Cyco Mike Muir and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES (ST) is back with its ninth studio release, 13, which marks the band’s 30th anniversary. It’s also their first new album in over 13 years and it was produced by Muir and Paul Northfield (RUSH, QUEENSRŸCHE, OZZY). How do we know that ST is really back? Because Muir repeatedly shouts, ”Suicidal’s back!” more than a few hundred times throughout the disc. Rejoining the ST posse as a guest-guitarist on four songs is Mike Clark; “Now take them on home, Brother Clark!” (’Send Me Your Money’ anyone?). Current guitarist Dean Pleasants (INFECTIOUS GROOVES, UGLY KID JOE, GEORGE CLINTON) took over for Rocky George in 1997 and fits in well with the ST sound, and his solos are pretty ripping as well. Maybe age has something to do with it, or maybe it’s the decade we live in now, but 13 just doesn’t have the same kind of urgency or rebellion the band displayed back in the day. This ain’t ‘Institutionalized,’ or ’Trip At The Brain’ for that matter, but 13 hints at some of the band’s early to mid-period material. Opener ‘Shake It Out’ and ‘Till My Last Breath’ has a late-eighties/early nineties feel and features the ST trademark quiet, melodic intros that the band does so well, while ’This World’ is right up there with ‘Which Way to Free’ or ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ from The Art of Rebellion. This album was many years in the making and though it’s not a true return to form for ST, it’s definitely better than their last few releases.