by Rami Mallis
Daily Lobo
Jedi Mind Tricks' new release is filled with angst and fury.
Almost exactly one year after its last release, Visions of Ghandi, the hip-hop group has released a superb follow-up, obscurely titled Legacy of Blood.
The Philadelphia-based duo, made up of producer Stoupe and MC Vinnie Paz, returns with a dark and furious sound on its fourth album, mixing eclectic beats with Paz's aggressive rapping style, reminiscent of underground hip hop of the late '90s.
The CD has 19 tracks, seven of which are brief experimental interludes. They demonstrate Stoupe's skillful composition of beats fused with a creative use of sampling.
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"The Darkest Throne" blends Spanish melodies with religious samples, resulting in an eerie but artistic filler track.
"Scars of the Crucifix," the third track on the album, is musically striking, accentuated by Paz's irate voice and approach. Nevertheless, on closer analysis of the lyrics, one is exposed to the rapper's rampant homophobia and views on religion as he exclaims anti-Christian sentiments and preaches Islamic supremacy. This seems to be the major downfall of the album, as Paz's lyrical subject matter comes across as fairly shallow and contradictory.
Song titles such as "On the Eve of War" and "The Philosophy of Terror" promise more substance and originality than the prejudice they advocate delivers.
"Beyond the Gates of Pain" continues the threatening tone, but vocals from Sean Price complement those of Paz and work to break up his angst-fueled focus with a more laid-back style.
In previous efforts, Jedi Mind Tricks relied heavily on a large list of guest vocals. In Legacy of Blood, there is a shorter list of guests, leaving the MC with more room to display his flexible flow and belligerent style. A few appearances by Sean Price of Boot Camp Clik and Gza, among others, make impressive contributions.
"And So It Burns" is a standout track is purely due to Stoupe's production. By using classical music samples and manipulating them, he achieves an innovative and outstanding song and demonstrates his constant improvement and willingness to experiment with other sources.
"Before the Great Collapse," the last song of the album, is the most potent and lyrically rich, taking the form of a suicide note to his mother. The track gives fans a deeper perspective into the rapper's psyche and is a great way to end the album.
On the whole, despite Paz's intolerant and relatively narrow-minded lyrics, Legacy of Blood is a rugged, unrefined piece of work. Die-hard Jedi fans won't be disappointed - this is what independent, counter-mainstream hip-hop should sound like.
Legacy of Blood
Jedi Mind Tricks
Grade:B+
