First of all, the above identification of the band's record label is not a mistake-- news of the band's decision to transfer from the major- label comforts of Elektra Records to Fat Wreck have been circulating since the summer. Needless to say, reaction to the news was mixed. Some rallied the bold gesture as another example of the band's insistence on leading the pack, others cringed at the thought of their Herculean heroes suddenly substituting hardcore reality for bratty vocals and sun- drenched pop-punk. With Call to Arms, the band proves that all fears and doubts were, as the faithful majority already surmised, completely unnecessary. There are absolutely no indications that Sick of It All have changed their sound for the sake of their new musical base, which is the greatest complement I can possibly pay them.

Discussion of the new label aside, what can be said that hasn't already been said of the almighty kings of New York hardcore? Perhaps the most telling and appropriate words have been offered by the band itself, in the way of their previous release, Built to Last. On that album's title track, they proudly proclaim: "We're here to stay and our impact will be felt. We won't go away!" Call to Arms provides impressive resonance to these words. Rather than sounding like an exhausted band who create music merely for the sake of the people who want it, Sick of It All continue to breathe fire and life into all they do.

The new album barrels out of the starting gate with "Let's Go," a one- minute opus every bit as fierce and affecting as the band's earliest efforts. Other breakneck offerings abound in the likes of "Falter" and "Guilty." Sick of It All's wonderful knack for providing some of the heaviest- hitting grooves musically possible is powerfully demonstrated with "Potential For a Fall" and "Falling Apart." Even the most passive listener will feel a nearly uncontrollable urge to begin flailing arms and legs at the bequest of these tunes. Although the band has worked these themes before, they still manage to reexamine them in powerful ways.

Not content to rely entirely on old formulas, the band has opted to explore new avenues as well. An unabashed love song seems the most unlikely kind to ever appear on a Sick of It All record, and yet with "Sanctuary," the unimaginable has occurred. The lyrics may be mushy, but the charged energy of the music and the catchy chorus are sure to win over those still clinging to the belief that love is dead. "Martin" works with displaced rhythms to make its presence felt, and "Quiet Man" uses a subtler approach to show that the band doesn't always have to flex their muscles to show their strength.

Call to Arms proves once again that Sick of It All are masters of their genre. For over a decade, they have consistently provided the best hardcore their genre has to offer, and with their promise to stick around considered, the future of the scene seems bright indeed.

-Kevin Ruggeri