Asylum of
Darkness are a three piece rap group from Canton, Ohio. I’m no rap expert, and
would never claim to be, but this sounds more like eighties “gangsta rap” than
the sort of poppy hip hop that’s all over MTV and the radio these days. Insane
Clown Posse is an obvious influence, but I hear some more “old school” influence
as well. Lyrically this trio deals with themes of horror and violence (and of
course the mandatory boasting), and the musical backdrop sounds like horror
movie soundtracks with a beat. I wouldn’t say it’s anything super original or
groundbreaking, but I kind of like it. If you’re a serious rap fan and (not
without reason) don’t trust my opinion on the genre, you can give a listen to a
few tracks at the AOD website:
http://www.asylumofdarkness.com. If you like what you hear, you can buy the
full CD at the same address.
Barbarellatones – Beyond the
Valley of the Barbarellatones (self released)
Mix together
Southern Culture on the Skids, The Cramps, David Bowie, The New York Dolls,
Brian Eno, the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, and a little bit of
seventies easy listening psychedelia and you have a general idea of what The
Barbarellatones sound like. ‘Beyond the Valley of the Barbarellatones’ serves
up ten tracks of this campy weirdness. It’s a fairly unique blend of influences
and there are some catchy hooks, but the overall sameness of everything wore me
down about halfway through. My biggest complaint is that the pace never varies
much from song to song, with ballads and rockers alike all chugging along to a
simple laid back beat. Some of the vocal melodies are a bit too similar to each
other, as well. Ultimately this is the kind of CD where I could see myself
tossing a song or two on a mix CD, but I don’t think I’ll find myself listening
all the way through again. For more info go to
http://www.barbarellatones.com. (Bob Ignizio)
This is the second 3 song demo from Cleveland’s Black
Market Massacre, and it’s every bit as crushing as their first. Musical
growth? That’s for lesser bands. Black Market Massacre have already perfected
their sound, a blend that combines the best of eighties punk and thrash metal
and hits your eardrums with surgical precision. No concessions are made to
trends. This is the sound of ugly Cleveland rock through and through, recalling
such North Coast heavyweights as Boulder and Nine Shocks Terror. And not only
do these guys brutalize you, but they write good songs as well. In short, this
is completely lethal. For more info, go to
http://www.myspace.com/theblackmarketmassacre. (Bob Ignizio)
Blackalicious are back
with a new record, and I'm ever so grateful. It's been a while since I've been
able to chill out to a record like this. From the amazing energy of the first
track, “World Of Vibrations”, it's clear that this will easily make my favorite
records of '05 list. The duo of Gift of Gab on vocals and Chief Xcel is one of
the best combinations you'll find in today's hip-hop scene. Gift of Gab brings
speed and agility to his vocals, as well as a larger than life presence. He also
manages to make social awareness sound fun, like in “Supreme People”, where he
analyzes the current state of urban youth. Xcel's beats are a mix of classic
hip-hop, r&b and soul (like in “Black Diamonds And Pearls”). This record also
has some pretty sweet appearances from George Clinton, Lyrics Born, and Lateef
The Truth Speaker. If you're feeling fed up with hip-hop, this is the record for
you. I'd usually pick some key tracks, but on this one, it'd be pointless. Every
track is good, and this record should be enjoyed cohesively. (Eddie Fleisher)
Mix together
Southern Culture on the Skids, The Cramps, David Bowie, The New York Dolls,
Brian Eno, the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, and a little bit of
seventies easy listening psychedelia and you have a general idea of what The
Barbarellatones sound like. ‘Beyond the Valley of the Barbarellatones’ serves
up ten tracks of this campy weirdness. It’s a fairly unique blend of influences
and there are some catchy hooks, but the overall sameness of everything wore me
down about halfway through. My biggest complaint is that the pace never varies
much from song to song, with ballads and rockers alike all chugging along to a
simple laid back beat. Some of the vocal melodies are a bit too similar to each
other, as well. Ultimately this is the kind of CD where I could see myself
tossing a song or two on a mix CD, but I don’t think I’ll find myself listening
all the way through again. For more info go to
Blackalicious are back
with a new record, and I'm ever so grateful. It's been a while since I've been
able to chill out to a record like this. From the amazing energy of the first
track, “World Of Vibrations”, it's clear that this will easily make my favorite
records of '05 list. The duo of Gift of Gab on vocals and Chief Xcel is one of
the best combinations you'll find in today's hip-hop scene. Gift of Gab brings
speed and agility to his vocals, as well as a larger than life presence. He also
manages to make social awareness sound fun, like in “Supreme People”, where he
analyzes the current state of urban youth. Xcel's beats are a mix of classic
hip-hop, r&b and soul (like in “Black Diamonds And Pearls”). This record also
has some pretty sweet appearances from George Clinton, Lyrics Born, and Lateef
The Truth Speaker. If you're feeling fed up with hip-hop, this is the record for
you. I'd usually pick some key tracks, but on this one, it'd be pointless. Every
track is good, and this record should be enjoyed cohesively. (Eddie Fleisher)