Band:	Suicidal Tendencies
Album:	How Will I Laugh Tomorrow... When I Can't Even Smile Today
Style:	Punk, Hardcore, Crossover thrash metal
Release date:	September 13, 1988
A review by:	BitterCOld

01. Trip At The Brain
02. Hearing Voices
03. Pledge Your Allegience
04. How Will I Laugh Tomorrow
05. The Miracle
06. Suicyco Mania [CD bonus]
07. Surf And Slam
08. If I Don't Wake Up
09. Sorry!?
10. One Too Many Times
11. Feeling's Back

Suicidal Tendencies was one of the more influential and important bands of the hard core/thrash cross over. Their first two release - the absolutely ripping self titled debut and the decent "Join the Army" were punk records with decidedly metallic influences.

Their third release, 1988's "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today?" saw them cross over to the thrash metal side of the fence.

Rhythm guitarist Mike Clark lays down some fat thrash riffs and the band's switch to metal unleashed Rocky George to go absolutely nuts all over the fretboard. Simply put, he was a phenomenal guitarist. He shreds but he also had the uncanny ability to capture the emotional lyrics of Muir and match that same feeling in his solos. Bob Heathcote's bass rumbles along with the music, but he has a few moments to shine during some bass fills, and RJ Herrera does a good job behind the drum kit.

The band was the vision of "Cyco Miko" Mike Muir. His evocative lyrics tackle dark subject matter. Not the run of the heavy metal dungeons and dragons type crap, but battling severe depression, coping with a sense of loneliness and just the every day shit that we as human beings face. His demons are of the personal nature. At the same time his lyrics are extremely empowering. "If I Don't Wake Up" spend three quarters of the song wondering if his even life matters, if he's made any impact on anyone or if he should even bother to wake up at all? then on the last verse he kicks in:

That was then, not anymore. Now I go blasting out that door. I'm gonna wake up in the morning. I'll prove you wrong, I will not fail. I'm gonna wake up in the morning. I'm gonna blaze a brand new trail.

"The Feeling's Back" is another great track that pumps the listener up and has them ready to tear down any obstacle that gets in their way.

It's hard to believe this band was targeted by Tipper Gore and the PMRC - Mike's honest lyrics and vocals probably helped empower kids to overcome their own teen angst bullshit that they were going through.

All of these elements come together in "How Will I Laugh" and the result is a pretty freaking good record. They are at their best on tracks like "Trip at the Brain", "Sorry?", "The Feeling's Back" and the title track where they thrashing along full tilt. There are a couple tracks like the anthemic "Pledge Your Allegiance" that lack the same energy, emotion, and power of the faster songs, but even still they are solid.

I highly recommend this album for anyone into 80's thrash or crossover. Hell, if you are any kind of thrash fan you should already have this!