains, but with Suicidal Tendencies and Testament replacing Slayer and Alice In Chains on the European leg. No stranger to controversy, Muir became embroiled in a backstage fracas with Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine which threatened to derail events (an event which has since seen both protagonists bury the axe).

Adding another feather to their cap, Muir and Trujillo also formed the funk metal offshoot Infectious Grooves, inspired by Muir’s increased love of the funk music the bassist had brought to the Suicidal sound. The band released their debut album, ‘The Plague That Makes The Booty Move… It’s The Infectious Grooves’ on Epic in 1991 to widespread acclaim, further widening the over-all appeal of Suicidal Tendencies.

Which brings us nicely to ‘The Art Of Rebellion’. Long-standing Suicidal drummer R. J. Herrera had left the band in 1991, but was not replaced on a full-time basis. Officially the band would remain as a quartet for the recording of the new album but then unknown (and future Nine Inch Nails/A Perfect Circle drummer) Josh Freese was drafted into the ranks to help out the recording of ‘The Art Of Rebellion’.

By the end of the year ex-Y&T drummer Jimmy DeGrasso had taken up a permanent position as drummer and Suicidal Tendencies revelled in their newfound success by touring with metal’s elite like Metallica and Danzig. However it almost seems inexplicable that ‘The Art Of Rebellion’ never charted in the UK unless one takes into account the nature of British thrash fans, always a bit too eager to turn their back on a band for the tiniest of perceived sleights, the nature of Suicidal Tendencies’ success clearly not sitting too well with them. And add to that the over-zealousness with which the UK metal scene were to forget anything they used to like and welcome grunge as some kind of new musical saviour, then perhaps one can these days see why.

TRACKLIST:

01. Can`t Stop
02. Accept My Sacrifice
03. Nobody Hears
04. Tap Into The Power
05. Monopoly On Sorrow
06. We Call This Mutha Revenge
07. I Wasn`t meant To Feel This / Asleep At The Wheel
08. Gotta Kill Captain Stupid
09. Iґll Hate You Better
10. Which Way To Free?
11. It`s Going Down
12. Where`s the Truth