Doubtlessly the band’s hardest hitting effort to date, 'Based On A True Story' easily meets the high quality of its predecessor and offers tons of soon-to-be-classic hardcore hymns like 'Dominated', 'Long As She’s Standing', 'The Divide' and 'Lowest Common Denominator. It features the most catchy and powerful material the band has ever written. It’s astonishing to see the band still boiling with rage at a world gone wrong and successfully transforming this natural and honest aggressiveness into hardcore hits. Two decades of experience as skilful songwriters, endless touring, plus an undying hardcore spirit make SICK OF IT ALL anno 2010 sound stronger and more determined than ever. 'Based On A True Story' is undeniable proof that the quartet is simply unstoppable and unrivalled within the hardcore scene in terms of quality and sheer impact.
Formed during 1986 in Queens, the band released their first self-titled EP on Revelation Records and began to accumulate a strong local following by playing famous clubs like CBGBs ('A Month Of Sundays' actually pays tribute to these glorious days at this legendary venue). Soon after, the band released their first full-length record 'Blood Sweat And No Tears' on In-Effect Records. Often revolving around politics, social injustices and life on the streets of New York, the band wore their heart on their sleeve and made no apologies, often including threads of positivity. When their second album 'Just Look Around' was released in 1992, it was a benchmark for the band and the New York hardcore scene, and kicked off their globe-trotting expansion with tours in Europe, South America and Japan. They released their breakthrough album 'Scratch The Surface' in 1994 on Atlantic, followed by the seminal album 'Built To Last' in 1997. After releasing three albums on Fat Wreck Chords, as well as a live album and a collection of rarities, the band took on the challenge to push themselves further. 'Death To Tyrants' was the band’s first cooperation with Century Media and was mixed by renowned metal producer Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Heaven Shall Burn, Dark Tranquillity,) adding a refreshingly heavy edge to the band’s trademark NYHC sound. 'Death To Tyrants' was extremely well received by media and fans alike and followed up with three years of relentless touring.
The new album was also recorded with Tue Madsen, this time at Starstruck Studios in Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark, resulting in a massive metallic heaviness which increases the punch and drive of the new opus. Craig Ahead (bass) comments: “The end result of our three and a half weeks in the studio is something that we are all very proud of. An album that is pure SICK OF IT ALL and will stand up against any of our previous work and I believe raises the bar to a new standard. I hope you enjoy our offerings. We look forward to its release so we can again stomp the world. See you on tour!“ To walk the talk, the band plays a European tour with Dropkick Murphys in January/February 2010, followed by a UK run with AFI in April. More festival shows and touring activities are in the works.
'Based On A True Story' is another sonic statement that SICK OF IT ALL are an institution of hardcore. Their longevity and conviction has kept the band’s reputation untarnished and legendary. As Metal Hammer (UK) puts it: “SICK OF IT ALL – despite their ever-increasing age and fierce competition – are still the finest spokesmen for hardcore’s social conscience and values”, and this new release will allow them to maintain this leading position for many years to come!
Sound The Alarm
Sick of It All Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As they tighten the noose we still ignore
The truth, the proof as freedom dies
Or are we just being paranoid
THINK WE´RE SAFE
SAFE FROM HARM
STAND UP NOW
Won´t see the truth or open your eyes
Spent your whole life caught in their lies
Keep your nose clean, live by their laws
What will you do when they kick in your door
WHO WILL SAVE YOU
Comfort is what we crave
The truth is disturbing vile and brave
Chastise the ones who bring it to light
With your head in the sand you wait to die
THINK WE´RE SAFE
SAFE FROM HARM
STAND UP NOW
SOUND THE ALARM
Won´t see the truth or open your eyes
Spent your whole life caught in their lies
Keep your nose clean, live by their laws
What will you do when they kick in your door
WHO WILL SAVE YOU WHO WILL SAVE YOU NOW
WAKE UP, We´re all fighting to get by
WAKE UP, Locked in place and kept blind
WAKE UP, Break the hold break the norm
WAKE UP, Stand and fight sound the alarm
WHO WILL SAVE YOU NOW?
The lyrics of Sick of It All's "Sound the Alarm" essentially serve as a wake-up call to the listener. The song questions the sense of security that people feel in their daily lives and prompts them to question whether this feeling is an illusion. The first stanza begins with the lines "Listen! Oh you´ve heard it before / As they tighten the noose we still ignore," which suggest that people have been warned before about the dangers that lurk around them but have chosen to ignore them. In the following lines, the band members imply that the truth is slowly dying as freedom dies, and the listener is left to ponder whether paranoia is the only way to approach life in such a world.
The chorus ("THINK WE´RE SAFE / SAFE FROM HARM / STAND UP NOW / SOUND THE ALARM") emphasizes the importance of standing up against oppression before it's too late. The lines "Won´t see the truth or open your eyes / Spent your whole life caught in their lies / Keep your nose clean, live by their laws / What will you do when they kick in your door" suggest that people have been living their lives blindly, following the rules implemented by the system without questioning them. Lastly, the song ends with the lines "WAKE UP, We´re all fighting to get by / WAKE UP, Locked in place and kept blind / WAKE UP, Break the hold break the norm / WAKE UP, Stand and fight sound the alarm WHO WILL SAVE YOU NOW?" This represents a call to action, urging people to wake up and take charge of their lives before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen! Oh you´ve heard it before
Pay attention! You've been warned about this before.
As they tighten the noose we still ignore
Despite the evidence, we continue to act as if everything is fine.
The truth, the proof as freedom dies
The evidence shows that our freedom is disappearing.
Or are we just being paranoid
Could our concerns be unreasonable or unfounded?
THINK WE´RE SAFE
We believe we are protected from harm.
SAFE FROM HARM
We believe we are safe from harm.
STAND UP NOW
We need to take action immediately.
SOUND THE ALARM
We need to alert others to the danger we are in.
Won´t see the truth or open your eyes
We're unwilling to accept the truth or recognize what's happening.
Spent your whole life caught in their lies
We've been deceived by those in power for our entire lives.
Keep your nose clean, live by their laws
We avoid trouble by following the rules set by those in power.
What will you do when they kick in your door
How will you react when the authorities take forceful action against you?
WHO WILL SAVE YOU
There's no one to protect us from the danger we're facing.
Comfort is what we crave
We prioritize our comfort over the truth and our freedom.
The truth is disturbing vile and brave
The truth is difficult and requires courage to face.
Chastise the ones who bring it to light
We criticize and blame those who reveal the truth.
With your head in the sand you wait to die
We ignore the warning signs and await our inevitable downfall.
WAKE UP, We´re all fighting to get by
We need to become aware of our situation and fight for survival.
WAKE UP, Locked in place and kept blind
We've been restricted and deceived, but can break free with awareness.
WAKE UP, Break the hold break the norm
We must challenge the status quo and disrupt the system.
WAKE UP, Stand and fight sound the alarm
We need to take action, alert others, and fight for our freedom.
WHO WILL SAVE YOU NOW?
There's no one left to turn to for salvation.
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.