CoC : Sick of it All - Call to Arms : Review

Sick of it All - _Call to Arms_
(Fat Wreck Chords, 1999)
by: Paul Schwarz (9 out of 10)

Sick of it All present us with another 30 odd minute slab of New York hardcore, and once again it is of the highest quality. Though little has changed in the band's style since _Scratch the Surface_, there have been a few minor fine tunings. The band capitalize a bit more on the leanings of punk (especially of the "oi" variety) and make a little more effort to mix melody into their already considerably catchy hardcore anthems. Overall, though, there will definitely be people who will shun this release for the lack of development it displays. This would be a mistake in my view. It is not originality which draws me to _Call to Arms_, it is sheer listenability. The 30 odd minutes of hardcore (with a humorous acoustic dirge called "Greazy Weazy" included at the end) are catchy, infectious, varied and so well written that I find it hard to find a moment where it bores me or I don't feel it is worth continuing to listen to. What is great as well is that I find this album lyrically satisfying, with the sentiment and delivery being equally favored by myself. Overall SoiA have fulfilled their purpose, in my opinion: to give us another selection of great hardcore tracks. Maybe they could do more and push the boundaries of hardcore, but I'm perfectly content with what _CtA_ already has to offer.

Contact: PO Box 193690, San Francisco, CA 94119-3690, USA

(article published 19/5/1999)

ALBUMS
5/24/2006	J Smit	10	Sick of it All - Death to Tyrants