By Eric Perzanowski, Staff Writer
[Suicidal; 2018]
Rating: 5.5/10

Key Tracks: “Get Your Bass On”, “Get United”

The crossover between hardcore and thrash metal tends to be characterized by several traits: a more playful approach to the music in comparison to the style’s influences, lyrics that generally either reflect that playfulness, or make a political statement, and stylistically, flip-up hats with “SUICIDAL” marked on the bill. These traits, most so the final one, can be tied back to the early 80s with bands like Suicidal Tendencies. Almost 40 years later, and about 30 band members in and out of the lineup, Suicidal Tendencies is still going, with a recently released EP, Get Your Fight On!

“Get Your Fight On!” was a track originally featured on the band’s most recent LP, World Gone Mad. There are four renditions of this song that conclude this new EP. “Get Your Right On!” is an acoustic version, “Get Your Bass On!” and “Get Your Shred On!” are bass and electric guitar instrumentals respectively, and “Get Your Fight On!” features the full band.

This return to previous material marks a continuity between Get Your Fight On! and World Gone Mad. Vocalist Mike Muir said, “Where as originally this was gonna be the set up to World Gone Mad… now it’s more of an ending to World Gone Mad”. There is some added continuity within the lineup, as it is the second time in the band’s lengthy existence in which the same lineup made more than one album together.

In addition to the acoustic and instrumental versions of the titular track, this EP features re-recordings of two songs from Mike Muir’s solo project, Cyco Miko, in “Nothing To Lose” and “Ain’t Mess’n Around”, as well as a cover of Iggy & The Stooges’ “I Got a Right”.

From the new and original material for this recording, “Get United” stands out the most. This is largely because of the funky bass line that dominates through most of the track. There are also old-school qualities to the sound that can be appreciated, almost as if it were recorded via time machine.

Suicidal Tendencies may not have the same impact as they did in the 80s and 90s, but Get Your Fight On! is a punk-filled EP that shows that there’s still some fight left.

Listen here: