Album Review: Sick of it All “Wake the Sleeping Dragon”
review by Denise Borders
To say Sick of it All is awesome is an understatement. Going strong for over three decades and killing it every time they’re on stage, I was stoked for their twelfth studio album to drop. Wake the Sleeping Dragon was released last month via Fat Wreck Chords and Century Media Records. It’s on Spotify and available for purchase now!
TRACK LIST
1 Inner Vision
2 That Crazy White Boy Shit
3 The Snake (Break Free)
4 Bull’s Anthem
5 Robert Moses Was A Racist
6 Self Important Shithead
7 To The Wolves
8 Always With Us
9 Wake The Sleeping Dragon
10 2+2
11 Beef Between Vegans
12 Hardcore Horseshoe
13 Mental Furlough
14 Deep State
15 Bad Hombres
16 Work The System
17 The New Slavery
The first few chords of the first track actually sound like the opening chords of Good Riddance’s last album (don’t believe me, listen here), which is another band I’m head over heels for so I’m INTRIGUED…. but then it churns right into some good ol’ classic SOIA.
My first impression of this album is it hits so hard. Nothing about it is slow or soft, which isn’t not-typical for a hardcore album, but even other hardcore bands sometimes just don’t really nail it, you know? Track after track brings powerful lyrics and chords though the speakers and I am elated with joy. I expected nothing less from these dudes.
One of the things I have to commend this band on is that this album doesn’t sound like their other albums, but still sounds like them. So many bands seem to release the same album again and again (figuratively, not literally), and then others stray so far from their sound they seem like an entirely different band (*cough cough, Rise Against*). SOIA has found that middle ground that allows them to grow as an artist while staying true to their roots and keeping fans along with gaining new ones. I can’t imagine the joy of discovering Sick of it All in 2018, but then again, I also can’t imagine all the previous years I’ve had enjoying them being gone. Gah! They are just THE BEST.
I also really love the song titles on this album. They made me smile and anything that does that is A-OKAY in my book. Speaking of song titles, I think my favorite track on the record is actually the first track, Inner Vision. After listening through the album through a few times, it was continuously the one I liked the best. It definitely has a little bit of a a punk sound to it on top of the hardcore styles of course. It’s funny that I said the first few chords reminded me of that Good Riddance song because GR is a punk band with heavy hardcore influences. INTERESTING. I think Crazy White Boy is actually another top track on the record, for whatever reason… I just think it’s funny these dads are singing “CRAZY WHITE BOY SHIT!” and it’s just one of those things that makes me smile. 😀
Alas, I’ve got 4,000 other tasks to complete before the day ends so I must end this glowing review. If you even know who Sick of it All is, you’re most likely a fan which means you already have this album or have intentions to buy it. So, good for you! Bye, y’all!
SOIA Facebook
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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