Collector Reviews: WakeDaFucUp by Onyx & Snowgoons

Onyx return with some timely aggression with the help of the Snowgoons production on 2014's WakeDaFucUp.

Almost ten years after their previous album Triggermotetry (2004), Fredro Starr met DJ Illegal of the Snowgoons during a show in Europe. Fredro appeared as a solo artist on the Snowgoons album Snowgoons Dynasty in 2012 and the group appeared on their subsequent album Black Snow 2 for the song "Do U Bac Down."

In March of that same year, Onyx and The Snowgoons released this collaboration album WakeDaFucUp to critical and commercial success. The album was the bestselling CD on UndergroundHipHop.com for the year and XXL listed it in their "Top 25 albums of 2014" countdown. It's also worth noting that the group had their smallest roster yet with Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz being the only returning members.

The album opens with "WakeDaFucUp Intro" I mostly skip this one considering its just a thirty second snippet of the title track. I can however, understand the motives of putting this opener. It was a good choice for a longer intro and beat drop when you consider the explosive energy that the majority of this record will give you.

Our first real song comes in the form of track two, "Whut Whut". Despite the slower flow from Sticky and Fredro and the sleeker more contemporary drums from Snowgoons, we are quickly reminded of the tone of Onyx and their talent for choruses. It's not the most memorable song we're gonna talk about but, I can bump this and it's fun.

"We Don't Fuckin Care" showcases our first features on the album. This song has one of my favourite beats. Crisp keys and shuffling drums add a great flavour of desolation to each bar that our talent spits. Fredros' chorus has some great spaces for us to really bob our heads and hear the beat. I like Stickys' punchline of "Birth takes nine month but a nine mil you die like that" and the finger snap afterwards. One of my favourite lines to rap along to. A$AP Ferg brings one of the stronger guest verses with diverse flow switch ups and internal rhymes. Sean Price opens his verse with a great shout out to Onyx and The Snowgoons. It's not the best guest verse Sean Price has lent to a Snowgoons project but, he does add another unique flow to this beat. A strong song but not quite up there with my favourites.

"Hustlin' Hours" Is another decent banger. I love the bass line here but aside from that the beat is average in comparison to the rest of the record and it's not the most compelling song in terms of  verses either. The pair teams up with Makem Pay to drop some punchlines about trafficking and its energetic enough I just like most of the record more than this one.

"Buc Bac" is one of favourites joints. I love the strings that duck in and out of the beat and the lack of a strong bass line helps emphasize the kicks and snares. It's similar to another song later on in the album called "Hammers On Deck" but one this record they're brandishing guns purely because they enjoy causing chaos. Fredro has some lines here like "I'm disrespectful I know but, fuck you/I know a couple n***** that'll kill you for a buck or two." One of the hardest songs on here I can't rewind it enough.

Our title track still stands out as one of the stronger points on the album. It's commendable to have one of the slower tracks as the lead song of the album. I like that we can hear horrorcore influences across the chorus and into the verses that Dope DOD lends. At the time of recording this album, Onyx had been recruiting international artists to their collective 100 Mad. To choose one of foreign flagship artists to feature on the lead single is a bold move. It's songs like this drive home just how palatable Onyx's sound can be across the world. Queens, The Netherlands and Germany all coming together to prove that not only hip-hop but, underground hip-hop is still viable in other markets. The song itself is grim as Onyx's calls for a course correction away from the "hip-pop" blends that populate the radio stations. There's hard snares, tough lines and a variety of flows from all four MCs. I'd say Skits verse borders on being offensive with some rape references but, there's already so much violence on this album with more to come it doesn't stand out too much. I like Sticky Fingaz verse the most as he's angry but having so much fun at the same time.

Another one of my favourites is "The Tunnel". It's similar to a lot of beats on here as keys and strings support our boom bap drums. Onyx recruits help from Papoose and Cormega in telling their experiences in the infamous Tunnel club in Manhattan. Each emcee lists the atmosphere of the club from it's crime connections and legendary hip-hop figures to the clientele and grit of the club. Every verse describes something different and its as thorough as it is graphic. DJ Danetic also does a great job scratching around our hook.

"The Realest" took awhile to grow on me. Mostly because it's placed between some of my favourite songs and I didn't always play this one all the way through. It's on the shorter side in terms of length and some of the patterns of this album is starting to wear by this point. By track eight there's been lots of piano led boom bap songs and the verses don't jump out at me like they do on other songs. It's listenable but not standout.

I quite enjoy our ninth song "Dirty Cops". I love the perspective here and the hook. "The whole neighbourhood screaming out Dirty Cops". It's a clever way of telling no matter how many street gangs there are and how many hustlers are on the corner that the police remain the most notorious gang. Fredro Starr recalls run ins with the police while Sticky Fingaz warns us of all the schemes police have to arrest the highest amount of people they can. Snak The Ripper finishes up the song ready to fight and refuse cooperation. There's a story tying each verse together and our beat keeps pounding along. Solid track indeed.

"Boom!!" is a great banger. Fredro and Sticky spit some of their better flows on this song. Sticky has some great punchlines like "Fuck your confederate, 20 years later same n**** just a better whip" I love the periodic boom of the bongo (I'm sure it's not a bongo drum but my instrument terminology isn't up to snuff. If you hear the beat you'll know what sound I'm talking about.) There's just a great explosiveness to the lyrics and beat. Love the scratching that closes this record as well.

The last song I didn't feel too much was "Trust No Bitch". The beat here is pretty crazy and even on this song there's something about the hook that I like. The verses and the concept is a little flat for me because it honestly feels like Fredro and Sticky are trying to say bitch as many times as possible. Sticky dropped some line about Southern hip-hop that felt really outdated to me as well.

"One 4 Da Team" is a strong song as well. With the help of Reks, Fredro and Sticky bring great lines about affirming their direction. The three MC's recall the reception of themselves in the media and their journeys through the music industry. All these lyrics are accompanied by one of the more contemplative beats on the record too. It's placed pretty strategically as well because by track twelve you're ready for something slower and more self-examining. This isn't just good because of the contrast it holds to the rest of the album as Onyx has had more thought provoking material in the past. It's just a great combination of the right beat and story being told.

As we get into the final couple of cuts, "Hammers On Deck" is a bit slower but its hard nonetheless. I love the rapid kicks and the beat drop. It's cool to hear Sticky do a hook with a calmer voice. Similar to "Buc Bac" we see Onyx brandishing guns in the way only Onyx can. The song title is always being plugged in each verse and I can see this being great in a live setting.

The album ends with "TurnDaFucUp". This is easily my favourite on the album. No matter the mood I'm in, this one always get me out of my seat. Frantic strings build as Fredro delivers some lines up to the beat drop. On the subject of every hook on this album hitting, "TurnDaFucUp" is no exception. It's commanding and simple like most of our hooks but the energy and ferocity continues into the verses. Even Stickys lines are shriller than normal. Like there's just so much excitement building from this song. Fredro brings more flow and cadence to his verse. I remember seeing this one live in Calgary too and the crowd was going bonkers. Great finish especially when the last few tracks leading up to this were slower. Just in case there wasn't enough bangers they leave you with one more.

By the end of the album you really do feel invested in the energy. There's violence and heart (sometimes at the same time) and the Snowgoons production manages to be masterfully catered to each subject. It's a great working relationship and WakeDaFucUp turned out to be an album that not only hip-hop needed but also the album Onyx and Snowgoons needed in their legacies. There is spots where you find yourself wondering "Gee how angry can these guys be?" but the sequencing only allows for this to happen once or twice.

Pros: WakeDaFucUp still stands as one of the stronger releases that The Snowgoons have been a part of while also stacking up against some of the best releases from Onyx as well. For a comeback album it's everything you'd assume Onyx would sound like in this decade. The hooks all hit, even on my lesser favourites and Snowgoons really lend that raw sound you'd expect.

Cons: I knew what I was getting into with an Onyx album but, fair warning, this album doesn't take any breaks. It's hard and vulgar all the way through. For me that's is good and bad. Also despite the Snowgoons really having a diverse sound in their own discography, they don't always lend the most variety to this album. Lots of eerie pianos and overblown snares can get tiresome. Fredro and Sticky aren't always the most transparent or analytical rappers either. But again. It's an Onyx album you know what you're gonna get.

Collector Reviews: Fightin' Words by Diabolic

After establishing his own imprint, Diabolic holds his own on his sophomore LP, Fightin Words.

After emerging in the early 2000's after part of the rap collective Rebel Armz, Diabolic would go on to sign to Immortal Techniques label Viper Records.

He gained plenty of traction with his debut album Liar And A Thief, though he quickly fell out with the label due to his own money being withheld by Viper. He formed the imprint Warhorse Records in 2013 and began marketing what would later become Fightin Words.

The LP opens with "Diabolical Sound". DJ Premier makes an appearance as a producer as well as on the cuts between verses. It's a very eerie banger that blends haunting strings with impactful snares and baselines. Bolic boasts sharp wordplay and imagination on both verses. While not my favourite on the record, this song is an incredibly strong start.

Produced by Junior Makhno, the second track "Introvert" is a personal favourite of mine. Echoing strings pluck away while various beat drop shuffle against abundant tambourines. While I wouldn't quite classify Diabolics rapping on this as double time, he does bring on of his quicker paced songs here. His affinity for rhyming entire sentences becomes very clear on songs like this. Great hook too.

Our first features come on the third song "Higher". Celph Titled and Swave Sevah. A very whimsical brass section from Junior Makhno builds as Celph opens the track. Diabolic does his thing in the middle and Swave Sevah closes the tail ends. There's a solid hook here and their adlibs remind us of how much fun the three MCs are having. It's also to my knowledge the first weed anthem Diabolic has done. Despite all of that however, it doesn't grab my attention or demand a second listen in the same way some other joints do.

My favourite song on the record is number four "Piss And Vinegar". There's just bars on bars on BARS with this song. The drums are very intricate with slaps and snares shift from being layered together and separate. The verses are twenty four bars or longer a similarly long hook. It's rewarding to memorize and everything rhymes with everything. Great metaphors and lines from start to finish.

One of the bigger records from Fightin' Words is "Suffolk's Most Wanted" featuring RA The Rugged Man. Produced by the Snowgoons, it's definitely one of my favourite beats. Intense strings grind away against persistent hi hats and metallic snares. RA starts the track balancing his syllables with comparison bars and reference from boxing biblical. Definitely one of the top features on the record. Bolics hook and verse bring the title and concept together. They both pick a fun angle to rap and the song establishes Diabolic and Rugged Man as the top scumbags and shit disturbers of Suffolk County. A song of petty rebellion and advanced rhymes schemes.

"Feel Ya Pain" has ENG returning from Liar And Thief to score our emotional section of the record. Bolic is comparing stretching his money to cover bills while balancing the pursuit of his art. He goes on to describe his disillusion with corporate media and promises while also being cornered by custody battles. It's great glimpse into is personal life and morals that sounds similar some songs from Liar And A Thief like "Reasons," or "Loose Cannon". He has his back against the walls again with an even clearer detailing of his obstacles than he's ever written about before. You can hear the evolution. The beat just soars along these high pitched strings and great drum build ups. The beat alone could paint the same emotion as the lyrics. Tie it altogether with a hook that has Bolic reaching out for those in similar circumstances and you'll notice there hasn't been a dull song yet.

Our posse cut "Norman Bates" maintains the momentum with six verses over frantic production from Level 13. Taboo, Locksmith Bolic himself, Nino Bless, Apathy and Coal all bring their most aggressive and vulgar verses they can. Their entries range from psychotic murder to, predatory sex encounters, going on rampages with strong similes and entedres from all. The beats starts and stops, changing drums and has various tempo changes to compensate the syllable schemes of each MC. A repetitive beat wouldn't have been able to handle six verses but Level 13 keeps up the with roster with another one of the albums top arrangements.

"Living In My Head" is another good analytical song. Though the first verse is pretty general, he goes into his own treatment of women and the dynamic of his own relationships. It's great concept of being stuck in your ways despite being challenged to change. Taking aim at people begging for his album release dates is a great reference to the developmental stage of the record as well. Block McCloud brings a great hook too. It's a little similar in tone to "Feel Ya Pain" and though I like the emotion of the former better, there's some motivation to bump this song too. "Living In My Own Head" is, to me, the first point of the record where there's slight repetition.

There's lots of fun to be had with track nine "My Attitude". Our second beat joins potent and rapid snares with electric guitar strums to bring a great vibes of mischief. Diabolic assumes the role of essentially a grown up Bart Simpson. He's petty, out of control and rebellious purely because he know it'll piss someone off. He starts bar fights and disturb shit so much the bank is denying him loans. The song is just a hilarious anthem for anyone never learns their lessons or becomes timid with age. Diabolic acts like he's gonna be a brat forever and "My Attitude" makes it work.

"Victim Story" is exactly what it describes. BP brings some heavy keys and quick drums. Diabolic shares two verses of kids falling into journeys of self destruction after bullying pushes them over the edge. Both the young man from the first verse and the young woman from the second have clear backstories and motivations to drive their actions. I can't spoil the endings but it's pretty heavy and well paced. While it's not the livest song on the record, the heart and bold approach to the subject of bullying keeps this song on repeat.

Our title track hit pretty hard too. C-Lance crushes it with foghorns and explosive snares. For an album such as "Fightin Words" the song brings just want we needed to hear. Cocky aggression hits you across three vicious verses. There's plenty of obnoxious lines and scheme switch ups to make this song a go to for any gym or locker room playlist.

Track twelve "Game Time" invites us into the ring with another couple of features. 5th Seal brings jingling tambourines and hard kicks with boxing bells. There's great lines sampled throughout the hook. I love the roster on this album but their contributions are a little inconsistent. Maybe because Diabolic is the less established rapper of the trio and he raps a bit harder. I've just heard more exciting features from Sean and Vinnie. Still all three on the same song is a powerhouse and I'm playing it lots despite my pickiness.

My anticipation of "A.M.E.R.I.C.A (Truth Part 3)" wore off quick. As much as I like the details and scope of Diabolics political records, this one pales in comparison to Part 2 from Liar And A Thief. I think the beat ENG had the second time was a bit harder and more gripping. I wasn't fond of the hook either this time around. I probably skip this one the most out of the whole record despite the knowledge it drops.

"Here We Go" lightens up the third act with the catchiest beat on the record. Level 13 keeps the loop simple and knocking while Bolic and Coast keep the pace up with their chemistry. I love the third verses where they join up and trade bars too. You can't nod your head enough to this one.

The other Snowgoons beat shows up on the penultimate song "Bad Dreams". Diabolics temper flares as he feuds with baby mams and disrespectful label executives. There's a lot in common on this song with "Feel Ya Pain" but, here the beat is more aggressive and Bolic tackles his opposition with more anger than before. The intense tone keep it from feeling like the same song, however.

The album closes with "Alien Manuscript" produced by Junior Makhno. I'm lukewarm to this song because there's just not as much focus as there could've been. Our eerie instrumental and the alien character scoffing at Diabolic between verses lends themselves to the potentially rich subject of alien abduction or humanities contact with the fourth kind. His verses don't really bring anything that resembles this concept, however. Still great wordplay but, by the time we get to song number sixteen, simply having bars and rhymes isn't enough. There's songs earlier on the record that do about the same thing as this track so it starts to feel like filler.

Despite the four year gap of Liar And A Thief and this album here, it was well worth the wait. Diabolic catches the listener up with his personal trials, outlandish attitude and disenchanted worldview. It's aggressive and loud while still taking the pertinent breaks for heart and humanity. I'd argue that, despite the revered state of Liar And A Thief, Fightin Words has a leg up as the stronger record. The bars never take a break and Diabolic is analyzing himself and the world around him with more clarity than before.

Pros: Fightin Words recruits a great number of Diabolics friends old and new, and the records length sits comfortably at just over an hour. Diabolic sharpens his song structure while still giving us a lot of the freestyle like verses we've come to expect. I think even despite its sometimes repetitive subject matter, it successfully surpasses the quality of Liar And A Thief. There's more than a couple of memorable beats as well.

Cons: Diabolics cocky attitude wears slightly thin as the record goes on. The split between storytelling and ignorance can be jarring from song to song as well. I still can't help but feel we could've trimmed a song or two.

Collector Reviews: G.O.A.T. by Conway The Machine

Conway and Daringer preserve the grimy nineties on their 2017 mixtape G.O.A.T. (Grimiest Of All Time)

I first heard of Conway from his 2016 feature on Vinnie Paz's song Iron Tusk. Afterwards he seemed to pop up on nearly every album that dropped in the last quarter of 2016. I continued to hear Conway on the Czarface and Snowgoons release of that year before choosing to investigate his solo catalog.

It's also important to note that in spring of 2017, Conway and his brother Westside Gunn were signed to Eminem's label Shady
Records. This marked the first Buffalo rappers to be signed to a major in history. Conway, Benny and Gunn also embarked on a tour across the USA with support from the LOX. Cons relatively short and explosive commercial career (as well as his lyrical prowess and style) has garnered him recognition and approval from the likes of Wu-Tang clan members Ghostface Killah and Raekwon as well as the late prodigy of Mobb Deep (the latter of the two are featured on this record).

The album opens with our title track. Themes of drug trafficking, youth crime and murder are introduced over a very cinematic and dark Daringer arrangement. I like the cadence and flow that Conway does here over the sporadic drums. The beat builds momentum quick with Conways distinctive delivery. It's a great way to set the tone but, I'm usually skipping ahead for the tracks that get me more hype.

"Trump" brings our only producer guest with Alchemist. We get a quick skit before our eerie instrumental leads fade in. The drum pattern is simple with hard kicks and slapping drums. Conway depicts stories of him stalking his enemies in the dead of night with gruesome detail. There's lots of quotables that highlight Conways talent for gun bars. Tongue rolling gun adlibs make entertaining appearances too. There's a great fade out so we can enjoy the drum pattern a bit longer too.

One of my favourite songs is "Th3rd F" featuring Raekwon. I love the sample choice of spinning back some soul singing. Gentle drums and keys do their thing in the background as well. Conway brings great pacing to his rhymes while describing Buffalo in key lines like "I'm from a city n****s get smoked for a half a key" and the Raekwon verse brings the same calm delivery while the lyrics depict some lethal braggadocio. I'm always twisting my dial back to repeat this one.

Onto our next track with "Die On Christmas" opens with a verse from fellow Griselda label mate Benny. Benny brings one of my favourite verses on the whole album here. Flashing back between recalling his incarceration and sentence to pondering on his return to hustling with great bars like "Everyday I take chances that could put me in a prison" or "all my n****s point blank shooters and cheque chasers". I like that there's no break between the MCs contributions here as Conway immediately breaks into his own verse as soon as Benny gives his finishing lines. Conway makes his own case for being hailed as a "great" due to his own accolades and the short time frame hes achieved them in before describing another grim murder scenario. It's a fantastic song that brings intense and thorough verses from both.

"Rodney Little" continues the instrumental theme of eerie leads and dusty drum loops. Conways flow is a little less aggressive but he still won't mince words. He brings more posturing and challenges you to find a harder rapper out. Prodigy yields a comfortable and sage-like flow to his own boasting. I like his bar about "On post release supervision, I'll still get it shakin'."  Rodney Little is a song that is hard but can still relax me. Great for cruising with the windows down.

After the interlude on the end of the previous song the pace of the record picks back up with "Xxxtras". Opening up the second half of the album, this song brings another head nodding drum pattern from Daringer with some fun brass leads. Conways brings more metaphors and references to his vocal prowess and street reputation. I'm not crazy about the fade out lasting nearly two minutes, however. It's a passable song but to me it's not one of the hits.

"Bishop Shot Steel" is probably the slowest song on the record. Despite the language and grit there is some great introspection in comparison to the rest of G.O.A.T.. It's reflective without breaking the consistency of Conways persona. His first entry on the song leaves him dejected and shocked over the betrayal of a friend while he adjusts and recites the lessons hes learned on the second verse. Daringer again shines with production that manages to be both gloomy and delicate at once.

"Mandatory" is one of my favourites as well, second only to track three. Daringer brings more minimalist boom bap with my favourite snare on the record. You can hear him Con really pushing himself on this song in particular as he lays claim to the first and second verses with aggressive punchlines detailing street life, describing his cohorts and once again reminding us of his itchy trigger finger. Royce Da 5'9" bring the pain here as well with one of the more notable guest verses. Similar to track four we have two rappers just snapping for as long as they can and it's glorious.

As we near the end of the tape, Styles P teams with The Machine over an ominous score by Daringer. I like the deep bass kicks and cymbals. Sporadic cowbells and vocal samples fade in and out as well. Styles P brings similar grime to Conway in his contribution. Hearing legends spitting hard to match Conways hunger is always a great recipe for a banger. Great hook on here too. Nobody don't move or the gun blow!

We finish the record off with a posse cut style song in "Bullet Klub" Conway delivers one his strongest verses on the album before Lloyd Banks enters with the hook and then his own set of bars. Benny finishes off the song and by extension, the album with his final guest verse. There's too many punchlines and grimy bars to list or even quote as all three MCs bring their A game. The production we get from Daringer is top notch again as our kicks and snares slowly shuffle against an insidious string section.

At the end of it all, Conway brings meaning to our title and truly demonstrates why he needs to be considered the grimiest. Daringer and Alchemist deliver incredible minimalist boom bap production which serve as a terrific backdrop for Conways murder fantasies and tales of street life. Despite its shorter length, G.O.A.T. makes up for it in consistency and pacing.

Pros: Conway details street life from a griping and harsh angle while relentlessly challenging himself and his guests to bring their best. We have long verses with plenty of metaphors to unpack and the production is incredible. The beats are eerie, hard and all similar to each other but, there's still more calming scores that lend themselves to some reflective passages.

Cons: I've noticed even on a more polished project like this, Conway doesn't always write hooks or bring a thorough concept record. Aside from Bishop Shot Steel, there's little storytelling that departs from violent punchlines or braggadocio. I both love and hate this albums length as it keeps the tone and momentum of the album tight but, a little more room for variety would've made me love this record even more.

Collector Reviews: The Widows Son by Apathy

Apathy unites consistent and well explored themes with some incredible boom bap on his sixth solo project The Widows Son.

An extremely anticipated album, The Widows Son had been advertised even prior to his earlier releases as one of Apathy more calculated projects. As early as 2014 he has been saving material and verses for this record. Tiding over fans with EPs and other albums while he quietly crafted this one.

One of his shorter studio albums, The Widows Son is as airtight as they come. A lot of Freemason references and existential questions are put forward in this album. Those themes and topics are blending with the traditionalist and niche boom bap that Apathy generally comes with. The distinction here is we have a pretty good serving of gloomy and eerie sampling to go with them. The album is very true to Apathy and his style but is noticeably darker in parts too.

We start with "The Spellbook" produced by Apathy himself, the song kicks of with the some braggadocio and one of my favourite hooks of the album. Between the sound effects on this song and the echo effect on his vocals, you can't help but imagine some sort of seraph is being conjured with each transition and bridge here. Great banger to kick the album off with.

"Chaos" has Stu Bangas bringing some great kicks and snares around cinematic brass instruments. It's not the most vocally charged song but Apathy still brings some good vibes and wordplay here. There's more of an emphasis on kicks and snares rather than bass lines and hi hats. Even by boom bap standards Stu Bangas brought a pretty open canvas. Not a really explosive song but there's great wordplay here that I rewind for.

Our first feature comes with AG lending the second verse for "Never Fall Off". It's a very dense song with Apathy detailing history, apocalyptic warnings while bringing complex triple rhymes across his twenty-four bar verse. AG brings a larger focus on delivery and lengthening his syllables. His verse has some sweet echoes on the mix also. I like his line about reincarnation as well. There's just a whole theme of their art and their skill living on forever and the hook is one of my favourites. The score Apathy gives us is crazy too with frantic orchestra strings timed to every snare hit. Cool cuts from DJ Mekalek ride out with the beat as well.

Our title track is another Apathy beat. Drum breaks and blaring guitars blend well with the choir samples. Apathy and Ryu delineate their loyalty to the Freemason brotherhood. Both MCs detail a great a balance of defending the community and celebrating it. While it's not my favourite song on the record, it does exactly what the concept demands it to.

"The Order" was the second promotional single. I absolutely love this song. The Preemo beat drops right on the end of real dark skit about Gods putting humanity in their place while DJ Premier chops up that line from Honkey Kong "Ap is back murder beats get hoes there's an Ap for that." with vocal snippets of Kool Gs verse on "The Symphony". The beat transitions from piano and organs keys to really high pitched strings every four bars and back again all the while Apathy blacks out in two fierce twenty four bar verses. There's various punchlines and flow switch-ups in each verse and the snares are some of my favourite on the whole record.

The first single for the album was "Alien Weaponry" produced by Nottz. We get another really unique sound here. The beat is more complex and intricate with tumbling drums wrestling with our alien sounding lead riff. Great science fiction vibes with more skits on either end of the song. By this point in the record you're noticing the mystery of all of Apathys concepts and it propels us perfectly into the next song.

"Hypnotize" is one of the better themed songs on here. Apathys grim punchlines and sage-like flow keep the tone focused. Apathy describes all the angles of brainwashing we can experience while delving into religious and prophetic lyrics. The verses are pretty lengthy and Apathys vocabulary continues to impress. Messiah Musik composes a very simple and ominous beat as well. While it's not as explosive or manic as some others its a notable song nonetheless.

Time to flip our cassette to the second half of the album. "I Keep On" is a lot of fun. Pete Rock brings fun bass lines and sparse keys. It's minimal and groovy with a lot of space for the wordplay of Apathy and Pharoahe Monch. The two MCs give amazing flow switch ups in the first two 16' and they split the third verse. It's a welcomed break as the song isn't really focused into much of a concept. It's just some retro boom bap with lots of wordplay throughout and the talent assembled here all keep it catchy.

Another impressive one is "A View From Hell". My favourite beat on the record bursts in while Dj Eloheem cuts up a Geto Boys sample. Apathy blacks out across two lengthy and complex verses with Buckwild bringing these slamming guitar and keys. One of the most explosive songs on the record with Apathys signature style of clarity, imagery and complexity. Bars and head banging for days.

Track ten "Fist Of The North Star" is produced again by Stu Bangas. Hard drums shuffle against ghastly guitar riffs while Apathy and Diabolic flex their most gruesome punchlines. There's plenty of quotables to return to here like Apathys "I'm in the studio learning how to brew a human stew" and Diabolics line of "heads are on some bullshit like Minotaurs". Double entendres and metaphors can be found in almost every line and there a good hook for us all to chant to. Pump your fist like this!

The other song I feel a little negative about is "Stomp Rappers". Apathy and Celph Titled bring some loose Kaiju and monster themes to link with the vocal snippet in the hook. MOP bring some great energy as well. I tend to have gripes about this beat and the repetitive hook. I wish the song traded the hook at the beginning for longer verses from MOP. The song length wouldn't feel like such a slog if we skipped even one of the instrumental swells and beat drops that surround the chorus. Aside from that, on a technical level I can't find any lyrics to object too. The song is still hard just a little tired.

"Legend Of The Third Degree" brings us the last of Stu Bangas contributions to the album. A lot of the profound and existential questions come to a close on this song as Apathy details astronomy, religious artifacts and tradition. The beat is just as mysterious of a journey as the verses with distorted kicks and string sections rising and fading throughout.

Similar to tracks eight, ten and eleven, "Rise and Shine" gives us a fun break from the LPs heavier themes. Apathy arranges the beat again with great bridges and swells in the chorus. This song has one of my favourite hooks that plays perfectly into the pace of the beat. Apathy and Locksmith expressing their dismay with hip-hop trends as well as illustrating their resolve to keep pushing their own pens.

The album also ends on the most perfect note with "Obi-Wan". The song is a somber and reflective story of Apathy speaking to his father that had passed years before this album. I like the perspective of this story. It's written not from the immediate moment of his fathers passing but he writes as a man who has adapted and adjusted despite the longing to see his father again. The beat is gentle and melodic while Apathys delivery is calm reassuring. He contrasts the memories of his father with his own experiences of raising his daughter. Every word on this song says so much about grieving and loss while also realizing that his father lives through him.

Man what an album. Apathy blends some of the best contemporary boom bap with solid and well explored themes. Just when you're about to get bored of the eeriness, the record switches gears. It can be dark but knows when to transition into something fun. He blacks out on various twenty-four and thirty-two bar verses with a gauntlet of A-list producers, features and DJs. The Widows Son is tight with minimal filler, even if it is a tad niche.

Pros: Fantastic beats from Apathy and the producers he employs. Every line on this album brings vivid imagery to reality and he knows exactly what story to tell on each score. Select features contribute great angles to each concept as well. I'd even make a case that this album rivals Honkey Kong and Perestroika as one of Apathys strongest projects.

Cons: I can definitely see the spooky and existential sections of this album not being everyone's bag. With any album that sticks to the same concepts from song to song can run the risk of being tedious and The Widows Son is no exception. There are ever so slight cracks in the armour in this regard.

Collector Reviews: From The Dirt by Snak The Ripper

Snak The Ripper touches all the bases while still pushing his boundaries on 2016's From The Dirt.

After first hearing of Snak on the Swollen Members song "Fear" I would go on find his 2014 album Just Giver on iTunes and later collected his 2012 release "White Dynamite" as well. I was enthralled with Snaks distinctive delivery, zany personality and range. He could rap well and sing rather convincingly. His production choices were generally solid as well. I quickly found myself becoming a fan.

Eventually his snowballing career would pit him against fellow Vancouver heavy weight Madchild. The two would go on to have a public feud and diss for diss battle with one another. A diss that I think Snak won gauging from the views on his song responses to the general attitude of social media and the rappers respective fans. Now I care not whether the bars in each track were true or not, nor do I care to talk about this any further but, it's important to paint the backdrop of the Vancouver and greater Canadian scene before going in to the track by track section of this review.

The wake of this feud, Snaks position in the hierarchy of Canadian hip-hop had changed pretty significantly in a short time. I knew this would be exciting material to cover on the next record so when I began seeing teases and singles coming out I was counting down the days for more announcements. The record officially released in June of that year.

The album opens with an intro cut aptly titled "Intro". The skit breezes past in under a minute and I suppose its necessary to lead into the theme of the title track that follows. You can hear Snak trudging through the brush as he approaches a railroad. I just didn't see a reason to give this snippet its own track. It could've easily been added to the beginning of the next song.

We continue into the title track "From The Dirt" and first promotional single with the train sound effects fading as the beat comes in. I like the slow beginning to the beat because it makes the beat drop that much more exciting. The hook comes in at full blast right away while the bass rumbles against our synth lead. The synths on the Lazy Rida production also are pretty wild and they remind me of some slowed down dubstep. The verses dive immediately into a vicious double time flow from Snak as he recounts the characters and activities you can find out in "The Dirt". He references the close proximity to wilderness as well as the urban decay hes grown up around. There's still a sense of pride as he finishes up his last verse with "This dirt right here is all I've known/and I love this dirt I call it home." It's an easy hit that I restart often.

We continue with "Premium Dope" produced by Marco Polo. Snak recruits Crooked I (now King Crooked) and the two share the song right down the middle with a 24 bars verse to each MC. I love the multi and internal rhymes they both finish with. I love features where you can hear the collaboration. The beat brings some piano leads and heavy kicks. It's a highlight for a lot of folks in comments and so forth but, I tend to skip since one of my favourite tracks is right around the corner. I sleep on this track a little bit because the verses and beat are such a slow build.

One of my personal favourites is "Vicious Cycle" is a somber break from the aggressive stuff while serving as the first real experimental section of the record. The gloomy trap beat from Lazy Rida as well as Snaks forlorn delivery are a great break for the bangers before and after. The lyrics detail a lot about emotional detachment and addiction.

"Stress" is another big ticket feature song produced by ENG. The Outlawz lend their talents to the first and second stanzas. Big kicks and claps keep this song hammering along. All three MCs bring determination and heart to their verses. I love the way the drums cut out to emphasize the last few bars from each of them too.

Another highlight for me is "Memories". Snak recounts his childhood and upbringing over a very reflective C-Lance beat. Snak adds his own guitar riffs over the bridges. I like the way he balances rapping in the past tense between dropping advice in the hook to not dwell on the past. One of my favourite snares of the album can be found here too.

The weed song "Hey" featuring Merkules is another cool one. Stuey Kubrick brings some crazy sounds (I want to say foghorns). The song goes off right away with Merkules detailing his early days of discovering pot and getting into trouble for it while still doing it anyway. I love Snaks hook there's just such presence in the mix and Snak recounts his consumption habits with some good humor. I love the cuts that take over before the song fades out too.

As we reach the halfway point, Deaner from Fubar returns for a sketch on the "The Basement" You can hear Snak in the upstairs blasting music and cracking open beers as Deaner goes squirrelly after waking up. I don't really listen to this one too much but it's good for a chuckle.

"Fuck The Internet" Is a pretty good concept song. Snak lists the goobers he meets online while also taking aim at shallow rappers who worry too much about their internet personas. I like the Ill Bill verse as he drops hilarious references to dating websites. My favourite part is easily the cuts with the overly serious voice saying "The motherfucking internet." There's also all kinds of dial up sounds cutting in and out on this beat too. A definite highlight with lots of personality.

The record keeps getting stronger with the tenth track "The Action". Jaclyn Gee adds vocal harmonies over top of the guitar and drums. I like the double kicks from C-Lance before each drum as well as the hook. The song blends braggadocio while highlighting the confidence Snak has in himself and his own path. It's a very dense song with a pretty lengthy hook and I'm still repeating it in hopes I can recite one day.

The fierce independence of the previous song is explained by "It's Over" as Snak battles with a friend who has betrayed him. The lyrics describes a life long friendship being shattered by rumors and lies. The momentum that builds and drops all across this song is tight too. Gradually growing from just a few piano keys to vicious hi hats and snares crashing down. The hook Jaclyn brings is great because it balances Snak frustration with more humility and resolve. Almost like Snak is writing from the moment and Jaclyn is singing in hindsight from the future.

"F.T.W." is a great step out for Snak as well. He assaults anything and everything from "flexing" and fake rappers to police brutality. The second verse touches on the way his worldview has changed since traveling the planet and how he struggles to understand the bigotry and passiveness he finds from everyday people. Nasty cuts on here too. It's a nice dabble into the "conspiracy" part of the underground scene.

The album keeps building in the third act with the Brevner produced "Eat Ya Face" featuring Dope D.O.D. Grim trap loops back the cannibal fantasies each MCs comes with. I like the simplicity of the hook. We didn't need a long or complicated hook here. It's about eating faces while high off bath salts, no complexity needed. I love the Silence Of The Lambs reference in Snaks verse too. Even beyond the gross lyrics you can tell everyone is having fun here writing something dark and crazy. Another favourite of mine.

Second to last is the rock infused "Wasting Away". Snak takes an empty drum loop from C-Lance and brings his own guitar riffs to it. The lyrics are similar to Vicious Cycle with its emphasis on vices and feeling misunderstood and isolated. The uniqueness comes from the explosive vocals and singing Snak reaches for on the hook. I would love to hear more stuff like this in the future.

We finish with "Runnin Wild". This is one of my favourite Snak songs of all time. ENG brings some sparse keys and bass lines in tandem with our kicks and snares. The first verse recounts Snaks resolve and relentless dedication to putting all his chips into his career. With our verse he's meditating on how far he's come since he began his journey. He's just laying it all out on record and explaining that high gear is the only way he operates. The song is also held together by one of the strongest chorus on the album and potentially his whole career. Perfect song.

At the end of it all, From The Dirt delvers on more than a few fronts. I was always looking forward to the next album after hearing Just Giver but, I did not expect something as calculated and tight as this. We have strategic features that bring great chemistry, versatile beats that Snak ins't afraid to experiment on, and that classic zany comedic personality of Snaks makes some memorable appearances too. As time went on I have noticed some low points but even those are quite listenable.

Pros: Snak got his feet wet in more than a few different styles here that he hadn't before. Great team of producers and sounds across the whole thing. Each feature bring the best out of Snak and he challenges them all the same too

Cons: There's a few instances where his voice is really cracking in a uncomfortable way. Once in a while we get a song that I feel like skipping. As usual I'm not a fan of the intro having its own track. It's just one more dial turn or button I gotta press on my way to the music.

Collector Reviews: Black God White Devil by Heavy Metal Kings

Heavy Metal Kings return with a triumph of terror on their sophomore record Black God White Devil.

Vinnie Paz and Ill Bill first formed the group in 2010 with their first installment as Heavy Metal Kings coming out in 2011. With decades of touring and collaborations under their belt and similar fan bases it made sense to come together for an album like their self titled debut. The first record was received well by the underground community and the duo was able to tour Canada and Europe in promotion of the album.

Though the record was successful, I myself wasn't blown away by the first offering. The production was something of a 'one trick pony' with repetitive snares and over the top orchestra chops. The record also felt bloated in length as well, coming in at almost an hour.

I was, however, impressed with the chemistry from Vinnie and Bill and with the right beat and concept the album did have it's moments. The album also alluded to some interesting themes like organized crime, terrorism and the occult. By the end of the first album I knew there was still territory to explore so the announcement of this new record caught my attention right away. The album was announced in 2016 with Vinnie Paz and Ill Bill marketing it throughout the first quarters of 2017.

A notable difference here from the first record is the smaller team of features. Goretex is featured on about half of the record and the occasional posse cuts from the debut don't make a return. There's seems to be a tighter narrative throughout this second one whereas the first record seemed to prioritize quantity more than consistency or unity.

The records opens with "Seance Gone Wrong" featuring Goretex. There's some pretty funny dialogue before the bass and drums come in and there's lots of grimy bars guaranteed to make you grit your teeth. I like the pitch difference on the hook as well as Bills verse. Vinnie and Goretex do their thing too but, I think the syllable scheme that Ill Bill was on here takes the cake. Produced by Sunday, this record lands somewhere in the middle for me. I'd like this song more but I think Vinnie and Goretex have better verses later on.

We move onto "If He Dies, He Dies" with DV Alias Khryst on the hook. Apathy brings some frantic pianos and good drums in the arrangement here. There's some gruesome lines from Bill here about slicing grandmas and cutting heads off so he can snatch necklaces better. I like hook when Khryst says "It's about to go down, so get ready for the showdown" it's a good set up the confrontational and violent tone of the album. Vinnie brings some great punchlines about stocking and firing weapons and his verse finishes with him reciting the song title. This song is a little more upbeat when you consider how many eerie and dark instrumentals are still to come. Remember the fun pianos because it only gets more creepy and satanic from here.

One of my favourites is "Egyptian Moses". I love the Vic Grimes beat enters here with the slow fade in and the low, rumbling bass hits. The beat is very minimal with the kick and snares being joined by subtle hi-hats and a synth lead. It's one of the songs on here where the chemistry between the three rappers blends perfectly with the momentum of the song. Combine that with a ominous hook that gives a nod to Sean Price and you got yourself one of the groups best songs.

The fourth track and the albums second single "Bad Hombres". The title matches the chopped up dialogue from a recent speech from Donald Trump. While the verses explain in gruesome details why the group embodies the songs title. Giallo Point brings a pretty unique beat with some masterfully flipped jazz samples. The group opts out of using a hook here which I think pays off as well. The lines of dialogue before each verse serve as pretty good introductions for each entering MC. The slower pace also serves as a good break.

"Golan & Globus" is another hit for me. The song begins with some choice cuts from Lil Fame and Ill Bill rips through the first half of the song with some good double time. I was surprised to see Vinnie take the same approach but, since the past couple of Army Of The Pharaohs entries, he's been dabbling in speeding up his flow. I love the last couple of bars from Vinnie beginning with "You make pill poppin' music pussy knock it off, beat him to submission and kick him like a soccer ball". It's a good note to end on as he slows down a tad to hone in on his delivery. Golan & Globus is definitely another high point with its balance if catchy drums from Giallo Point and grimy lyrics.

The second act keeps getting stronger with the "Mercyful Fate". The eerie instrumental Gaillo Point brings blends easily with the haunting bars and horror stories the group comes with. The song also boasts another one of Bill best performances between the hook and his opening verse. Vinnie and Goretex seem to bring it on similar levels here too. There's a good bar from Vinnie "Ill Bill saved me and I can never forget that." I'm unsure what this refers too but, there's still a rich friendship and chemistry between everyone here so, any nod to that is a great thing.

As we cross the halfway point we get one of the more obnoxious cuts "Black Mass Lucifer". Swelling synths and crashing cymbals dot the synthetic kick and snare. We get one of my favourite verses from Vinnie on here but aside from that it feels too familiar. Almost as if Sunday is trying to bridge the production cliches from the first record and brings them here for the novelty. If I had to pick one song on here that paints over song ideas they've already done, it'd be this one. It's good by itself but, we got more worthy bangers to come.

"Petrus Steele" has Vic Grimes bringing us some intricate drums with slowed guitar riffs and wood wind instruments. With no Goretex on this one the duo take turns with complex flows and triple rhymes. Vinnie is rapping just slightly slower than Bill here making it harder to pick a favourite verse. Their giving each other some good competition. Even with Bill rapping last I'm still not sure he was better than Paz.

"Killing Technology" is the only C-Lance beat on the record. I found this off putting at first considering his presence on the first installment. There's additional production from Aaron Hiltz on the electric guitar. Here we get one of the more memorable hooks from Bill. It's simple but the delivery and repetition gets it stuck in your head. Aggressive drums and cymbals keep this song at an obnoxious pace. I also want to point out that this song and beyond is where Vinnie really starts to hit his stride. My favourite Goretex entry is on this song as well.

We begin the closing few songs with "The Military Mind Of Chaka Zulu". I love the stretched brass section over the kicks. Around this time of the record is where Vinnie climbs past Bill. The first two acts had Bill on a lot of hooks and he came with the better punchlines and flows. But after this song we can observe Vinnie coming into his stride a bit more. The line from Vinnie "The toaster always on me if I get in a jam." is cocky and humorous. Bill brings similar fun to this one. Highlight material for sure. Blastah Beatz also manages to be dark and bouncy at the same time. It's a rare moment where you can really hear the fun the pair is having.

Another lighter song is track eleven, "There's No Wi-Fi In Valhalla". The drums and kick work with some looped opera samples on this MTK beat. The song has one of the easier hooks to repeat and rap along too. The verses are slower too and its got the same fun pacing from "Chaka Zulu" as well. One of the more chant-able hooks makes its mark on this song too. I like Bills punchline of putting the pistol in your mouth "like its corn on the cob". Lines like this show that even within the artistic boundaries of this album there's comedic moments.

As we get closer to the finish we hear the third and final single "Gemini Lounge". produced by Blastah Beatz, its another perfect balance of infectiousness and grim lyrics. Vinnie, Ill Bill and Goretex each bring their own murder scenario while sprinkling a few lines of their own identity. We get an Uncle Howie reference (no Ill Bill project is complete without one) and these snares just slap something heavy too. I like the snippets of dialogue between each verse as well. It keeps unity amongst the verses while keeping the gangster/mob hits theme at the front of the track. I'd say this is my second favourite Gore verse.

The album finishes with Sicknature on the beat for "Fuck Outta Here". It's one of the quicker and more ignorant cuts on the whole record but, I'm glad they saved it for last. Sicknature brings great kicks and crashing cymbals with every four beats. HMK bring quick sixteens and they time their punchlines with each cymbal swell so you just feel every ounce of aggression throughout this song. The hook is easy to repeat as well with callouts to each of their respective cities. It's pretty much the perfect ending. As ignorant as it needs to be while finishing the record on a high note.

If anything, Black God White Devil adjusts the formula brought forth on the first record. It's only as long as it needs to be and cuts a lot of filler. The beats are a bit more diverse and there's a little bit of humor sprinkled in as well. Goretex brings the heat on more than a few of his verses as well. There's a noticeable focus on Vinnie and Bill creating something unique to their other ventures.

Pros: The themes of heavy metal references, gangster movies and the occult are clearer and flow a lot better across songs than on the debut record. The production is hard and consistent yet more diverse than the constant "epic" feel the first album reached for. The lyrics are dark and violent at almost every turn but, there's slower beats and humor sprinkled throughout. Vinnie and Bill have carved out more of an identity for Heavy Metal Kings this time around, rather than cranking out an album that feels more like an abundance of songs or a victory lap. It sheds the bloated track listing to be more deadly and calculated. There's little room to skip songs here as they all bring an important flavour to the record.

Cons: Much like the last record, this thing is all aggression and swearing. That can be a turn off so folks who want music that can hang in the background but, this album is constantly demanding your reaction in each punchline. After hearing how much they kept the narrative and tone of the LP consistent its hard to imagine the record being any longer. Although, or two more songs would've gone far too.

Collector Reviews: Cole by Merkules

Merkules strikes while the iron is hot with his most personal and ambitious release yet, Cole.

After the success of Trust Your Gut in May of 2017, Merkules confirmed via social media that his next album was already in production. A mere eleven months after Trust Your Gut we received this album and Merkules embarked on his first American tour to promote the album. It's also notable that this album reached #19 on the Billboard charts and #24 on the Heatseekers charts.

The record showcases collaborators old and new, while centering around more personal subjects. The lyrics are backed by more modern production with a bigger serving of singing than on previous projects.

The strategy of beginning both the marketing and the album with "This Again" was something I didn't like at first. For the singles Merkules usually leads with something more up beat or aggressive. After absorbing the rest of the album however, this song started to grow on me. The way the song is structured is indignant of the rest of the album with its even blend of singing and rapping. Though this song lands somewhere in the middle for me, it's a great indicator of what the rest of the album sounds like.

Track two "Language" boast some cockier lyrics with another well mixed hook. The Mason Rex & Smurv produced track starts with some stretched vocal samples before the hook enters and the drums drop. The first half of the song has some of my favourite writing on the record. Its a good combo of punchline and storytelling with quotables like "I know it sounds like I'm arrogant as fuck/but I do it for the times we could barely get a buck." Definitely an easy song to like.

"Micheal Jordan" really hasn't been my thing since I first heard it. The beat Marco brings is good enough but the vocals are where I start to cringe. Merkules brings one of his simplest verses on the record but where Stevie Ross comes in is where I just can't take it. Ross can usually sing pretty well without any software but this verse is just so drenched in reverb and whatever else. It's just too artificial and syrupy. I tend to move onto a different song.

We press on with track four "Work". Produced by Nigel Childs. The songs got one of my favourite drum patterns with the way they shuffle along in tandem with the keys. I'm not crazy about the hook though. We do however, get some incredible double time throughout the first and second verse. It's an alright song. We're almost at my favourites.

"Always" lands a bit in the middle for me too. I like the angle Merk chooses here in comparison to his previous love songs. He tackles this one from the perspective of him asking to be taken back after he's been dumped. It fits the self analyzing theme with him examining how he used to treat his girlfriend. I didn't care for the first couple of bars and the beat I'm not particularly fond of either. I found last years "Witcha" to be a bit more dynamic.

Up next is "Living Legends" featuring Project Pat of Three Six Mafia is a pretty solid one. I dig the piano the songs kicks off with. Merkules first couple of bars are drum-less and it really helps snap your attention towards the music early. The best drop and enthusiastic drums are pretty bouncy too and its blended with some solid double time from both MCs.

The album starts getting a lot stronger around the second act with "Man In The Mirror" featuring Evil Ebenezer. Stuey Kubricks instrumental really compliments the dynamic flow Merkules chooses here. Evil brings a great hook but it's the introspective angle Merk runs with that keeps bringing me back to this song. Themes like regret, and anxiety are broken down pretty thoroughly while Merk showcases some of his better singing across the bridges.

An easy favourite of mine has to be "I Swear" with production from C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz. It's one of the best songs for singing on here. His voice has more of a pulse than on earlier songs. You can feel him really reaching for different pitches and all his lines are timed to different beat drops. Subject wise it's not the deepest song but, it's definitely one of the catchiest. And shit man sometimes that's all you need.

"On My Own" is another great banger. It's my favourite of three Marco beats. The quick hi hats and claps keep pace with Merkules' braggadocios flow. The hook is simple to belt out in the car too so there's that. It's just such a catchy and ignorant anthem I'd love to see this performed. It's a good glimpse back at some of his earlier songs like last years "Bawlz" or 2015's "Scum Bag" with the way Merkules just hits you with one punchline after another.

I was underwhelmed with the song "Right Now" Caspian tends to work with Merkules pretty well but, since "Hit 'Em Kill 'Em Shoot 'Em Dead" from last year came out, the bar has been pretty high. There's not a whole lot in these verses that feels new or fresh from the two either. I feel like their joint last year just exceeds this one in every way. It's more generic production wise and the lyrics about popping bottles and driving foreigns tend to bore me away from this one.

"Moment" was the third single and a huge hit for me. The song shares a lot with "Man In The Mirror" from its melodic trap beat to it's themes. While "Man In The Mirror" hinted at an epiphany and Merkules willingness to change, "Moment" tackles these feelings with pity and denial. His lyrics are channeling his detachment and depression with brutal honesty. The arrangement from C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz is also one of the better scores on the whole album. There's just one line after another referencing isolation and tragedy with what I think is one of the best hooks of his career.

"Catch A Vibe" is a great venture too. I like the mellow beat Marco brings and the R&B inspired vocals on the hook is pretty chill. It's a great song to bump in the evening or on that last smoke of the night. Like "Moment" or "I Swear" it's one of the better blends of singing and melodic trap on the album.

Another one of my favourites is "Survival Of The Fittest" with Jelly Roll. I like the Kato influence and the way the drums cut out towards the end of each verse. The two MCs change their flow before the hook drops in and they both kill it with something different. And another great hook too.

"Fuck The World" is pretty average to me. From the hammy chorus to its overly solemn guitar. The redeeming factor is there's a pretty hard snare on here and its one of the few "boom bap" sounds on the album. I like the lyrics and his delivery but it's almost repetitive at this point. By the penultimate song we've heard more than enough gloom. I don't hate it but it doesn't add a whole lot to the subjects that were covered better by earlier songs.

We finish off with with a pretty powerful banger and the second promotional single "Fuk Is U Sayin". It's beat is pretty cloudy and bass-y with EDM build ups throughout the hooks and verses. Plenty of fade outs and fade ins while Merkules slays any doubters with his rhymes. It's one of the more quotable offerings with lines like "And I don't know none of your songs, I don't like NONE of these rappers." Definitely a song we need in set lists. It's a pretty necessary song to end on considering the dark and exploratory territory we've just journeyed through.

I think my biggest critique about this record going in was how closely it followed Trust Your Gut, not only in its ambitious release date but also the return of generally the same producers and features. A lot of the returning guests give more lackluster contributions while the returning producers excel at making a more modern trap background for Merkules' lyrics. When the lyrics are bad, beat is good and vice versa. There's a few songs that fade into the background of the album while others land among the best songs of his career. It's more melodic and reflective than past Merkules projects and I can see that being a turn off from the fans who want pure bangers but, for me it's pretty solid.

Pros: Merkules ventures into more personal themes with an even blend of rapping and singing. I think he really sings better on this album than he has before. Our producers come with their share of bangers and the features are for the most part solid. Even with the plethora of melodies and somber tracks there's still a fine selection of more surface level, aggressive cuts. The songs are also getting longer with a good handful cuts around the 4 minute mark. The extra couple of tracks goes along way too with the whole record clocking in at 51 minutes.

Cons: Given this is a rap record some of our singing is only reaching a certain threshold. There's a few painful instances where the reverb and the editing gets too slimey for me. The cloudy trap instrumentals that make up the bulk of the score here are not always distinct from one another. I feel like the sound is almost too consistent to the point where some songs become forgettable. The returning features were hit and miss for me too.

Collector Reviews: Terpine Station by Space Kamp

Philadelphia trio Space Kamp send us on a trip with their debut album, Terpine Station.

I first heard of Space Kamp in February of 2017 when Adlib went on the American leg of the Primitive Tomorrow Tour. There was this brand new group Space Kamp on the flyer. I didn't go to the show being Canadian and all but, I took note of the new name. It wasn't long before I read that the group, comprised of Adlib, Split and Oskee, had a debut project in the works.


Terpine Station is devoid of rap features with the only help being on a couple of hooks as Adlib, Split and Oksee handle the vast majority of lyrics. The chemistry between Adlib and Rob is even more fluid than before. The concept of the album is similar to the past collaborations of Adlib and Viking with an emphasis on synths and science fiction themes. I think this time around the production side still manages to be even more experimental this time than ever.

The album opens "Countdown Intro" We get some sampled dialogue about space exploration mixed around a sample from Space Oddity. It's a cool intro but I'm usually eager to get into the songs. It's definitely necessary for front to back listen but I usually turn the dial to get to the music fast.

The album really kicks off with the second cut "High!" produced by Rob The Viking. It's one of the more conventional loops from Viking with keyboards and drums throughout. If you've heard his production on the Swollen Members album Brand New Day, then you'll understand the comparison. The verses here are where the song really defies the convention. The verses are all split between the trio as they share bars across the whole track. It's a good song to set the tone of the group though. There great attitudes and chemistry from the three of them as they trade weed references. While I still favour some of the forthcoming songs, this is a good start.

"Landed" is one of my favourites. Rob Viking and MB PRO bring one of the better beats here. Science fiction themes are blended with distorted vocals to add an eerie flavour to this banger. The hi hats also pick up during the verses. I like the varied tempo of the beat with its tumbling bass hits and echoing claps. It's just a very well put together song with tons of quotable lines from all.

The album continues Level 13 and Rob The Viking producing "None Higher" a slower song in comparison to the first few. One of the more intricate beats with subtle pianos and abundant hi hats accompanying the drum loop. There's a great building up at the end of each verse before the hook drops too. The verses are serviceable enough because I mostly return to this song for the adlibs and chants in the chorus. Catchy stuff.

"Rabbit Hole" was an easy standout as well. There's such a nasty drum roll across this whole thing you'll be nodding your head right away. It's an anthem about LSD with vivid imagery across the three verses. I'm pretty sure the hook samples Alice In Wonderland too. I liked Oskee's flow "I'm almost at my peak/dancing with the stars, hear Orion speak" and the rest of the verse after that. "Rabbit Hole" stands out from the rest as the song structure is more conventional with all the verses and adlibs being handled by one MC at a time. It's also notable that this is one of the handful of songs with Rob producing the whole track.

The first song I wasn't crazy about was "Good". The song centers around the group rapping their lyrics to the same four syllables. Though impressive it grows tired to me. Also the beat Mike Hancho & Viking is simpler to maintain this writing style. Sparse drums and long bass lines keep this song chugging along and they play around with animating their voices on the hook. The song is still unique and would fit only with this album (and that's a good thing for the group to be so distinct) but, there are better joints on here.

"Quarter Pound" features another one of my favourite beats. Rob and Stress weave reggae samples and catchy drum breaks with swelling synths. There is good humor in each verse as the trio imagines all the fun they'd have with a quarter pound.  I like the finishing line from Split about "weed syrup on [his] fucking flapjacks." This song could definitely lend itself to a music video as well. That is, if their still supporting this album like that. They might be too deep into the sophomore record already to bother though.

The album carries on with "Stoner Chick". It's one of the better concept records here with the group sharing tales of their medicated partners to some jazz instrumentals. You can still find wild synths between the bongos and brass sections that tie in with the sonic themes on the rest of the album.

After the last couple of more mellow cuts, the energy picks up on "Take Off". It's one of the shortest songs but, it's as long as it needs to be. The delivery from all three is more manic with shouting and chanting throughout. It's the album closest nod to Migos or maybe Metro Boomin. The synths and vocal distortion keep it from sounding too similar though.

The album takes a break with "Station Announcement". Our first vocal feature come from Jessica Lamb while she narrates the mythology of the Station. It's not the filler you might expect as the added backstory pays off with the closing track.

The song "Broccoli" is another song I'm frequently returning too. There's just really gentle instrumentation between the light snares and etheric synths. The verse are shared between the group and the distorted vocals on the hook sticks in your head. Ali Armz returns from previous projects for this beat with additional touches from Rob The Viking. The fade out is really gradual too which I like.

"H.O.E." Is actually an acronym for "high on everything". What's weird is that there's no misogyny on the rest of the album (not a single mention of "bitch", "whore" that I can remember hearing) so the title choices seems to stick out like a sore thumb, especially when what the letters stand for seems equally as serviceable as a title. The song begins with a clip from what sounds like some Twilight Zone dialogue but don't quote me. The rolling hi- hats accompany bellowing bass lines while the group runs through their intake and routine of consumption. It's more aggressive than the other songs that share similar lyrics like (Quarter Pound or Good), mixing distorted vocals with some of the craziest synthesizers on the whole record. They go back and forth with half a dozen bars each in the verses. The track really shines on the fade out with Rob The Viking twisting and turning the synths. I feels like a dub-step break almost.

"Hold That" is another great song backed by Big City and Rob The Viking (who paired up on the beat for "Stoner Chick" as well. Adlibs kills this hook. The keyboard in the background is pretty subtle behind the drums. Also, the screech that comes in every eight bars is sick. I think between his hook, bridges and his own verse Adlib takes the crown for this one. The transition into the last song is dope too.

The album finishes really strong with "Terpine Station" as they employ help from B3 The Shark on the guitar and hook. Electric guitar accompany slow drums. It's a great finisher as they recount tour stories, people they've met and the cities they've frequented. Like most of the record there's significant perspectives from all of them but, I'm feeling partial to Adlibs verse as he drops few lines about Edmonton that also elude to Brothers Grim. There's good metaphors across this song like, the word "road" to describe of course road trips between cities but also the direction they've all chosen for their lives. It's one of the songs that really drives home Adlibs tagline of having "Fam, not fans". The song is close to ten minutes long as the hook carries on and there a few beat switch ups. Its like an electric version of Czarfaces "Escape From Czarkham Asylum" with tempo switch-ups throughout. B3 closes the album with a pretty good chorus too. I like the vibrato over the vocals here it's cooler than a lot of the simple pitch changes from the rest of the record.

At the end of the day, this record really surprised me. I didn't expect anything like Primitive Tomorrow to happen again so soon and this album just dropped pretty spontaneously. The creative direction that both Adlib and Rob have been heading in is still getting better. I feel like I could handle even a few more albums of this psychedelic synth rap before it grows old. I still think there's plenty of content the group has left and I'm excited for the sophomore album.

Pros: Amazing production from Rob The Viking and others are the perfect playground for the Kamps imaginative lyrics. Even with this album having a splash of mainstream influence (trap loops, hi hats and the like) it still manages to feel distinct. I had a worry before hearing this album that Adlib would maybe be the star of the show (having the more decorated solo career beforehand) but, the three of them work off each other equally all throughout this thing. I didn't expect to enjoy a entire album of "drug rap" as much as I did. Even when the subject matter grows tired the album is still held up by the groups enthusiasm and chemistry. There's always a narrow victory over who dropped the dopest verse and the winner seems to rotate pretty consistently.

Cons: There's definitely songs that I'm not often in the mood for. Another weird gripe I had about this record was when the debut music video for "Stoner Chick" dropped there wasn't any footage of the group actually rapping. I actually didn't learn which voices belonged to who until more videos came out. I always recognized Adlib from his solo work but I wasn't sure who was Oskee and who was Split. It's strange hearing music these days and not having a video to reference which voice comes from who.

Collector Reviews: Beverly Boys by Brothers Grim

Pat Grim and Komrade exemplify pride and concern for their hometown in their long awaited album Beverly Boys.

After their last mixtape Motherfuck The World in 2014, Brothers Grim continued to play shows across Canada touring in 2016 with Alpha Omega and Adlib on the Rebel Hippies Tour. They toured again with BLD on the 2017 Product Of The System Tour in support for their solo EPs they dropped in spring of that year.

Recording for Beverly Boys occurred across 2017 and 2018 with the album being finalized in March 2018. The Beverly Boys Tour kicked off in that month and ended in late April. The tour started in Quebec City and headed west finishing in Courtney BC.

The album begins with "Get Up" produced by Csektion. There's a short build up before Pat starts off the song on the beat drop and its a banging beat some good cuts from Nato on the hook. My main issue is the lack of cohesion between the verses. Pat familiarizes the listener with Edmonton dropping references towards the local Battle Axe division and the Oilers then Komrade comes in with some bars about hating God and stabbing wives. I don't object to metaphorical wife stabbing but I feel like these verses could have fit on different songs. It's one of the weaker songs on the album to me but it's not a huge downer as this album gets better pretty quick.

"Ends Meat" is the second single produced by C-Lance. The song builds with a very eeire loop over some heavy drums. Pats chorus slowly builds then Kom immediately redeems himself with one of his strongest verses on the album. The duo really shine here and play to their strengths with Kom focusing on verses and grim delivery and Pat plays with different rhymes schemes and flows. It's one of the better cases Brothers Grim makes for what "bangers" you can find on Beverly Boys.

The title track is another huge payoff. "Beverly Boy" produced by Kryple of Doom Squad features a great anthemic chorus. The beat reminds me of "Ave Life" from M.F.T.W. the way the bass hit is layered over the snare. This songs has one of those instrumentals that gets the crowd bouncing from the jump. Pat raps about the streets he grew up on and describes the characters you can find in the neighbourhood while Kom familiarizes us with his alliances with Fitch Team and Rebel Hippies while also referencing his upbringing. Good quotable lines on here like "They say Beverly be the best or beats down the broke, I spent my whole check on beats down to broke." from Pats verse and "Thrift store kid I was taught to live frugally, Playgrounds in Jubilee to touring now is lunacy." from Komrades verse. There's all kinds of call outs to Beverly landmarks throughout the song as well.

The better chunk of the album continues with "Speak Freely" produced by Joey VIII. Again we got Pat killing this hook. It's definitely a song you try to rap along with. Every time it plays with some infectious bass hits and the chants of 'Speak Freely" in between other lines in the hooks hold the listeners attention really well. The song doubles as a challenge towards other rappers to hate openly while Brothers Grim boast about their own tendency to never hold their tongues. It's a cool concept and the tambourines that come and go throughout this beats are funky.

The fourth track "United" is one of the more lukewarm songs for me. Nato brings a really somber instrumental with great drums and piano keys throughout. Pat drops one of his more aggressive and braggadocios verses. It's on a verse like this where I can really hear Pats breath control and presence getting better. Komrade drops a cool line about Louis Riel plotting revolution. The guest verse from Touch didn't blow me away the way I thought it would. I'm not sure if the style he used is his trademark sound or not as I'm unfamiliar with his discography. There's just a few bars in Touch's verse where he sounds like he ran out of breath and the change in his voice makes a few lines sound kind of awkward.

"Here For Tonight" was instantly one of my favourites with its explosive production from Joey VIII. The song opens with Pat Grim bringing another anthem style hook. It's hard to describe this beat but it's like techno meets a vintage video game soundtrack. Instantly lit. Kom and Pat rap about the feeling of meeting fans and taking the stage. I can see this being a huge song on tour.

"96" serves as Pat Grims solo song as featuring Drew Pete and C Quel. The verses are cool be as there's a sports theme to all the verses as the rappers compare themselves to athletes. I like the verses fine but, there's some weird cringey lines on this one, like Drew Pete's "I came in this game hungry because I'm fucking starved." Hungry and starved are synonyms bro. The beat isn't my favourite with a more simple drum loop and a few sparse piano keys. For the longer length of this song the instrumental overstays it's welcome.

The next song "Pain Dissolve" is produced by Rayne Drop who returns from Pats "P.O.P.S." Serves as a more emotional song as Kom and Pat share stories about their circumstances growing. Both verses tell a similar story of growing up and feeling disillusioned with the direction and purpose of their lives. Good singing on the hook too.

"Never Change" is one of my favourites from the album. It's more serious ballad featuring Mike Lozinski singing as well as producing. Bringing influence in from Komrades "Steal This EP" in regards to themes of family and relationships, it's a song I didn't expect to like as much as I did. The folk inspired beat and hook mixed with Brother Grim's reflective lyrics feels to me like this song that can bring in new fans from other genres. The dynamics described in the verses are complex but also easy to understand and sympathize with.

Another one of my favourites is "D.A.D.S." with production from Joey VIII. Another banger with metal guitars and tough bass hits across the instrumentation. Pat and Kom boast about stories and experiences they had with their father while connecting those themes with some classic braggadocio. The hook is guaranteed to be a hit at shows and it's a song that can get a big crowd moshing. Don't Act Dumb STUPID!

"The Avenue" features a more gloomy and eerie beat from Joey VIII. Komrade details social issues and gentrification of the surrounding streets while Pat Grim tackles the pill epidemic. The song does a cool way of painting the Avenue as a gloomy setting from its history and crime. Again through this song there's still a sense of pride with the connections and friends the group has across the neighbourhood.

Baggy Lean brings one of the more minimalist instrumentals for Komrade's solo offering. "Already Dead" instantly had me intrigued with a sample from George Carlin before the first verse. The sample is woven between the lyrics of the song. The song reminds me of "Nothing Young Lives Always" or "Around You" from his 2017 EP. The song really shines in the second verse when we get into some gritty lines about terrorism and espionage.

The album closes with "City Is Dying 2" An ambitious follow-up to the groups breakthrough single from 2007, the Kryple arrangement features minimalist trap and lo-fi elements. The song kicks off with Kom recalling the reasons he wrote the first song while Pat mentions how crack quickly became replaced by fentanyl and reminds us these problem plague the city at large and not just the Avenue. Doom Squad also features on this song with Trippz kicking off the second set of verses. His flow is coolest on this I think while he touches on the responsibility that dealers and pushers should feel regarding the fentanyl issue. Ninelivez describes children growing up with parents addicted to drugs and falling into depression and the adlibs on his verse go a long way too. Kryple handles the third verse with some great introspective lyrics holding himself and his generation accountable for their apathy. I should mention Trippz brings a very urgent and sorrowful hook to this song. The drums fade out each time the hook enters helping highlight the notes Trippz is holding. It's a nice touch.

Altogether, Beverly Boys works as a group project. There's little filler and Brothers Grim continue to  have fantastic chemistry. The conversations from the their 2017 solo EPs continue in new directions. You'll definitely leave this album knowing more about the duo than you did on Motherfuck The World. The album serves as a love letter to their upbringing while also shedding light on the poverty that has surrounded Beverly and 118 Avenue.

Pros: Great beats throughout, Komrades voice and punchlines continue to give me that ugly face. Pat's presence on the microphone continues to climb. Multiple references to Edmonton history and locations as well as and Canada as a whole. The features work well too. Both MCs out rap each other across this whole record leaving you wondering who killed it more. Pats hooks.

Cons: The solo Pat song felt underwhelming to me, mostly because the sports metaphors went over my head. Once in a while we get a bar or verse that doesn't make any sense or detracts from the song it's from. Surprised Komrade didn't handle many hooks.

Collector Reviews: Primitive Tomorrow by Adlib

Stoner philosophy and psychedelic synths reign supreme on Adlibs Primitive Tomorrow.

I first got into Adlib once I heard his first work with Rob The Viking, Teenagerz From Mars. I really played that first EP a lot. I was absorbed into it's synth heavy production and science fiction themes. The two had great chemistry so when I heard Adlib and Rob were joining together for Adlibs upcoming Battle Axe Records debut, Primitive Tomorrow I was extremely optimistic.

The instrumentation on Primitive Tomorrow is helmed primarily by Rob the Viking with additional production by Level 13, Nemesis, B3 The Shark, Ali Armz, Stoghs and Cee The Architect. It blends trap elements with the psychedelic synths and the hard drums we know from Swollen Members.

Primitive Tomorrow opens with the title track. The song begins with vocal scratches by DJ TMB. It's an obvious song sample with Eminem's Lose Yourself. It's weird to think I haven't heard too many people sample Eminems voice so the bold approach of cutting up one of his biggest songs is commendable. The lyrics are great too as Adlib convey confidence towards his alliance with Battle Axe and gratitude towards his label and fans. It's a good intro but, my favourite songs are a little further into the record.

The second song "Up" was the first single released ahead of the record. There's a great "gym playlist" quality to this one. Adlib drops mostly punchlines across the three verses and goes back and forth with some great crowd chants in the hook. The song has one of the better instrumentals with abundant guitar riffs, sparse 808 claps, and high pitched strings plucking away. There's a lot of moving parts to this beat and it just goes in.

Track three "Peaking In Babylon" is one of those songs where the attempts at being psychedelic kinda flop for me. I didn't care for the vocal treatments across the whole song. I like the drums and cymbals but I didn't care for them cutting in and out all the time. The lyrics have the same problem always getting quiet just to explode again. It's not one I replay a lot.

"Rebel Hippies (Light It Up)" is the fourth joint on here and a big hit for me. Great intro with the Bob Marley interview. I also loved background vocals throughout on the hook. Rebel Hippies is a title Adlib plugs a lot so I expected the meaning of that would be fleshed out on here and its one of the better payoffs on the album. There a great sense of taste to this song when compared with other weed anthems. While a lot of stoner anthems come off super gimmicky to me this one is proud without being silly and I think that's rare. Great shout outs to some of the cannabis community icons too.

The energy continues on track five with our first rap guest on the record. "Sign Language" featuring Demrick. There's a good blend of trap and boom bap elements on this beat. The snares are accompanied with hand claps and hi-hats. I quite like the blend. Adlib delivers one of his more intricate rhymes schemes while Demrick adds to it with some good bars.

"Tim Leary" I liked right away. There's some great slaps and the hats give the song some added funk. Tabs writes one of the albums best hooks. Adlib brings a complex flow and bravado that pays off well. I like a lot of the lines on here too like "Mosh pit like a muh' fuckin' trampoline/Rebel Hippies on that peace, love, anarchy." I like the distortion and the synths at the end it's spacey and it helps show some of Rob the Vikings touches on the album.

"Smoke Break" Is exactly what it looks like. I like the double bass (if I'm hearing the instrument right) and the sampled interview or whatever it is playing throughout. There's no real lyrics or nothing and the interlude clocks in at under thirty seconds but, for full front to back listens it's a cool to bust up some nugs or pack a bowl to.

We go back to music with track eight "All I've Ever Had" has a good message. He takes shots at low-balling promoters while reiterating his priorities of work ethic and originality. Rob brings some great psychedelic sounds and I like the snares and the twittering hi-hats. Not super lyrical or multi-syllabic but, there's great song writing on this one.

"Work" featuring Ren Thomas is another good one. It runs a little short (under three minutes) but the beat is one of the best on the record. The beat is pretty fast but, I like Adlibs slower flow on here its a good contrast for Ren when he comes in on the second verse. There's good chemistry and Ren murders this hook.

The album continues it's strong finish with track ten "Sensi Starr" The only song with instrumentation by only Rob The Viking (aside from the interlude afterwards). I like the drum pattern on here it sounds like some Too Short beat with like crazy synths all throughout. The song has the same sort of vocal treatments as he had on "Peaking In Babylon" but, it only shows up on the hook. There's a really great build and drop to this one as well.

"Touch Of Grey" is more of an interlude than a song but again, it's a good break to roll something to. The song doesn't have a drum loop it just has some sporadic vocals from Adlib.

"P.E.A.C.E." is the final track featuring a chorus from Jessica Lamb. It's different from the rest of the album in that there's more of a piano riff on here. This song is one of the better concept records next to "Rebel Hippies" or the title track. It's a good reflection of the first song with Adlib recounting his philosophy and gratitude.

At the end of it Primitive Tomorrow boasts Adlibs clearest vision yet. His chemistry with Rob The Viking is pushed further into psychedelic directions from Teenagerz From Mars. The ample production team the two recruit on the way (Ali Amrz, Level 13, Nemesis, B3 The Shark, Stogh and Cee The Architect) blend modern lo-fi with boom bap in a very tasteful way. It pulls from current and past trends and never once feels forced.

Pros: Clear direction and themes. The focus on clarity and punchlines instead of cramming syllables makes Adlibs style fresh. Choice features, outstanding production from Rob The Viking and company.

Cons: Some songs are a little too short for my liking. The interludes and skits are fun for front to back listens but, the casual listener will skip past them. I mostly do to.