If you were to analyze Spotify/Apple Music streams, YouTube views and the Billboard charts with the goal of determining what rappers are enjoying breakout years in 2018, you would likely come to the conclusion that sad hip-hop is currently trending. The late XXXTENTACION along with rising stars like Juice WRLD and Trippie Redd have all won over sizable audiences by producing downtempo, melancholic music that arguably has more in common with emo than traditional hip-hop. Of course, every popular movement ends up unintentionally breeding acts that serve as the clear antithesis to their style. Enter New York City trio City Morgue. Their debut mixtape City Morgue Vol 1: Hell or High Water is brimming with so much raw energy and angst that they feel more like spiritual successors to the Slipknot and Korn's of the world than a young hip-hop group that first gained national recognition from some vulgar music videos going viral on Worldstar roughly 8 months ago.
Embracing metal-like tendencies isn't exactly uncharted waters for hip-hop. Hell, 6ix9ine-who regularly collaborated with City Morgue's Zillakami in the early stages of his career before they parted ways due to the former's now well-documented guilty plea to a sexual misconduct involving a minor charge back in 2015-has become a star over the past 18 months by utilizing a hyper aggressive sound. However, the difference between City Morgue, their colorful-haired NYC counterpart and quite frankly, everyone else that have drawn inspiration from the more abrasive side of the musical spectrum is that these dudes go full bore insane on every single track they put out. The closest thing Hell or High Water Vol.1 offers to a reprieve from the frenzied yelling deliveries of both rappers (SoSMula, the aforementioned Zillakami) and distorted guitar-and-thumping-drums-driven production from the group's in-house producer Thraxx is a pair of understated guest spots from Black Kray on a couple of the earlier tracks ("Kenpark", "Gravehop187"). Other than those fleeting moments of relative calm, this is an unrelenting dose of pure, seething fury that should make the majority of listeners either want to run through the nearest wall at full speed or question what kind of nefarious force would inspire human beings to create such unpleasant sounds in no time at all. Does this non-stop auditory beatdown get a bit repetitive? Absolutely, but Hell or High Water Vol. 1 is a concise package (14 tracks spanning a mere 33 minutes) that is delivered with such conviction and dedication to its rage-driven aesthetic that it never lost me for a second.
Hell or High Water Vol. 1 is a refreshing adrenaline rush of an album. They may be comically sophomoric as lyricists and sorely lack any sort of variety, but City Morgue has the explosive delivery, sneaky catchiness and authentic rebel attitude to be the type of group that connects with the millions of pissed-off young people out there that are looking for a musical outlet that reflects and understands their plight. If you're looking for a different type of hip-hop record and/or miss the shameless expletive-screaming, middle finger-waving delights that nu-metal brought to the table, crank this shit up to the highest possible volume and shed a couple of tears for whoever's unsuspecting ears get caught in the crossfire.
Embracing metal-like tendencies isn't exactly uncharted waters for hip-hop. Hell, 6ix9ine-who regularly collaborated with City Morgue's Zillakami in the early stages of his career before they parted ways due to the former's now well-documented guilty plea to a sexual misconduct involving a minor charge back in 2015-has become a star over the past 18 months by utilizing a hyper aggressive sound. However, the difference between City Morgue, their colorful-haired NYC counterpart and quite frankly, everyone else that have drawn inspiration from the more abrasive side of the musical spectrum is that these dudes go full bore insane on every single track they put out. The closest thing Hell or High Water Vol.1 offers to a reprieve from the frenzied yelling deliveries of both rappers (SoSMula, the aforementioned Zillakami) and distorted guitar-and-thumping-drums-driven production from the group's in-house producer Thraxx is a pair of understated guest spots from Black Kray on a couple of the earlier tracks ("Kenpark", "Gravehop187"). Other than those fleeting moments of relative calm, this is an unrelenting dose of pure, seething fury that should make the majority of listeners either want to run through the nearest wall at full speed or question what kind of nefarious force would inspire human beings to create such unpleasant sounds in no time at all. Does this non-stop auditory beatdown get a bit repetitive? Absolutely, but Hell or High Water Vol. 1 is a concise package (14 tracks spanning a mere 33 minutes) that is delivered with such conviction and dedication to its rage-driven aesthetic that it never lost me for a second.
Hell or High Water Vol. 1 is a refreshing adrenaline rush of an album. They may be comically sophomoric as lyricists and sorely lack any sort of variety, but City Morgue has the explosive delivery, sneaky catchiness and authentic rebel attitude to be the type of group that connects with the millions of pissed-off young people out there that are looking for a musical outlet that reflects and understands their plight. If you're looking for a different type of hip-hop record and/or miss the shameless expletive-screaming, middle finger-waving delights that nu-metal brought to the table, crank this shit up to the highest possible volume and shed a couple of tears for whoever's unsuspecting ears get caught in the crossfire.
Grade: B
Standout Tracks
1.33rd Blak Glass
2.SK8 Head
3.Gravehop 187
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