AMERICAN SUPREME marks the return of industrial's godfathers in the dawn of the millenium. Vega and Rev, the artists that began the attack of effects and droning synths, reunited for one more time (who counts anyway?) and recorded a new album, set in the aftermath of 9/11 and Alan Vega's much discussed art exhibition in New York.

Suicide were always political, and thankfully they remain. It is not hard to guess, from looking at the album's cover, the US flag, stripped of all color and vitality, that there's enough political venom in this pack of songs. Musically speaking, the album offers quite some surprises with its wide use of modernized grooves and beats of the field of electronica, but there are endless "classic" Suicide elements, so that both newbies and older fans of the band will be satisfied.

"Televised executions" that opens the album has a promising title but an oddball sound: it sounds more like Ice T-meets-electronica, a blend of rap beat, social commentary, electronica loops and melodies and Vega's "gangsta" performance. Not a bad song, but I don't like this type of music, so...

"Misery train" has a very accessible keyboard melody from Rev, but other than that, it's a return to the trademark sound of Suicide, the classic reverb on Vega's voice fully appearing now, the repetition of the enigmatic series of lyrics adding to the chill.

"Swearin' to the flag" is the first actually great song of the album, a pulsating beat over icy walls of keyboards and mechanical industrial effects, Alan Vega sounding harrowing, ominously political, a blurred vision of flags, military, destruction and a society on the verge of total desolation, anguish and a sensational dancing bleakness that Suicide know how to deliver, better than anyone. "Beggin' for miracles" continues the attack, dance patterns and noise loops over Vega's chaotic performance.

"American mean" and "Wrong decisions" have an "updated" electronica beat/groove, but there's enough electro-industrial effects, samples and overall Vega's haunted monologue, the repetitive synth lines adding to the oblique electro-dance chaos of Suicide.

"Death machine" shifts moods 100%-- I think it borders with electro-dark/EBM. Yes, Suicide enter such territory too. A hypnotic rhythm section, stabbing beats and synthbass around a net of effects and robotic motto-phrase lyrics from a deranged Vega...

"Power au go-go" has great lyrics and nice effects, but its rap-beat and groove points over to Ice-T again..."Child, it's a new world" traces such elements again, but Vega's imposing voice dominates the song and leaves less space for scepticism...

From there on, its pure Suicide chaos, updated and loaded to the full. "Disney, Dachau, Disco" has the greatest title of the album, and its more chaotic nature: a hell of samples, effects and screams, over a mechanical drum stabbing machine, roughly rising above the mix of sonic wall of mayhem. The provocative godfathers of industrial are here, at their very best! And the closing electro-attack of "I don't know" does the best to sum it up for Suicide's bizarre universe.Vega totally assaulted by the music, the reverb on his voice cranking chaos to the limits.

Overall, it is obvious that Suicide have entered a lot of elements of 90s electronica, as well as incorporating some rap grooves for the drum machine. Apart from the fully-oddball "Televised executions", such elements exist in a few other songs in balanced amount, so that the output is not foreign to the traditional Suicide fan. On the other hand, the band's more agressive, classic, chaotic moments are simply amazing. If this is the Suicide of the new millenium, with the best elements of the past kept along and a wise choice of modern production points and elements, then we sure have a lot to expect from the provocative Ghost Riders... I only hope they don't disband again...