Sick Of It All: Call To Arms

With the release of Sick Of It All's Call To Arms, the Fat Wreck Chords label moves beyond the well-charted NOFX pop-punk sound with which it was once synonymous to include the New York hardcore staple Sick Of It All. It's a sound decision. Over the course of the past 13 years, the group has built a loyal following, thanks not to prolific output but ceaseless touring. Call To Arms, Sick Of It All's fifth album, is packed with all the sturm und drang of its previous releases, bearing the hallmarks of virtually all good hardcore: breakneck speed, heavy guitar riffs, and shouting that would be unintelligible were it not for the lyric sheet. What sets the band apart from many of its peers is an ear for catchier melodies and smarter content. In "Drastic," Sick Of It All addresses those who decried the group for selling out—a couple of Call To Arms' predecessors came out on a major label—requesting that fans "cut some slack before you mock those trying to improve / We've all been there too / We'll always pull through." Call To Arms may not bring in a whole lot of new listeners at this point, but it will satisfy long-time fans, and it's even good enough to bring a few small-minded mockers back into the fold.