Does this band honestly need any kind of introduction? Seriously, Sick of it All is an institution in the punk and hardcore scene. Having been active for over twenty years at this point, the band has truly hit on a creative renaissance of late with their last album Life on the Ropes being a return to some of the heaviest sounding music and lyrical subject matter that they had ever done. This new album, Death to Tyrants, not only continues in that vein; but with Tue Madsen (Haunted, Himsa) producing the album, Sick of it All pushes their sound even harder. The result is a ridiculously good sound that is both heavy and full. The production, in fact, is damn near flawless.
Death to Tyrants is another feather in the cap of this beloved band. It oozes with energy and practically explodes out of the speakers. There is a whole batch of new songs on here that are sure to be crowd pleasers and future live staples to the vaunted Sick of it All set. "Take the Night Off" may be my least favorite song on the album, but, it definitely will ignite crowds and incite pile-ons and sing-alongs galore. It sounds like vintage Sick of it All and is just so tough sounding. "Uprising Nation", on the other hand, is easily my favorite track on the record. Again, it is definitely a song that will excite crowds and kick the energy into high gear anywhere. The lyrics have a clear political message and the "Preamble" serves as an apt introduction for the song. "The Reason" is real good. It simply cooks for it's barely two minutes length. "Forked Tongue" features guest vocals by Freddy Cricien from Madball and has some tight sounds being laid down by the band. The best part of Death to Tyrants is the absence of any real terrible songs. Some of them might not be good as others, but the music is there. It is a great hardcore record.
Death to Tyrants is monstrous sounding. Madsen actually makes Sick of it All sound heavier and tougher than ever on record. The bottom line is that Lou and company continue to release relevant and excellent records twenty years on even though many genre trends come and go within the punk and hardcore scene. They serve as a beacon of integrity and act as a pillar of what the scene is capable of producing. This is a great record. Listen and enjoy.
