This is the Atlanta-based groove rap metallers fourth studio album, and the last before the acrimonious split in 2000 when egos started to rip the band apart. Such a shame, this was the best thing they ever did. It’s worth buying for the riffs and guitar sound alone. The production by Andy Sneap is huge and pounding, and is a lesson in how to produce a metal album. It’s a sound that Ward has tried to reproduce on all other efforts he has put out since.
There is always a hint of melody in nearly all the songs here, which add to the dynamics greatly. Set The Tone blows the album into life. It’s a monster groove and riff. More of the same with Raise The Deadman, and the hook is huge with the melody I mentioned. Drawing Blood has a killer grooving riff, and the middle section is superb. It’s favourite track time next, after a short political groove based statement aimed at Rev. Jesse Jackson. Give War A Chance has the kind of riff and groove that any self respecting metal band would die for, coming after such an angelic start. The groove comes down large with Side 1 close out track Feel It Comin’ Down where the groove and the crunch zinc together perfectly.
Side 2 opens up with The One, and this is about as commercial as their albums get, and that’s only in the main verse as the crunch and devil vocal is never far away. Evilution is up next and the pounding continues, this time it’s the hook and chorus that drag you in. Ward’s political affiliations are represented again in Declaration with a short spoken word over a hip hop base track. An instrumental piece called The Ward Is My Shepherd follows, and this is the weakest piece on the album. I think you can tell whose ego was out of control here as Mojo was about Bonz’s lyrics and delivery as much as the riffs and grooves.
Walk The Line sees normal service resumed with a great riff and groove in the main verse with added evil riff in the chorus. Hate Breed with its stomping riffs and groove has a great swing . The album closes out with Reborn; a bonus track. The vibe doesn’t quite fit the rest of the record. The strings and the chorus are quite radio friendly, but the tune feels out of place.
Yes, the band have released further albums with different front men, but they have never quite captured the intensity of this record.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
