Sick Of It All

Potential for a Fall (Fat)
by Tim Den

The taste of NYC is back in the air. Level-headed New York bruisers Sick Of It All have returned with their fifth full-length, Call to Arms, and the beating has never felt better. From the first kick-in-the-ass of “Let Go,” the warm production (paired with muscular riffs) pummels you with pit-inducing euphoria and makes you instinctively point your finger in the air while shouting. By the time “(Just a) Patsy” (the final track) begins to groove, you better count your blessings you don’t fall on your face from stagediving off your bed. Goddamn, this album rules.

Take some time and pay attention to the lyrics, too, especially those Sick Of It All fans who are testosterone-driven tough guys. “Don’t contemplate if it’s right, just follow the crowd… but don’t you dare disagree ’cause they’ll question your loyalty. ‘Cause I don’t believe in mob mentality, cause that’s just mob mentality/I will answer what’s right for me, and not your call to arms (“Call to Arms”).” Hum… maybe they’re trying to tell y’all something? Maybe Lou and the Boys are really not that impressed when you and 30 of your friends beat the shit out of kids while you “dance”? Still not convinced? Well, let the band make themselves clearer: “Is getting your groove on all that matters?/I’m not asking you to bleed but show consideration please (“Potential for a Fall”).” I think you get the point.

Messages aside, this record stands on its music alone. Combining every face of hardcore that they’ve touched on in the past (the old-schoolings of Blood, Sweat, and No Tears, the dark broodings of Just Look Around and Scratch the Surface, and the punk-ish anthems of Built to Last), Sick Of It All has created their most well-balanced and intelligent album. Hooray x 1000.
(PO Box 193690 San Francisco, CA 94119-3690)