"Trigger Warning": Sick As Thieves Deliver Timely Message Buried Under Heavy Rock'n'Roll

Sick As Thieves: good old classic rock'n'roll [photo: Sick As Thieves]

Occasionally, I stumble on the odd sponsored Instagram reel that immediately catches my attention. Most recently, South London's SICK AS THIEVES take that pleasure.

The band describe themselves as "leading the rock'n'roll resurrection", with lyrics centred on, among other things, "unbridled anti-establishment fury". Such sets the scene for the band's latest track, "TRIGGER WARNING".

Not much else needs to be said to understand the context of the track, focusing on themes of anti-racism and anti-police brutality.

A nice bit of flange kicks things off, and then a fast-paced, very NWOBHM-esque guitar riff follows. By the time the vocals join in, you wouldn't be completely clueless to think this is a Motorhead B-side.

The band have perfectly captured the classic, good old rock'n'roll sound - if there's an instrument that can be plugged in, you're damn sure it has fuzz or drive on it. The vocals have a conventional punk edge to them, but a stripped down middle section sees a focus on melody rather than angst. It's a nice section that stands out amongst the otherwise heaviness and angriness.

The time of the release isn't lost on me either (intentional or not). Politics and music have often found their Venn diagram crossover, and it'll be interesting to see how long the message of the track remains relevant. The track might be heavy and angry, but appropriately so. It's a message that needs to be heard. Loud.

"Trigger Warning" is out now [photo: Sick As Thieves]

"TRIGGER WARNING" is out NOW on streaming platforms