Metal Core is beginning to not be such an ugly word. Some bands are out doing it better than the bands that emerged from Myspace, and bringing nu-metal elements in that lend nuance to their songwriting. This South Carolina The new album opens with an ultra-heavy crushing crunch. When they begin to show their more hip-hop-influenced side, it leans into more of a nu-metal feel. This also sounds s bit more like Attila. They do incorporate some darker ambiance with some of the more heavily affected guitar tones, which helps break things up, Though it is doubtful anyone would claim this is the most original band in the world.
The guitars continue to balance out their oppressive chugs with atmosphere to give this album more layers. The lyrics work of an almost singular sentiment. His feelings are hurt, but you do not want to mess with them or he is going to put a bullet in you because he is black. Seems to play into stereotypes in this regard. "Play Dead" continues to find them circling the same pit, but with a little more melody as actual singing surfaces. No one is Chino in terms of pipes here, but it is another vocal color. There is a uniformity to their sound, but the guitarists save this album as it's varied enough to keep things interesting. He continues to assert he is not the nigga to fuk with on "Chink Check" but the overall execution of the songwriting is catchier and makes it work.
There is more of a Korn feel to the riff that opens "Severed". The vocals are a more death metal-like growl here. It is not as catchy as the previous song and feels like you are just being knocked up by a wall of down-tuned guitars. They pick up the pace for "Martyr" which helps set the stage for the breakdowns to come. "Cement Shoes" works off what they have already established. This is also the point in the album when I begin to ask questions about who the violent lyrics are being directed to. On this song it sounds like a "pussy boy" is the target, but at other points in the album it sounds like his hurt feelings are causing him to take it out on women. This presents a problem for the mainstream music press, promoting a metal vocalist who is black or calling them out for promoting violence against women? Hip-hop artists are still getting away with being misogynists so is this band getting a pass? This in my opinion is nothing against this band but an amusing conundrum of hypocrisy the music industry finds itself in.
Then there is the whole glorification of gun violence that creeps up on "Opp - Stoppers". Musically things stay the same with slowed break down like nu-metal riffs pouring out like lava. The vocals are not as well planned as previous songs. The last song uses more of the darker guitar atmospherics that have become commonplace on this album but is not as catchy. I will however give this album an 8 as they do stand out from the pack due to hookier songwriting, perhaps due to the hip-hop sensibilities.
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