Suicide Bid – This Is The Generation

With a name like Suicide Bid and artwork that’s covered with black, bleeding skulls, you would probably expect to hear a hardcore band. I know that’s what I was expecting. So it’s pretty safe to say I was blown away by what Suicide Bid really sound like – heavy dub punk covered in reggae anthems.

The debut 8 track EP from the London outfit is definitely one which boggles the mind. The reggae inspired punk rock songs fly by you before you’ve really it’s done, but still leaving a solid impact on the listener. Powerful political lyrics about the July 2005 bombings, anti-war demonstrations, and the disregard of the government (I haven’t heard lyrics as strong and anti-government as “It does not matter what you da people believe, Government man has more tricks up his sleeve. They kill our planet just to make a profit, this is the generation that has to stop“ it in a long time). And even though its sang in such an insincere fashion, the lyrics are still able to crap the listener by the heart and pull them in – and it’s time like that that you know the lyrics have some power.

With six vocalists, five of which only sing, Suicide Bid has a nice mix of vocals. And even though there are so many, it still sounds whole. Layered vocals, with echoes and repetitions, the English accents bring to mind that of Joe Strummer, the fact that it’s reggae in the back ground brings that comparison up even further.

This Is The Generation is an odd mix of reggae, dub and punk. Other than the English accents, it doesn’t sound as if it’s coming from the London underground. But still, it’s interesting and makes for a good spin and most reggae fans will happily sway in tune with the EP. At least listen to When Morning Comes – because that’s one that deserves to be played over and over again.