Controlled by Hatred, Feel Like S.T.

So I should just tell you, I don't own any albums by the Canadian band Slaughter. I don't think anybody does, but that's not what this post will be about. Nope. However, I thought it was time to explore the album that opened my ears to a whole new world of music. Don't get me wrong, hair bands still hold a special place in my *NEW* ipod, but Suicidal Tendencies ...wow .... I can Thank Statsy boy for introducing S.T.to me. The first song I heard? "Feel like S**t ... Deja Vu" and what a tune! This was S.T. during their Heavy Metal Thrash phase. The album is made up of 2 EP's "Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like S**t ... Deja Vu" and features 2 more versions of "How can I laugh Tomorrow, when I can't even smile Today" a thrashy version and Heavy emotion version. The thrashy is great cause of the dual guitar work of Rocky George and Mike Clark, but the lyrical poeticness of the song really shines in the heavy emotion version and
Cyco Miko's vocals just scream with frustration with a mix of hope and cries of desperation. This, I'd say is my favourite Suicidal Tendencies simply for the great mix of heavy Thrash and creepy/haunting guitar work exemplified on the songs "It's Not Easy" and "Wake The Dead". "Master Of No Mercy" and "Just another Love Song" are fast thrashy tunes that get the blood flowing. This whole album mixes well with Mike Muir's distinct vocals. He has a way of conveying inner turmoil through his singing that I have not heard done by anybody else. Being the only consistent member of S.T. he's helped create a vocal styling that could not be replaced, without Cyco Miko S.T. would have to retire. Suicidal Tendencies may sound like they'd be a very depressing band, but they are actually quite inspiring with lyrics both painful and hopeful, strong, and intelligent. This band has helped me through some dark periods of my life. When I've felt angry, alone and down, they've been there to pick me up. They even have a spiritualness to some of their music that has helped strengthen my own spiritual beliefs. It may sound odd, but I'll explore that aspect of them with some of their other albums. Let's just say they do what they do, cause they f*****g want to....

As do Exodus, the Bay area thrash band I'll be featuring in my next post.