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.