On Sick And Tired, Los Angeles punk band Slaughterhouse treats us to five tracks of their goth, post-punk and death rock ways, where nods to ’80s punk and an incredible Black Flag cover take up this single sided 12” EP (the back side is etched).
“DNA” starts the quick listen with Taylor Ramirez’s swirling guitar before front woman Meriel O'Connell’s barking vocals enter the pounding climate that also welcomes melodic singing, too. “Sick And Tired” then follows with the rumbling bass of Eddie Cairns that is matched by Nick Aguilar’s fast drumming, where plenty of hardcore ideas enter.
The lone cover, “My War,” originally released by Black Flag in 1984, lands at the halfway point. Slaughterhouse keeps the grooves versus hard-hitting ideas intact, and it unfolds with a nearly dance floor-ready version that’s also heavy enough for the pit. It might just be the best interpretation of the track since Rorschach did it in 1994.
The final two tracks are just as great as the first three. “Smiles” trims the pace back with a moody post-punk backdrop, as O’Connell’s voice shows much diversity amid the meticulous rhythm section. “Whips And Chains” then exits with punchy and tuneful punk energy that carries some garage rock spirit as well.
Sick And Tired is another excellent outing from the quartet. Fans of legendary punks like Social Distortion, Bad Religion or TSOL will be just as impressed as those with an ear for more recent stars such as Amyl & The Sniffers, Alkaline Trio or The Distillers.
At just 500 copies pressed on black vinyl, this is destined to be a classic EP in the area of Los Angeles punk, and I know I’m not the only one impatiently waiting for a sophomore LP from Slaughterhouse.