Deep Band Cuts: Suicidal Tendencies

We ain't gonna bullshit you, "Institutionalized" is probably the best song ever written by anybody ever. Seriously. "No, Mom, I'm not on drugs I'm just thinking / Why don't you get me a Pepsi?"??? Greatest line in the history of the world. Parts I and II.


But this post is Deep Band Cuts, which means that we're here to tell you that once you go beyond the hit single, Venice, CA's Suicidal Tendencies put out a whole bunch of fan-fucking-cyco albums, albums chock full of bad-ass crossover thrash tunes about bandanas, brotherhood, and psychoanalysis. For our money you shouldn't even bother with the barely controlled caterwauling of the Glen Friedman produced debut and instead skip straight ahead to 1987's Join the Army, where ST re-debuted as Ibanez-fortified garage metal toughguys. After blasting that disc, you really have no excuse not to move on to '88's sun-drenched weightlifting classic How Will I Laugh Tomorrow...When I Can't Even Smile Today which we call the definitive slab of Vision Street-clad heavy metal ever unleashed on this sad and beautiful world.

Heavy Duty's convinced that Suicidal will get your adrenaline pumpin', and each and every day we sit dumbfounded that no one ever talks about how genius these guys were. No raves for Rocky George's wicked-cool bad horsie solos and dyed in the wool Pittsburgh love. Nary a prop for rhythm guitarist Mike Clark's heaven-sent right hand. Not even a tired joke about Mike Muir's incessant on stage stompin' and soul-searchin' rants. We like these guys better than Anthrax, Megadeth or any other of them so-called thrash titans and we think you should too.

Here's the current ST lineup doing Join the Army's "War Inside My Head"

Now here's How Will I Laugh Tomorrow's openin' cut "Trip at the Brain." Please ignore the fact that the band performs atop a fucking brain and instead enjoy them noodly bass fills.