ALBUM REVIEW: Born To Kill – Social Distortion
For a band that has been together over 40 years now, you’d expect the album output to be at least more than ten records. For SOCIAL DISTORTION however, this is not the case. For the first time in fifteen years, they are back with a bang with only their 8th album; Born To Kill, featuring eleven songs of rip roaring and furious punk rock. It well and truly blows the cobwebs of the last fifteen years away and makes the wait all the more worthwhile.
Opening track Born To Kill is a terrific opener, plenty of feedback rings before blasting in with driving riffs that well and truly sets the tone for the record. It’s punchy and has a great chorus that has you singing along in the car as you sing “I WAS BORN TO KILL” along with the band, maybe have your windows up if you’re going to sing this bit out loud though. No Way Out keeps up this tempo, which the album doesn’t lose much. The driving riff remains in this one as it really builds up the anthemic nature as vocalist; Mike Ness’ unmistakable drawl growls out the lyrics as the pure rock and roll barrels along at 100mph as he bemoans the state of the world through his lyrics that adds to the almost desperate tones of the guitar.
Some more screeching feedback ushers in third track, The Way Things Are which has the grungey, almost dirty feeling in the guitar but takes a moment to slow down proceedings as once again the band are taking a look at the way of the current world as they bring in some nice melancholy as they look back at what they have had previously but also looking forward at what there will be. It’s defiant but helps you keep your chin up at the current bombardment of dreadful news we constantly face.
Tonight sees a fun blues-y tone brought in by the Orange County rockers and does bring in a fun sort of rockabilly sound that brings just enough change to the record to keep it alive and that little bit different and interesting whilst sticking to its punk roots. The fury returns a little with Partners In Crime that packs a riff that has a delightful bounce to it, or given the age of SOCIAL DISTORTION’S fans these days, some polite head nodding. The huge anthemic nature remains and does have a BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN sort of feel to it which gives an interesting insight on what he would have sounded like had he explored a punk career rather than heartland rock.
Crazy Dreamer takes us back in time to a more original rock and roll sound that hearkens back to the 1950s, it’s a fun beat as it incorporates the ISLEY BROTHERS style singing with a punk rock element which brings about feelings of basking in the sun with some drinks on a hot day, yearning for simpler times as a piano tinkers throughout it. Wicked Game brings us back into the future with a slow, brooding yet pure rock and roll track. Abandoning the punch for this one, it invites a more darker tone to the album as it sees Ness regretting past mistakes and wondering how he could have done things differently. The frenetic energy returns with Walk Away, a simple track with some great riffs and fun growling lyrics from Ness once more as it has you punching the air along with its beat.
As we look toward the album’s end, we get to the track Never Going Back Again which is brought in with a delightful swinging drum beat which meets some muted chugging of the guitar which matches the beat in a delightful manner. Once again, you find yourself nearly jumping up and down to this track along with its world weary lyrics that sarcastically takes aim at happenings in the past of this political climate and seeing how we couldn’t possibly be heading back, it’s a full circle moment and not all for the better. Don’t Keep Me Hanging on acts as Born To Kill’s penultimate track and is a fun track that looks at a relationship that should have ended a long time ago yet was allowed to continue. The realisation that what you thought was good about it being a dream delivers a gut punch, yet the optimism of Ness signals there are better times coming as the song leaves you with your head held high. It bleeds well into final track Over You which sees Ness’ lyrics seeing that there are just some things you actually can’t get over, despite what may have happened. It’s a great and huge sounding rock track to end on, and leaves you with a wry smile as the driving guitar plays until the very last moments, making you eager to start the whole thing over again.
Overall, Born To Kill is a welcome and overdue return for SOCIAL DISTORTION. Every now and then, what you need is an album that is just pure rock and roll that makes you feel you can take on anything. Born To Kill is this album. Lets just hope we don’t have to wait fifteen years again for whatever comes next from SOCIAL DISTORTION.
Rating: 8/10
Born To Kill is out now via Epitaph Records.
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