Join the Army

Among hardcore bands, Suicidal Tendencies were one of the few that were able to evolve and reach their peak by incorporating new and unexpected styles. Here they sound less like agitated punks and more like muscular rockers. Yet their sound is still sharp-edged, as evidenced by “Suicidal Maniac,” a relentless tear in which Muir adopts Lemmy Kilmister's kerosene growl. Muir always viewed his audience as a sort of cult, and he had a particular talent for writing great chant-along anthems like “Cyco,” “Join the Army," and “War Inside My Head.” Led by the premier guitarist Rocky George, the band is furious and Muir is in a wonderful state of psychological agitation. At the same time, they open the door to more tuneful, even vulnerable, touches on “The Prisoner” and “A Little Each Day.” No band better bridged the audiences for heavy metal and punk, but even as Suicidal Tendencies' fanbase expanded, they never left behind the street culture of Venice, Calif. “Possessed to Skate” is one of the band’s defining songs, and one of the first high-profile songs about skating.