Controlled by Hatred Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu

Album information

The album itself is represented as two fictional EPs―the first five tracks are Controlled by Hatred and the rest are Feel Like Shit... Déjà Vu. It features six new recordings―four of which are covers of No Mercy songs, one is a cover of Los Cycos, an outtake from the previous album's sessions, a shortened version of "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow" (as it is heard in the song's video) and the previously unreleased softer "Heavy Emotion" version of that song. The format of Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu has caused confusion. Although Suicidal Tendencies themselves have stated that it is either a compilation album or "the longest EP", it is still an album, making it their fourth full-length. The album is, in fact, longer than the first two Suicidal Tendencies albums. The music press had often referred to Lights...Camera...Revolution! as the follow-up to How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today. Several sources, including Encyclopaedia Metallum and Rate Your Music, have listed it as an EP or compilation album.

When the album was recorded in 1989, Suicidal Tendencies did not have an official bassist. Bob Heathcote had left the band shortly after the end of the How Will I Laugh Tomorrow tour, although he did play both versions of the title track on this album. The identity of the "Stymee" name credited as a bassist on the liner notes of Controlled by Hatred has caused confusion. Contrary to popular belief, Robert Trujillo did not actually perform on the album, but the bass parts were handled by guitarists Rocky George and Mike Clark. The "Stymee" name was actually an acronym of a quote from Trujillo, who reportedly refused to be credited by his given name, and said "it's S.T. why me." Trujillo can, however, be seen in the album's accompanying videos "Waking the Dead" and the "heavy emotion version" of "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow".

Suicidal Tendencies rarely play any songs from this album live. "Waking the Dead" was one of three songs from Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu (along with "Master of No Mercy" and "Feel Like Shit... Déjà Vu") that Suicidal Tendencies debuted on their summer 1989 European tour, and remained a live staple until 1994. It was played again on the Freedumb tour in 1999-2000 and the Join the Army / Deja Vu tour in 2010. The band played "Feel Like Shit... Déjà Vu" for the first time since 1990 at the Electric Ballroom in London, England on June 27, 2009, and again on their 2012 and 2013 tours. "Master of No Mercy" and "Controlled By Hatred" were last played in 1989 and 1990 respectively, while "Just Another Love Song", "Choosing My Own Way of Life" and "It's Not Easy" have never been played live.

Reception

Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu received a positive review from Allmusic's Eduardo Rivadavia, who awards the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, and states, "ST fanatics will no doubt get a kick out of these rarities, which also provide a nice link between the aforementioned album and 1990's stellar follow-up, Lights...Camera...Revolution!."

The album was only a minor success, peaking at #150 on the Billboard 200, making it Suicidal Tendencies' third lowest chart position (their 2013 album 13 and 2016 follow-up World Gone Mad debuted at #187 and #192 respectively). It remained on that chart for five weeks. Music videos for "Waking the Dead" and "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow (Heavy Emotion Version)" were made to promote this release.

Song notes

Personnel

Album

Billboard (North America)