Collector Reviews: The Bridge And The Abyss by Jedi Mind Tricks

Though it has less focus than previous efforts, The Bridge And The Abyss is held up by brilliant production and more than a few hits.

The Bridge And The Abyss bears some resemblance and relation to 2015's The Thief And The Fallen from its album artwork to the inclusion of C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz to the production team. Yes Alexander also returns for several interludes as well.

The album was recorded throughout 2016 to 2018. The Bridge And The Abyss is also the first JMT record to have an excess of material from the recording process. Over forty songs were initially prepared before being whittled down to nineteen. We had an initial ball park of a 2017 release but the album was eventually announced to come out on June 22nd of 2018.

The album opens with "Al Bid Aya" establishing the tradition and tone of a Jedi Mind Tricks album. We have Yes Alexander returning from Thief And The Fallen to deliver vocals on this intro as well as a few more songs across the record. I can't say this is a huge highlight for me but it does add some backstory and intrigue. I like to start the album all the way back here for the added theatrics.

Our real kickoff happens with "San La Muerte". This banger wastes no time with assaulting organs and sweeping drums from Stoupe and C-Lance. Vinnie gives the ferocity you'd expect from an album opener. I like the hook it reminds me of "Steel Sharpens Steel" from The Cornerstone Of The Cornerstore with the style of hook we get. Even as the lead single I was just kind satisfied by this song but not really blown away. It's a decent start though.

"Rashindun Caliphate" is kind of a filler track for me. The beat is one of the gentlest on the album from its echoing woodwind instrumentation to it's tumbling drums. Even Vinnies vocals come off more reserved on here too. It's a vibe for sure but I'm usually skipping ahead to the more explosive songs that come after.

"Frescho & Miz" was a song I didn't expect to love as much as I did. Often times Jedi Mind Tricks is known for their religious or occult lyrics and they have fittingly ethereal production to boot. On this track however, we see Stoupe lacing up some real fun mixes of soul and funk. Bouncy brass sections and tumbling drums are the perfect backdrop for Vinnie and his multi syllabic schemes. We truly have one of the catchiest songs on the album here and the beat fades out slowly so we can groove to it a little bit more.

Another strong track is "When The Body Goes Cold". I like our opening monologue before we hear the signature cymbals and kicks from C-Lance with rattling hi hats and some real sinister keys. I'm not sure what sounds and addictions come from Stoupe and what comes from C-Lance but I definitely hear a drum pattern that reminds me of C-lance style so perhaps Stoup handled the keys and synths.This song also has one of my favourite hooks on the record.

One of the only duds to me was "What She Left Behind". There's quite an intense story being told here. Vinnie assumes the character of a father on the edge of sanity. Our protagonist is threatening and hurting his family over a an extremely slow beat. This song reminds me of Immortal Techniques "Dance With The Devil" in that there's an extremely grim story being told and the appeal of it mostly comes from the shock value of how the song ends. However, I still don't really bump this as its quite an uncomfortable listen.

"Death Toll Rising" is a favourite of mine from the record. Stoupe demonstrates his talent for sampling different languages. Vinnie is having a blast over these slamming drums. Lots of mafioso tropes and flow switch ups hold my attention. There's less storytelling so far on this album but I'm okay with that if he's having this much fun throwing punchlines together. Leaving the hook without lyrics was a great idea so we have time to appreciate the instrumental.

The album flows into our first interlude entitled "Shed The Skin To Receive The World". Though it lacks any rapping, I love the arrangement by Stoupe and the fade that is applied to Yes Alexander and her singing. I let it play through most times.

"Certified Dope" kicks off my favourite act of the album. Stoupe serves up quite an untreated sample as a playground for Vinnie's double time. Eamon belts out a fantastic chorus among electric guitars and tambourines. The drum breaks are wicked fun as well and I know how much further a third verse would've gone because all the talent involved here seems to be really flourishing together. The Eamon song from The Thief And The Fallen was a highlight even back then. Good batting average for this team so far.

My favourite song from this album is "Hell's Henchmen". This song is hard off the rip with kicks and basslines that rattle my car and one of favourite snares. Our instrumentation varies from 8-bit keys to furious strings and crashing cymbals that supply the fuel for some of Vinnie's toughest verses on the entire album. There's more than a few attempts at aggression on this album and I think "Hell's Henchmen" is one of the stronger cases for it. Cool hook as well showing great vocal range from Paz.

"God Forsaken" was a song that didn't exactly set the world on fire for me now that I'm thinking about it. Vinnie's attempts to rap faster have grown in popularity since fans heard his verse on "God Particle" from the Army Of The Pharaohs album In Death Reborn and for the most part, it's led to some great songs in the last handful of years. This one however, just doesn't hit the mark for me due to the instrumental being a tad overwhelming. Lots of rumbling bass hits and our hooks is quite messy as well. I can't explain where, in my iPod or music collection full of aggressive and experimental music, the line is drawn but, this song goes over it. Between the clutter of this instrumental and the appeal of simply listening to the other double time song that has an Eamon feature, I skip this one often.

Despite the previous track, our second acts still remains my favourite part of the album. The final song from act two, "Legacy Of The Prophet" is a definite high point as well. Stoupe, C-Lance and Hiltz connect with tumbling drum breaks and rapid kicks woven into some very cinematic strings. Sean Price lends one of final recorded features and my favourite vocal guest appearance on the album. From Sean delivering a timely Trump diss and Vinnie asserting that "[they're lasting forever]" its just a true demonstration of the chemistry that Paz and Price had together down to their final recordings. Vinnie snaps on the second verse as well. It's hard to accept that P passed away while still dropping heat like he does here.

As we transition into the third act, we reach our second to last interlude, "Void Ritual". I like the drums and Yes Alexanders lyrics are less edited so it sounds a bit better than the one from earlier. Probably my favourite interlude. Worth playing through as it adds to the tone and continuity of The Bridge And The Abyss.

Another later favourite of mine is "You Have One Devil But Five Angels" which kicks off with bass chords and frantic pianos. Our kicks and snare guide us into Vinnies braggadocio and the cuts are fierce too. This beat has quite an ensemble of instruments from the flute, organ and bass. Vinnie has some tough bars here similar to the style we got in the first act. Mostly the beat is perfect and Vinnie know just what to do with it. Easy highlight.

"Marciano's Reign" wasn't a highlight at first but I love it now. Much like "Certified Dope" Stoupe selects another sample. It's quite a heartfelt passage with Vinnie comforting his son and teaching him how to process pain and loss. The music video really ties it all together with depictions of how difficult it is to leave children behind to goes on tour. A great moment of humanity to break up the rest of the albums aggression.

"Torture Chamber" launches into explosive cuts and drums. Inspectah Deck takes the opening verse by storm and Esoterics maneuvers through some intricate flows into the second verse. It's not the first time we've heard Czarface and Vinnie Paz together, however, with Vinnie Paz featuring on their self titled debut. It is exciting to hear them over a Stoupe beat versus the tone of a Czarface record. It definitely brings something different out of everyone. This song is so late in the record I often forget its coming on so I definitely feel like I don't play this song enough.

The record loses some momentum as it goes on with "The Letter Concerning The Intellect". Stoupe delivers quite a strange beat. The lead sort of riff for this beat is simply singing reversed and then looped. It bizarrely works and leads us into Vinnies rhymes. His delivery pauses between each line to gives us a peek through to the instrumental. Its nice break for melody.

"Making A Killing" was a surprise to me. Much like the "You Can't Be Neutral On A Moving Train" series, C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz conduct over six minutes of music. This beat moves through few different tempos and grooves while Vinnie delivers an animal rights song. No, really. It kind of works. Though the message is spectacular, I find this pattern of lengthy and informative songs to be a little long in the tooth at this point. This song, along with other parts of this album, seems to blur the creative borders between JMT and Vinnie Paz as a solo act. I do love the instrumental here as it breathes through pianos, guitars and several drum patterns.

The album wraps up with "What Falls Is Fallen" featuring the most lyrics from Yes Alexander but it's somewhat squandered by still having the shortest running time of any of her passages. Much like the rest of this album the interludes seem to spread the narrative rather thin to pad out the runtime or accumulate more streams, we really could've done with one of two less of these intro/interlude moments and just focused on making two perfectly necessary Yes Alexander moment rather than four that convey less.

Pros: Vinnie has great history and chemistry with all producers involved. Instrumentally, there's notable high points and great ideas being brought forward. Yes Alexanders vocals add the same wonder and intrigue this time around as well. It's also very apparent that Vinnie Paz is still sharp with his pen. And new topical songs like "What She Left Behind" and "Making A Killing" show that the conscious and imaginative reputation of Jedi Mind Tricks is still intact.

Cons: Despite having similar artwork and the same production team as The Thief And The Fallen, The Bridge And The Abyss actually shares more with Vinnie's recent solo efforts like The Cornerstone Of The Cornerstore and The Pain Collector. We see the focus shift from the usual promise of JMT tropes to the looser, less pertinent braggadocio that emerged from Vinnie's solo catalogue. I still got a good serving of bangers his time around but I do hope the cohesion increases on the next Jedi Mind Tricks album.

After it's over, The Bridge And The Abyss lands somewhere in the middle of JMT's discography. There's more duds than 2015's The Thief And The Fallen but also about the same amount of likable songs. Vinnie is still at his best for most of the vocals and the production has it's own unique tone due to the recruiting of Scott Stallone, C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz. The interludes don't hold my interest as much this time around and the somewhat ballooned length only succeeds in adding extra songs I'm not fond of. But again, I loved the unity and vision that Jedi Mind Tricks albums usually have and hope to see a tighter narrative with the bands next outing.

Collector Reviews: Off The Rails by Snak The Ripper

After tragedies and miracles, Snak The Ripper return to the fold with Off The Rails.

The album was recorded across 2017 and 2018. After touring heavily throughout 2016, he was beset by a family emergency and removed himself from the spotlight. During this hiatus he continued to record music and returned to touring for the summer of 2017. In hindsight he really only disappeared for under a year. Though news on upcoming material was eerily quiet.


Snak also confirmed on his social media that he and Jaclyn Gee were expecting their first child. In February of 2018, Snak began releasing singles but was careful to reveal any album plans until their son was born. He continued to drop singles until the album was released on August 16th.

The album starts literally where From The Dirt left off with Snak stepping off of the train we heard him catch on the final seconds of his 2016 album. Slowly a snippet of some psychiatry recordings emerge. It's an intriguing intro that blends in a little better than his last attempts at skits. I actually like him starting the LP like this. "Off The Rails (Intro)" is mysterious and builds interest.

"Say My Name" was instantly resonating. Not that this cut is particularly ground breaking in terms of substance as it brings a pretty familiar tone. Snak always kicks off the start of his albums with his signature style of banger. You can find low brow and mischievous bars all across this song. It's more the conviction in his delivery and his rhyme schemes that draw me in. C-Lance composes one of his most sinister and commanding beats as well. I'm already noticing the theme of Snak coming into each song harder and hungrier than ever before.

One of my personal favourites is "I Ain't Dead". Elements of trap and boom bap are mixed very tastefully here by Starkore. The snares and kicks slap nicely and the hi-hats are at a comfortable volume as well. Snak drops lyrics affirming his self confidence as well letting us know hes still alive and kicking harder than ever. I love the break down of this beat as the tempo picks up on the second half of each verse and Snak reacts accordingly with some great double time. It's one of the shorter songs on the record so if I had a complaint that would be it. We can always rewind it though and I always do.

"Knuckle Sandwich" was a bit of a let down for me. Sure there's a grimy beat and Snak and RA are delivering some vicious 24 bar verses but, I just can't shake the fact that is a song they've all made before. It's Snak and RA being as offensive and loud as they can for as long as they can. It even feels like C-Lance has made a beat like this before. For the A-list roster that this song has, the style and tone are just too predictable. Decent hook though and Snaks breath control is already better than it was on any of his previous works. Still, it should be more of a highlight than it is I feel.

As a great standout and one of the lead singles, "I'm Good" works for a number of reasons. From Starkore's glossy and contemplative trap beat to Snaks lyrics about financial stability this song is a great end to other songs Snaks had like, "Eight Hours A Day", "Famous And Broke" and "Stress". His seemingly overnight mastery of double time is displayed here too, though the hook is tastefully slower. He's finally experiencing the spoils of his success but he's still saving money keeping his eyes on his future. His persona of being rowdy and out of control has been pretty well documented in his music and stage performances and this is just a well written and well composed evolution. Other lines about being a role model for his son, learning not to lend out money to old friends helps affirm his growth as well. His life just seems to finally be falling into place.

Of course we have to bounce back to the obnoxious stuff again with "Real Drugs". The second single chronologically, has C-Lance returning on the boards. It's similar to "Knuckle Sandwich" in that it's another off the wall Snak song. I love the hook and the drums are pretty heavy on this too. There's only sixteen bars on this one so it doesn't feel as long as "Knuckle Sandwich". The hook showcases his classic gravely singing but like the rest of this album, there's noticeable improvements to Snaks vocal range.

"Hour Glass" features a beat by Snak himself. Furious hi-hats and gloomy keys punctuate some speedy verses from Young Sin and Snak. There's a cool subject to this song as well with them both diving into their limited time on this Earth and reminding us of the urgency mortality brings. Evil Ebenezer has an appearance on the hook and kills it. It's not my favourite song on the album but, its one I'm often restarting. I should note that Young Sin has one of the standout features on the record as well but Snak still competes on the second verse.

The final single "All Out" featuring Rittz is another strong point on the album. The music on this one is crazy with wild guitars and rapid cymbals accompanying our smashing drums. Snak and Rittz tear through their verses with vicious double time and internal schemes. Snak brings his classic gravely signing to this hook once again. Of all the C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz beats here I'd say this is my second favourite. There's great progression and this song has crazy momentum that builds with each bar but I find that during Rittz's verse the song gets a little slower. It's not a detriment I just wish the music continued to build through the second verse. The hook still explodes at the end of the song so it is a small critique.

The albums second half begins with "Ashes". Snak recounts his fathers battle with cancer in a one of the most raw and thorough storytelling songs I heard in 2018. He recalls his fathers strength while wrestling with having to watch someone he loved decline in health. The production on here is perfect too this beat on it's own conveys the same feelings as Snaks lyrics. Great match. Its one of my favourite C-Lance beats ever and the hook is mixed the perfection so you really feel each note. "Ashes" is a song we can play over and over and it won't stop being powerful. There's really not much room for criticism on a song like this. It's emotionally heavy so I'm not always in the mood for it but for the subjects it covers, its perfectly written.

"Baby Boy" I believe, is pretty solid as well. Snak details his anticipation and excitement for his sons arrival with Jaclyn bring some reassuring lines in the hook. The song is another case of a perfect beat being mixed well. There's recordings of their ultrasound timed to the beat and the drums shuffle along against gentle guitars. The mixing and fading on this album is another strong point and it was at about this point of the record where I really started to queue into it. The song is actually structured similarly to "It's Over" from Snak last record Off The Rails in that we have verses and bridges from Snak and the beat changes to accommodate Jaclyn's singing. I gotta give it up to this song however for having just a little bit more humanity. I also find that with the matching music video that "Baby Boy" stands as one of the more solid collaborations from Snak and Jaclyn period.

"Driftin" has Snak on the road recounting the way his life has unfolded. The warbling synth keys and tumbling drums match Snaks reserved tone quite well. I love the juxtaposition of meeting fans and performing in front of massive crowds with catching flights and booking hotel rooms. It's like despite being surrounded by people while he's on tour there's an element of solitude that he finds peace in. Almost as if artists need to be nomadic to keep their sanity. Also this beat, even with it's short loop just keeps you nodding the whole way through. It was a good call to let the beat ride out at the end.

After those more mellow and reflective songs, we reach my favourite song on the record. "Shania Twain" sees Snak collaborating with the recently formed Jamo Gang. J57 brings some real slamming drums and cymbals. Ras Kass and El Gant both have some of the best guest features on the record. The fact that hook mentions all the members in the song is exciting too. In today's age of emailing verses back and forth its nice to hear three rappers in a cohesive way like this. And again, despite the talent recruited here, Snak drops the best verse of the song towards the end. How is this dude improving so fast? I have to play this at least twice every time we hear the album. Everyone here went in.

"Criminal Ideas" is a little lukewarm for me. Similar to Knuckle Sandwich, the song does exactly what you expect it to do and not a whole lot more. The beat from C-Lance features his usual crashing cymbals, opera chops and haunting pianos. Ill Bill brings a solid enough verse but with the impact of Black God White Devil, I can't help but be underwhelmed. I can't rap any better but I definitely feel like he could. D-Rec does bring some fantastic cuts and scratches for the hook, however. Reef The Lost Cauze brings my favourite verse on the song and Snak finishes the song up with some decent bars as well. Honestly my least favourite parts of this album are songs like this. This just feels like it came too easily for everyone involved. Sometimes I'm in the mood to play this song all the way through but it still feels like a song everyone one of these guys has made before.

The album has a terrific third act, however, that kicks off with "Paid Up". Marco Polo, who previously produced "Premium Dope" from Snak's From The Dirt album, returns on the boards here. The song starts with heavy kicks and snares that are some of my favourite on the record. Synths and organs back Snaks stories of persistence and work ethic. The song breaks into some relentless chopping in the second verse similar to "I'm Good" that we heard earlier. One of the best displays of his improved breath control is on this verse.

"Highs And Lows" has to be one of my favourite conceptual tracks on the album. C-Lance supplies high noted keys with more relaxed percussion while Snak opens up about overcoming his cocaine addiction. Prior to this album, there really wasn't much evidence of clues that Snak had been struggling with it and that only adds to this song. He talks about his addiction journey as if it's a on and off again relationship. The first verse portrays Snak immediately losing authority over his cravings and he cascades into addiction hard as Tiago Vásquez brings resolve and strength to the chorus. Snak recalls his clarity and confidence now that he's clean and provides a bit of a twist on the finishing line with the only direct mention of cocaine on the whole song.

We close the album with our first single chronologically, "Lesson Learned" was released the February before the album came out. Even hearing it prior to the rest of the album, "Lesson Learned" introduced us to a more seasoned Snak. We instantly knew what ever album this song was going to be a part of that in that album we'd hear significant growth and pertinence. Vokab brings multi layered snares that crash along to Snaks advice and recollections. I also adore this hook I find it to be very wordy but also clear and easy to rap along too. It was a perfect tone to begin his releases of 2018 with and a fantastic closer once it made the track listing for this album.

Once the record was through, I still knew that Off The Rails was Snak strongest and most confident outing yet. He more ambidextrous than ever this time as he explores his past, present and fearlessly goes into his future. Different aspects of Snaks character and important plot points are already hinted at on the front cover and the actual music sticks to those threads quite well. As a matter of fact I think the story sections of this album could be my favourite parts. The more boastful stuff is still impressive and an improvement upon the last album, however.

Pros: This is really feels like the most introspective Snak has been for an entire album. Even beyond that, his technical ability and breath control is greater this time around too. Most of the features sound really hyped to be here as well. The production is pretty satisfying no matter what your tastes are and even the bangers that I should be tired of at this point still have their moments. A great mix also shows off Snaks confidence in trying new vocal styles.

Cons: Pretty early on we figure out that the mature and transparent songs don't really compliment the bangers. These songs of wild energy translate well into a live show but I still found more enjoyment in the internal stories Snak was telling between the bangers. Maybe I just wasn't in the head space for it but I don't find myself shocked or drawn in by that kind of zany presentation anymore. I've heard lots of underground rap trying to "shock" me over the years.