The Suicide Machines: Jason Navarro, Dan Lukacinsky, Royce Nunley, Derek Grant.

Producers: Julian Raymond, The Suicide Machines.

Recorded at A&M Studios, Hollywood, California.

Audio Mixer: Chris Lord-Alge.

Recording information: A & M Studios, Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Sandra Navarro.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Derek Grant; Jason Navarro; Dan Lukacinsky; Royce Nunley.

Alterna-ska seemed to be the craze among rock fans circa 1996, and the Detroit band the Suicide Machines is one of the best the genre has to offer. On their second release for Hollywood, Battle Hymns, the band continues to slink through ska and slam the listener with full-throttle punk. Although the album contains a total of 22 selections, it only lasts for a duration of barely over 30 minutes (the shortest song being the four-second "Punck," and while the two minutes and 19 seconds of "Give" last the longest). But the shorter songs are often just as good -- "Hating Hate," "Face Another Day," "Confused," "Empty Room," "Step One," and countless others will easily do the trick. Singer Jason Navarro sounds similar to Rancid's Tim Armstrong at times, but it's not a ripoff, it's due to both being able to perfect their "vocals with attitude" approach just right. This is the kind of music that is best experienced live in a sweaty punk club, with slam dancers and crowd surfers flailing along, but Battle Hymns definitely does have its moments. ~ Greg Prato

What is it about punk and ska that makes them such a perfect fit? Is it the anger and rebellion or is it just the visceral thrill of jumping around in a sweaty club? Either way, the combination of the two has been used to great effect in the past and Detroit's The Suicide Machines carry on the tradition with BATTLE HYMNS.

The follow up to their critical smash debut DESTRUCTION BY DEFINITION, this album finds The Suicide Machines focusing on the punk side of their sound more than before, but ska always seems to pop its head up at just the right moment to let the CD (and the listener) breathe before the next round of crashing guitar chords hits. Lyrics attacking racism, political corruption and the military-industrial complex are spit out by singer Dan Lukacinsky in his best Green Day-esque pseudo-cockney accent. And with 22 tracks clocking in at just over 31 minutes, TSM obey the most sacred of punk's rules (or is that an oxymoron?): "Thou Shalt Not Wank."