Free Your Soul... And Save My Mind

On Free Your Soul and Save My Mind, Suicidal Tendencies' umpteenth studio release, the band revitalizes their moribund skater punk sound. After a series of disappointing full- and partial-length albums, this effort hits the mark in most respects. Once again, they sound like accomplished musicians, rattling off funky riffs and spirited three- to four-minute bursts of punk. "No More, No Less" sparkles with the bifurcated bass and guitar lines of Josh Paul and Mike Clark. "Children of the Bored" features some of the heaviest sections Suicidal Tendencies have ever recorded. The album's zenith is "Start Your Brain," a powerful old-timer punk tune with seriously wigged-out distortion techniques. The end result is refreshing and hard-driven, albeit mildly anachronistic. The only drawback of this release is frontman Mike Muir's continued writer's block. His lyrics remain repetitious and uninventive: a shadow of his former self. However, in most instances, the quality of the music makes up for it. ~ Kieran McCarthy|