Mortiis "Ånden Som Gjorde Opprør" (1995)

 

Enjoying a spontaneous plunge into Dungeon Synth origins, we conclude for now with Mortiis' sophomore record. Released earlier in the same year as Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent, it seems substantially maturer of the two. Mortiis, now professing himself as a Tolkein troll on the albums cover, takes a darker route with the music. Stoic, castly vibes permeate its mellow enchantment, as the former fantasy flutes give way to dusky winds and morose organ tones that lurch with a lingering gloom.

On this outing, the instrument selection is ripe, often dense with brooding strings that overlap, its tones have a crowded space to hide the blemishes of its electronic origins under its fidelity lacking production. The low end is thickened out dramatically and when Orkish militant parades pound their unruly drums, a grand mystique is unearthed, a wondrous mix where the performance's inadequacies embellish its spirit.

This is at least true of En Mørk Horisont, Its five chapters traverse vivid soundscapes of darkly fantasy realms, ushered on by the weighty gravitas of deep gong strikes. Visjoner Av En Eldgammel Fremtid experiments initially. More spoken dialog and breaks in tone has its direction muddied before settling into a predictable pace. It gradually builds grandiosity to a victorious trumpet fanfare in its final three parts.

Of all the Dungeon Synth precursors Ive encountered, this felt the most emblematic of what was to come. Mortiis, clearly inspired by Fantasy and Tolkein, lay down rich foundations for others to build from, that would eventually transform into a scene fifteen years later. I had not studied his works attentively before. Now the link is all to obvious but best of all, his music strides boldly into the imagination with stunning vividness. This is no embryonic endeavor but a fully expressed vision.

Rating: 8/10

Mortiis "Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent" (1995)

Reviving his past aspirations with the recent Spirit Of Rebelion, I sought out a piece of the origin story that inspired so many within the Dungeon Synth scene. As one of the Norwegian musicians earliest incarnations, Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent has strong similarities. Comprised of two twenty minute lengthy halves, split into lesser parts, the pairing adventures journey through naturalist, nostalgic imaginations. A breezy spirit for magical adventure and gentle mystique guide the listener along is pleasantries.

The glimmer of yearning strings and playful flute melodies glides over broodish bass warmth. Occasionally bumbling into gustos of castled might and sampled bellowing voices, the title track sails sweetly in the uplift of its welcoming tone. Mischief is beyond sight, however Reisene Til Grotter Og Odemarker finds a devilish grandeur as mysterious choir tones and rumbling percussive strikes chance a little unease.

Eventually circling back around to its brighter persona, part three embarks on a classic, triumphant deceleration of Orkish nature. Freshly unveiled trumpets roar for battle, as deep drums thump the pacey march to war. Its darkness is one of theatrics, the imagination run wild with a strong whiff of Tolkein steering its sequestered charms.

Its a wondrous piece of music for the time. No doubts I once gave it a listen but never made the connection in my youth. Now its gift to Dungeon Synth seems simply undeniable. A lot of its charm emanates from a flawed human performance. The creeks and groans of imperfection, its natural, organic fidelity, aid the immersion. It masks repetitive structures and highlights the gulf a digital MIDI and VST driven project like Spirit Of Rebelion suffers as a result of lacking these perfect imperfections.

Rating: 7/10

Ol' Dirty Bastard "Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version" (1995)

 Hailed by some as a classic, Return To The 36 Chambers strikes me the unleashing of a wild talent Hip Hop didn't know how to handle. Ol' Dirty Bastard stood apart as the oddball within Wu-Tang Clan. His loose delivery, unhinged energy and bizarre spurts of unabashed singing was charming in bursts between his colleagues. That persona is explored at depth on his full length. With plenty of shock and awe, Ason's oddities strike with rigor new and old. Not only does he bite with lyrics, tangents and general strangeness become a frequent entertainment on this off-kilt ride of a record.

Kicking off with estranged hype trifling, the long winded intro is a snooze before his classic Shimmy Shimmy Ya kicks things into gear. From then a string of grizzly low-fi beats terrific rhymes get packaged into unconventional flows and faulted song structures. The track Baby C'mon has ODB's verse dissipate into a whirlpool of fading reverb, cutting the song short for a select cut of short beats to see the song out.

Loaded with all things odd and unusual, Ason shines on his own initially. As the record endures, weaker cuts get crowded in among features from his clan as the antics stretch thin. Everyone brings their a game, still young fresh and hungry but the flow falters. Goin' Down has a childish intro dedicated to strange noises we probably all made as kids. This and Drunk Game, a comical piss take of sensual Soul songs, arrive with weak cuts like Brooklyn Zoo II, a revision of songs from the record so far.

The faltering pace arrives on the heels of Proteck Ya Neck II, a big name to live up to. Eight Wu-Affiliates jump on the mic with ODB, dropping fiery verses that were doomed to live in the shadow of a classic. Fun but perhaps could of done without the reference. The record then ends with a studio recording Cuttin' Headz, one heard on the Wu-Tang Demo Tape. In the age of hour plus records filling CDs, curation seems a miss once again, something not considered at the time given the price of music.

There is undoubtedly a hint of classic in the mix. In my opinion, it arises from to two key aspects. Firstly, these are the dirtiest beats from RZA. If you were looking more of that Kung-Fu loaded low-fi, its here in abundance with a more bass oriented flavor. Second, the shock value ODB brings would of been wild and fresh at the time yet with age, immaturity and blemishes sound worn. That is nothing to take away from his persona, however I've grown a massive appreciation for his artistry with the Clan, having given this a proper go now. Much respect! Rest in peace Ol' Dirty!

Rating: 7/10

Dimmu Borgir "For All Tid" (1995)

Released ten months on from Inn I Evighetens Morke, my Norwegian darlings Dimmu Borgir debut with a peculiar mix of ideas on their full length album. tIn my youth For All Tid charmed me with all its dingy oddities. Many years later, that magic is still present but more so does the amateurish performances and dire production fidelity. It once seemed less like an intentional mystique but now, more like a band with growing pains who managed to land a record deal as Symphonic Black Metal emerges alongside the explosion of attention the scene received over its controversies of the time.

That's not to dismiss the music, Its littered with symphonic magic between some glaring flaws. In my youth I never dissected its offering, just enjoying the odd glum atmosphere and flushes of esoteric melody loosely held together with spurts of aggression. Now I hear a more mixed bag of ideas. Less of a cohesive vision as Dimmu would execute masterfully with every following album from Stormblast and on.

Perhaps it is the opening Det Nye Riket that emphasizes some disparity. Its Korg keyboard driven intro akin to the now established Dungeon Synth. Mostly comprising of power chord and tremelo riffing with varying degrees of symphonic involvement, a couple songs stand apart for feeling off pace with the more common mood. Over Bleknede Blaaner Til Dommedag deploys awful clean vocals. Out of tune, stretched and folkish, me and my friends would always chuckle whenever it burst out. A minute or so later Silenoz howls a ghastly scream out of nowhere. Its loud presence in the mix makes it all seem so haphazard. Even at its worst the songs still have charm.

The two minute Stein is an oddity of snarling darkness countermanded by a fantasy flute melody. Its a glaring reminder that much of the extremity of the band seems more quirky than dark and evil. The following and exceptional Glittertind instrumental, housed by another garish scream erupting loudly out of nowhere, is an upbeat thrust of melody. Its warm mood and fond guitar melodies so opposing to the blast beats that drive it along. Again the band have such a peculiar vision of darkness. Perhaps all that has developed over the years in extreme music since has softened its edges.

The final four songs are class. Homing in on a gloomy chills and a rain drenched atmosphere, the composure of power chord riffs, acoustic strummed chords and eerie synths meet on the back of great songwriting as its structures feel directional and gratifying. I can't help but feel some Doom Metal vibes along the way, perhaps its synth tones reminiscent of The Gathering's classic Always...

This revisiting was heard through its original recording. In my youth I had the Nuclear Blast remaster, a service performed just two years later. Oh boy does that make a huge difference! Everything has more punch and grit, the volume disparities less prominent the harsh vocals have their energy inline with the renewed intensity of the guitars. Had I not thought to listen to the very original No Colors release, these thoughts may have been very different. These songs are invigorated by its remastering and it really serves as the better way to experience the songs. Low fidelity doesn't always work in your favor! For anyone else curious, listening to both is an adventure but I'll leave my heavily bias praise based on the legs the remaster gives it to go. Without it, I'd of knocked this "rating" down a peg or two.

Rating: 8/10

Techno Animal "Re-Entry" (1995)

Today marks the beginning of a new era! I will no longer own my records... Finally I've got with the times and made the migration to Spotify. In doing so I haphazardly stumbled onto this record I couldn't find anywhere after listening to Ghosts back at the beginning of this blog. Techno Animal is an experimental side project manned by Justin Broadrick of Godflesh and Kevin Martin of God, two musicians deep in the early Industrial Metal scene but exploring a very different breed of sinister music here.

Re-Entry isn't as dark as I remember Ghosts being. It does however lean heavily into unease, tension and dread as its droning soundscapes venture on psychedelic depravity. Its a mental trip of looping sound design, organically unfolding with incremental changes that can transform a song over mostly lengthy outings. Its two CD format boasts halves of six tracks each, often clocking in well over the ten minute mark. The result is oddly meditative and soothing in an adventurous way. Dreamy music for setting atmosphere and tone to let the mind focus on other demands.

These compositions are near density, every instrument seemingly tuned for that slow meandering shift that occurs over its lengthy duration. Subdued percussive drums keep pace as Elctro-Industrial synth tones layer in a little zap and bleep tone texture, seemingly at odds with the music but melding in. Its best experiments seem to come on Flight Of The Hermaphrodite and Demodex Invasion. The first using Middle Eastern sounds and instruments to visualize a drug trip in Arabian deserts. The later morphs its drum loop through dizzying distant tonalities that wash in and out of focus.

Though in its worse, the remarkable chemistry of these tracks feels underdeveloped and neglected. Most of these songs are lumped in the second half, Catatonia and Red Sea are examples of experiments that didn't quite come together and lack direction. The twenty minute Cape Canaveral feels even weaker as a dull Black Ambient drone piece. The closing Resuscitator too is a lone drone of eeriness and without that lavish layering of odd noise and drums, it becomes unremarkable in comparison.

Its really just a handful of songs that shine here. Even then some feel stunted by a lack of progression. Moments to break the mold and give these songs a sense of arrival or event would really elevate it. There is however fascinating chemistry and visceral trips to be explored. With less filler and more focus this could of been something great but for the context of times, this experimental Avant-Guard release is quite unique and remarkable. How they got signed to Virgin Records, even more so!

Rating: 5/10

Secret Stairways "Drifting..." (1995)

 

If you've followed this blog for Dungeon Synth and Fantasy music, then today you are in for a treat. The micro-genre's resurgence over the last decade seems to routinely unearth forgotten artists, demo tapes and prototypical material from time gone by. Secret Stairways, a name so fitting for this genre, is one mans symphonic vision. Sadly now diseased, Mathew Davis's work has been shared with the world again, finding a new audience over twenty five years since its creation.

Mathew certainly leans more in the Fantasy direction with a dreamy direction and melodic gleam. His keyboard work here is stunning yet amateurishly produced to suck the cheese out of Korg and Yamaha tones, embellishing them in soft reverbs to create a classy, magical yet fidelity lacking sound that is utterly charming. With no percussion or base in sight, the music is mostly a stream of string arrangements, yearning with beauty and natural wonder, fit for the scenic beauty of secluded forest covered mountains, blossoming with life fed from gushing rivers on a summers eve.

 Each song brings a different temperament with an icy chill breezing in on its closing track to see these scenic moments off into the night. Before it, Dream Of Lorien is a standout, deploying an illusive, mysterious melody on repeat. Shimmering instruments pass by in the dreamy haze of its backdrop. The atmosphere is wonderful, a brief peering into a wonderful imagination with a soft touch of darkness.

As a five track demo it leave one with an appetite for whats next and curiosity for what inspired these musicians at a time of great disconnect, in comparison to the Internet age. Although not strictly Dungeon Synth as it leans in a different direction, this piece of music predates even Depressive Silence. The roots of this music seem to deepen and enrich as time passes and more discoveries are made!

Rating: 6/10

Foreign Objects "The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors" (1995)

 

Excited to dive into an extra helping of recently revived magics enjoyed years back, this five track EP was sadly not at the level of the lively Universal Culture Shock released nine years later. In that time between the duo had formed and toured with CKY, undoubtedly becoming better musicians in the process. Whats remarkable is how keen the music by these two young high school teenagers actually is.

The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors is again a Progressive Death Metal project, inspired by the evolving scene of the decade and smothered with melody. They have forged quite the upbeat, vibrant sound, jostling with technical feats and discordant creativity, the music flows through a web of intricacies weighted by the rough throaty shouts of Deron Miller and Jess Margera's dexterous percussive might.

The core of the music resides in the guitars and drums. Its fun, lively, chained by aggression and lifted by its color. Along for the ride an ambiguous synth section aligns the music with a thin string backing, odd noises and the occasional drones of noise that sounds like audio feedback. Strangely I like its presence in this form, slightly alien and unsightly. Delve opens up another strand with a gorgeous keyboard intro on a bright luscious piano. Its darkly majesty quite the shift in tone but its enjoyable.

Ultimately I'm left with a familiar feeling that comes from exploring old records I missed out on at the time. It will be cliche but I would of bonded with this one much more in my youth. As I final remark I'd say for a supposed demo the production quality is impressive. The instruments are punchy, vibrant and distinct, something other extreme bands where just figuring out around this era in time. Impressive.

Rating: 5/10

Bathory "Octagon" (1995)

 

 

 Our lengthy Bathory journey now embarks to the eighth installment, hence the Octagon title, supposedly the low point. Following on from the polarizing Requiem, Quorthon's DIY spin on Thrash Metal takes another nose dive into a pale abrasion the ears do somehow adjust too. The snare rattles and bites, piercing at all times among the clatter of symbols and smothering of bass pedals. Distortion guitars make headway with a narrow band of fuzzy mud, just fractions shy of masking the tight riffage at work. He tones down his vocals to a more manageable degree of horror and again we have a disastrous formula you can't just outright dismiss.

For the year it would seem that influences from the emerging Groove Metal scene make subtle marks on the swing and bounce present in some compositions. Most remarkable is track two, Born To Die. Smelly angsty acoustic guitars open up what retroactive ears can only describe as a prototypical Nu Metal song. Getting past its initial thrashy opener, the music pivots to a syncopated sway of Drop D styled riffing an atypically generic trait. The delivery of anger fulled snarls and shouts are just the icing on the cake of this forecasting, bizarre oddity.

 

 Glimmers of this moment teeter throughout but from this point its a downward trend. With exception to its keenest power chord arrangements and the blazing lead fretwork, the quality gives off local band vibes. Especially the lyrics, a lot of which caught my ear for sounding smart but often not saying a lot, just blasting phrases and social political words. Quorthon is a talented musician but the production is dreadful, stripping out anything inviting the songs offer. Its a bit like St. Anger, you're not sure what part is actually awful about this because it can produce some enjoyable moments. Despite confusion, in this eternal form it is a stinker.

 

 Rating: 2/10

Queen "Made In Heaven" (1995)

Another journey reaches the end of the road. Queen's fifteenth and final album, a somewhat "posthumous" release, arriving four years on from Freddie's passing. His voice features with normality, still powerful and beautiful, central to the theme, is clearly touched by his ill health. Most the music was recorded before his death and his band mates reworked parts of it after his passing to finish the recording. The result is possibly their blandest work to date, despite having a good spirit and message.

On first listen its gawky, tacky sense of uplift is rather dominating but with a few additional spins some of the Heavy Metal magic in the oppening takes hold. Brain May brings quite the bite in places with weighty hard riffs and bright, slick classic guitar leads in his defined style. Its layered with symphonic keys for a dense sound but as the midway point hits the attitude dissipates. The songs take on a softer tone with a lulling ballad energy focusing on Freddie's somewhat self cliched lyrics and persona.

Its the one record without a standout song, perhaps the title tack comes close with the best of Freddie here and some great cohesion as the song flows. Its counterpart however, Heaven For Everyone, follies as its well intended lyrics stack up the cheese with these ballad like "gentle epics". Its certainly not my cup of tea and ends up being the vibe most the music follows. It leaves me with mixed feelings.

Undeniably genius and brilliant in their element, Queen's eclecticism and eccentricity was practically miraculous in the best of their early output. Heading into the eighties that eclectic nature seemed to weigh them down as cohesion was waning and the song writing became more divided, rigid and lacking adventure. They developed a comfort in writing that lost its excitement and surprise. With Innuendo they mustered a little bit of that spark back but by Made In Heaven they lulled back into that comfort again. Its not a great record to end on but the journey has been immensely fun!

Rating: 4/10

Merauder "Master Killer" (1995)

I caught wind of this mid nineties crossover classic from a documentary about the music scene and bands of that era. The second track Life Is Pain perked my ears, catching my attention and upon buying the recorded I discovered a telling track, Downfall Of Christ. It was actually decades ago I first heard this song covered on a split album between Caliban and Heaven Shall Burn. It speaks volumes to how I initally perceived this record, another fractional style of the Thrash Metal and Hardcore union that would go on to shape the sound of Metalcore bands yet to come.

Master Killer is a steady moving, thirty five minutes of personal vented anger. Its wrapped up in a continuous wave of crushing grooves and thrashy guitar chugging that mixes sensibilities from both sides of the isle but more so the metallic. Rosado has a strained shout on him, the vocals groaned with a texture swaying towards the Death Metal spectrum but with enough gusto and frustration to ground his limited range of shouts in the Hardcore feel, which the occasional muted gang shouts reinforce. Its far from charming but his energy serves his purpose at the forefront.

The instrumentals are the selling point. Pummeling drums deploy intense patterns, utilizing double pedals and driving the music forward with intent. The guitar work lays down plenty of fast picking rhythms and punchy power chords but its the groove the two together bring out that really lights up the music. The majority of these components would easily separate into Thrash. Its solo's erupt and dazzle with electric energy too but with the right approach they have aligned to extrapolate this contagious sense of bounce and groove between the lines. Its quite contagious.

This is also a dated record, its percussion rattles loosely, guitars carry a meaty amount of low end noise and takes a moment for the ears to adjust. Its a great record to point at as a key link in the formation of Metalcore but no masterpiece. Although it has no stinkers you can't help but feels these songs could of reached a little further. Song structures are simple with not a lot of reshaping moments. The whole plays like an onslaught of riffs and grooves fit to simple structures. Its fun and energizing but rarely pushes beyond itself. Still a fantastic record, I've really enjoyed it!

Favorite Tracks: Life Is Pain, Downfall Of Christ, Take By Force

Rating: 7/10

Alice In Chains "Alice In Chains" (1995)

With a distinct shift in style from the likes of Dirt and Facelift, American Grunge and Metal outfit Alice In Chains throw a lot at the wall but little sticks. This self titled release has a clear artistic intention to not repeat themselves, however most of the differing ideas still feel experimental and without cohesion. Most of the music slips into a sludgier, gritty tone with a slow Doom Metal like tempo and atmosphere dominating the vibe. Its on these tracks like the opening Grind we hear a stylistic template that would stay with them to this day. The other half of songs unfortunately fall folly to this lack of glue in the experimentation as some ideas don't gel well.

Its Staley's last studio album with the band and he is somewhat subdued with a lack of those roaring hooks that would soar and sink into you like an infection. His voice is strong and capable but mostly matches the tone of these droning tracks. There are some clear experiments to reach new avenues with his singing, trying different inflections, Nothin' Song being a clear example of both lyric and execution feeling far from the grain. This also extends to Cantrell's riffing style too, mostly its temperate, slowed and washed out grooves creating slow sludgy grooves but these inflections of Country tang and Blues Rock feel off beat when they cut in suddenly.

There is a lot of good, slow moving and moody music here but the chemistry isn't ripe. If this were by another band I may have enjoyed it more however the bar had been set so high. There is also this linger feeling in the music that the band later nailed these sludgy concepts after finding DuVall. Its context given the year may yield it more significance in terms of originality but as we reach the end of this little revivalist journey I am left a little disappointed. It has its moments but at sixty five minutes you have to wade through lengthy songs winding around the main theme to find them.

Favorite Tracks: Brush Away, Head Creeps, God Am

Rating: 6/10

At The Gates "Slaughter Of The Soul" (1995)

Another musical journey comes to an end! It has been well worth the time and Ive come to understand why this band are so revered. They sit like a jewel in the heart of Melodic Death Metal, though it has to be said, The Red In The Sky Is Ours and With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness are praised more so their third and this. It is these two that possess the classic sound many bands have re-spun to their own flavor, a far brighter, palatable sound, easy to enjoy with gleams of melody between aggressive aesthetics. Slaughter Of The Soul is essentially the same sound as Terminal Spirit Disease, however it is an actual album lasting over the thirty minute mark.

With a string of fast and keen songs lingering around the three minute mark the music sprints its way through a deluge of riffs on a slick, crunchy, tearing guitar tone fit for chugging rapid rhythms and splicing infectious melody into the fold. Simple song structures and a keen ear for dynamism between groove and melodic surges let the music sway between the two worlds. It has to be said a lot of the riffing styles steer away from the brutality of Death Metal and sound more along the lines of Proto-Metalcore. I'm guessing these guys has an influence on that scene too given the similarities in riffing techniques heard on this record and before.

The aesthetic is pleasing, it comes together with a touch of gloss yet on closer inspection their is some grit in the guitar tone. Singer Lindberg's screams are the same crass, raspy howls as before yet something about how they are mixed in let his barks chime in, more so than tear through. This makes them quite likeable. The drums sound fantastic and snappy on a great sounding production that has held up over the two decades since. Obviously the music itself is king and At The Gates nail their style here. They also show off a little dexterity with a folk-ish acoustic guitar interlude, Into The Dead Sky, and a symphonic outro track lined with a drum beat. It shows off the genuine talent behind the music. Fantastic record!

Favorite Tracks: Slaughter Of The Soul, Suicide Nation, Unto Others

Rating: 8/10

Strapping Young Lad "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing" (1995)

At the time it was musical genius Devin Townsend first solo release under the Strapping Young Lad moniker that would go on to become a fully functioning band by their sophomore album City. I'm astonished as to how far Strapping Young Lad has slipped from my mind, its been over a decade ago since I last binged on them. Its understandable how this embryonic sounding debut has drifted the furthest but Ive had a fantastic time rediscovering these oldies and the calamity of good and bad it is.

Reading into its backstory as the first Dev album, I discovered that it was born out of frustration with working for the likes of other musicians, Steve Vai and The Wildhearts. Devin wanted to write his own music and only Century Media would offer him a five album deal on the condition of making extreme music. The result is this mesmerizing, botched brew of angular ideas that would fail to capture anyone's attention, barely selling any units before future releases would bring retroactive attention to it.

Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing has all the hallmarks of an SYL record. An over the top wall of sound aesthetic. Stomping, slamming, brutal chugging guitars. Fierce and frantic screams, coupled manic roars and the occasional soaring of Devs clean range. Frequently synths wail in to further the thickness. Its a fusion of Death, Thrash and Industrial that has got all the right ingredients but its preparation and cooking is a botched brew. Its hard to praise at its surface but given a few spins there is plenty that's enjoyable and many familiar riffs, lyrics and moments reworked for later songs.

The production is sloppy and chaotic at best, the wall of sound comes together not through craft or design. Its slapped together with deliberate volume wars that more often that not find some haphazard cohesion. Distortion guitars often falter into choppy thuds of sound that loose sense of notation and become like a percussive instrument. Its mostly the ideas that lay themselves bare. When the guitars, drums or screams are being extremified its all to obvious. A majority of these moments tend to not lead anywhere but further into a sprawl of chaotic ideas. It even extending to a cheesy 80s synth beat on Cod Metal King but most his ideas will be heard with far greater execution on following projects.

These criticisms were more apparent at first glance but if you try to love something you often find reasons. Given how much I adore Devin's music it was all to easy to hear the links with whats to come. For a first timer tuning in it will be a much harder task. I'm a sucker for these songs, there is objective criticism all over yet through it I always hear something worthy of charm. Perhaps Drizzlehell is an exception. I really don't get along with that one. Otherwise its all fun, it has a mood, persona and strange vibrations that occasionally descend one into maniacal listening.

Favorite Tracks: SYL, In The Rainy Season, Happy Camper, Critic, Filler

Rating: 7/10

Cypress Hill "III: Temples Of Boom" (1995)

It feels surreal to think that twenty three years have passed since Cypress Hill put together their third and iconic Temples Of Boom. With each record they continued to recreate themselves and this time the trio went down a dark avenue. The music videos went the same way too, resulting in MTV and radio refusing to play them. That didn't stop the record going gold and eventually platinum off their reputation alone. This was the first record I became obsessed with and if your familiar with my taste in music it should be no suprise as to why.

1995 marks a peak in the Mafioso Rap movement and despite the dark and violent, gang related themes, Cypress sidestep that particular narrative. It was when Hip Hop was transitioning away from bombastic sampling styles and production was growing towards sequenced beats and slick synthesized instrumentation. With retroactive ears Muggs's production gets a whole new level of appreciation. These beats hold up so well, Muggerud brings together the tightest kicks and snares samples, arranges them with a hard hitting, slick bombastic groove that resonates of dark vibes.

Track after track is hypnotically dark. Deep rumbling baselines glue the power and jive of the drums with their evil and menacing sampled counterparts. Muggs approach usually consists of ambiguous airy ambiences eerily lurking between the obvious instruments. With attentive ears much variety in that region, most notably cold icy pianos return frequently, playing upfront melodies but sometimes lingering in the distance. The mystic cultural vibe makes its mark here with the inclusion of the Indian sitar to bring about esoteric vibes between the beats. It builds up the unique feel of the record as well as the mythic terminology referencing the albums title and tracks like Stoned Raiders.

I will always put B Real in my top five, he is a phenomenal MC and criminally overlooked in the discussion of Hip Hops greatest. Every line on this record is fire, no filler. His nasal tone adds a sharp spice to his flow, giving his microphone persona a streak of attitude that requires no boasting. Its in the air tight delivery and variety of flows that keeps the goods rolling in from one song to the next. His ability to slip into half-sung hooks and killer refrains is timeless. His flows stealthily change pace and on tracks like Locotes they find a groove of their comparable to the beat itself. With Sen Dog chiming in and double tracking the best rhymes. His voice and lyrics hold up all these years later, still vicious and vigorous.

I'm not sure how many verses Sen gets on this record but as always his presences is illuminating, a great compliment to B Real. His roll as a backup man is never overplayed and easily underappreciated in the Cypress formula. No Rest For The Wicked has the group fire back at Ice Cube for stealing their hook and B Real is just an absolute monster with every line, from start to end. Its a savage diss track, almost on par with No Vaseline which he references with the line "No Vaseline, just a rope and a chair and gasoline". Brutal. Wu-Tang Clan's RZA and U-God turn up for some verses on one of the records dingy, dirtiest beats. A fitting match.

The record isn't all dark and shadowy, the lyrically ironic Boom Biddy Bye Bye lifts the mood with a memorizing piano melody looping over a warm, inviting baseline. The classic Illusions may sound a little nicer but its lonely atmosphere and paranoid lyrics quickly dispel the easy listening. A few beats do lean to a brighter degree but lets face it, its a darkened record. Strictly Hip Hop rests as a fairer beat setting a firm tone for the Hill to send out a clear message on the commercializing of the music. The lyrics read like biblical verses as B Real preaches some of the hardest truths on the business consuming the art form. Its my favorite song on the record and all these years later it truths hold up and Cypress Hill have proudly stuck by their integrity. A truly classic record, one of my first tens and perfection for my taste.

Favorite Tracks: Spark Another Owl, Throw Your Set In The Air, Stoned Raiders, Boom Biddy Bye Bye, No Rest For The Wicked, Killafornia, Locotes, Red Light Visions, Strictly Hip Hop, Everybody Must Get Stoned

Rating: 10/10

Kool G Rap "4, 5, 6" (1995)

Prior to some research on this record, I would of lumped in Queens rapper Kool G Rap in the Golden Era of Hip Hop, simply for my vague memories enjoying his records with DJ Polo and also as a name I hear a lot of my favorite 90s rapper cite as a big influence. Turns out he is considered an originator of Mafioso Rap for some of his street rhymes with DJ Polo. After three records the two split and this debut as a solo artist comes out right at the peak of Mafioso Rap's emergence. Around the same time Raekwon, AZ, Nas, Mobb Deep, Notorious B.I.G and Jay-Z dropped classics in the sub-genre. Its what caught my ear when it spun on shuffle. Ive been binging it the last few days and adoring how sweetly it sits into that moment of time, its truly of the era.

My biggest take away from this record is Kool himself, his ability and technical prowess is simply undeniable! He spits fast and concise with a strong tone that makes every word visible as he navigates through tricky flows of rhymes that one might say "he makes sound easy". The reality is obvious that he is rhyming tough and hard, fast technical schemes that pay off with his ability. It makes me think Ive overlooked a great here. If his ability is great the lyrical content may be a step behind, coherent story telling violent word play doesn't have quite the emotional weight to reinforce his impressive ability. Kool navigates us through tough Mafioso rhymes of hardcore street life and criminology rap thats gritty and dark, steeped in violence and gang life however it always feels short of a point or any social context or message.

The production is all you could hope for from a mid nineties Hip Hop album. Caught in that sweet spot between jazzy samples and programmed instrumentation, it plays out with a nice amount variety reflected with the tone of songs like "Take Em To War", dark, menacing and gloomy which over a few songs finds its way to "Fast Life", a sunny summer party track flashing the wealth and lifestyle side of family crime life. On first listen I was literally thinking this song would be perfect for Nas who then steps on the mic and delivers a fantastic verse. Parts of the record felt a little deju-va, as some of the songs feeling somewhat cast from the mold. Echos of Big L's instrumental style can be heard with the same samples and gang shouts parallel to his debut. Of course looking into the producers we have Buckwild who explains the similarity, his "Blowin' Up In The World" has some of the same beats, samples from Big L and the gang shouts have to be by the same guys! Maybe it was a left over from that session that made it here.

If I sound critical, its all praise, the production is wonderful, the instrumentals are what I love with exception to the final track that samples Herbie Hancock's Watermelon Man. Its a really fun instrumental but its totally contrasted against the violent, money obsessed lyrics. It just sounds odd as a whole. Overall its a sharp and keen album that's bang on the Mafioso crime family vibes and I feel it falls a little short in terms of lyrical substance however the brilliance of Kool is obvious and I'm left feeling like I need to get better acquainted with his work.

Favorite Tracks: Blownin' Up In The World, Fast Life, Ghetto Knows

Rating: 7/10

AZ "Doe Or Die" (1995)

A year beforehand Brooklyn rapper AZ made his debut with Nas on Hip Hop's finest record, Illmatic. Although its mark as the epitome of smooth 90s beats and Nas's poetical flows take much the praise, critics rarely fail to mention AZ who illuminated himself with an unforgettable opening verse on "Life's A Bitch". The pair team up again on a couple of tracks for his solo debut "Doe Or Die" which follows in a similar vein, smooth jazzy samples complimenting rugged grooving drum beats with a barrage of swift, intelligent lyricism that rolls of rhymes faster than you can digest them.

The album defines itself through the lyrical vibes of an emerging Mafioso Rap sub genre, AZ's slick technical flow is idealistic for the fast flipping of crime family imagery, he drops names of known criminal figures between that of expensive brands, luxurious goods and of course plenty of word play in the firearm department. Talk of excessive wealth, luxury living mixed in with the contrasting world of government agencies spying and the paranoia of Illuminati organizations paints the tone intensely. Samples clipped from mafioso movies and slick instrumentals find themselves on a similar wavelength however the production is rather varied, the title borders on a West Coast G-Funk sound with its ghetto whistles for a song fondly reminiscent of Skee-Lo, while other tracks like "Sugar Hill" move on different vibes with deep rumbling low-fi baselines and R&B singers in the choruses.

Eleven tracks handled by nine produces is understandably mixed but a few weaker cuts have it falling short of variety as a strength. It strikes pure gold when AZ and Nas team up on "Mo Money, Mo Murder, Mo Homicide" the two teeing up their best rhymes, sweating out luxurious criminality spoils between the violence and murder. Much like Nas, AZ paints a vivid picture with his words, and that technical, swift flow of his is engrossing, especially when he drops into story telling. He brings a wealth of material to the mic but somewhere between his abundance of talent and varying degrees of production it feels as if the brilliance is only glimpsed at. Immensely enjoyable record but leaves me feeling it fell short of being truly special.

Favorite Tracks: Gimme Yours, Sugar Hill, Mo Money, Mo Murder, Mo Homicide, Doe Or Die

Rating: 8/10

Goodie Mob "Soul Food" (1995)

 Welcome to the Dirty South! A term supposedly coined here on this debut record from the four piece group Goodie Mob, closely associated with fellow Atlantians Outkast. Both Andre 3000 and Big Boi feature on the record, their voices but mostly production by Organized Noise, home in on those laid back, smooth southern vibes they established a year beforehand. Soul Food is a rugged affair, tight punchy beats charmed by the accent of Jazz, Soul and R&B set a serious tone for a weight of rich, meaningful substance entirely fitting of the records title.

Its a decisive collection of reflection and introspection, the usual topics of street life, the drug game and racial tensions in American life feel urgent, on the edge as the energy of these four rappers bring has words bursting at the seems as emotions spill over the mic from their intensity. With deep burly voices pushing powerful pronunciations as they flow, the message in their words is felt with sincerity. Unlike a lot of other Hip Hop records, they stick very firmly to their point. Barely an inch of braggadocio or flaunting makes its way into the lyrics which track by track approach an abundance of topics, dissecting, reflecting, providing the listener with a wealth of thought to dive into.

As Cee-Lo says on "fighting" featuring Joi, the name Goodie Mob stands for The Good Die Mostly Over Bullshit. It illuminates the statement and intention of the group who debut with a classic record. The whole sixty minutes stay on track with a consistent string of indulgent beats that set a laid back tone with an under current of sorrow fit for fruitful expression through rhymes. There is little to flaw here other than my own enjoyment which has been a little muted as of late, possibly due to other stresses in life. I think this record is fantastic now but when I return to it in the future I'm sure its going to click on another level of appreciation.

Favorite Tracks: Dirty South, Guess Who, Live At The O.M.N.I., Goodie Bag, Soul Food

Rating: 8/10

Eminem "Soul Intent" (1995)

Although labeled here as an Eminem record, this cassette EP was a self titled release from the Detroit group known as Soul Intent, consisting of Eminem, Proof from D12, plus few others, although on the microphone it is only Em we hear rapping on the two tracks "Fuckin' backstabber" and "Biterphobia". Back in the Napster days this was a godsend to get your hands on this, the earliest recordings known at the time however doing a little research reveals now you can hear recordings of Em rapping as far back as 1988. Astonishing! I thought this was the final piece to cover on Ems roots and although there is more uncovered I will probably not return to writing about them for now...

Comprising of two sets of raps over muddy, dingy beats at cassette quality there may not be much to get excited over here and that is certainly true of the first track. Em still finding his feet shows off his pronunciations skills as he doubles up the consonants of his words in true Das EFX style. The higher pitched voice and vocal inflections are strangely distracting from the flow and strength of his rhymes as they divert attention from the songs narrative. Its a reasonable song but the low fidelity sucks the wind from its sails.

"Biterphobia" is where things get interesting, the beat musters up a lot of atmosphere and urgency in its intro before Em steps to the mic and drops in on a prolific flow. Fast swift and effortless Em breezes through a crafty assemble of tight rhymes that land like knockout blows. Its a moment where his talent comes to fruition in a raw and energetic form as Em raps about spraying spiders with aerosol and lighters. The two songs encapsulate his roots in learning to rap via imitation and where he is heading, finding a voice of his own and defining himself with a brilliant set of rhymes on the second song.

Favorite Track: Biterphobia

Rating: 3/10

Mobb Deep "The Infamous" (1995)

"To all the killers and a hundred dollar billars"! A Classic line from a classic song on a classic record. In 95 the Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep, consisting of Havok and Prodigy, hammered the nail in the coffin on their sophomore record which time has taught us is a fine moment in the history of Hip Hop. Following up on their patchy debut two years earlier the duo took full control over production with a helping hand from Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Coming with an inspired set of rhymes their dark and shadowy beats illuminated the pairs lyrics to a level of unrivaled harmony.

Both Havok and Prodigy have clean, concise flows. Likeable, easy to follow and plenty of mind for clever rhymes within conventional flows. Their tones differ and compliment one another as they pass the mic back and forth throughout the tracks. They are both brilliant story tellers, coming with very direct trains of thought as they walk us through the rough and rugged environment they call home. "Temperature's Rising" caught my attention for not only being a story of criminal events but a direct message to a friend locked up, with instructions on what to do. Very real and very direct the two make a point of letting you know they talk the walk they walk unlike the majority of rappers who reflect their environment and the people they know.

When not direct the duo can paint graphic pictures of ghetto life with their vivid word play and violent lyricism which dives into all sorts of drug abuse, crime, conflict and the imminent threat of death. Its an unapologetic picture painted sublimely with words that flow effortlessly. A chemistry oozing with pace and coherence to follow the main tales told through the sixteen songs which span sixty sixty minutes without a second of filler. Quiet the achievement!

Pairing with the lyrical direction, the beats are hauntingly dark, conjuring scenes of streetlamp lit nights in dangerous areas as banging drums lead chilling, eerie samples of guitars and pianos over the deep lurking baselines. Urban, harrowing and unforgiving they set a paranoid stage for their luminous flows to strike. The snare kick grooves are superb, using programed kits a selection of sharp, crisp punching drums that snap, making for banging grooves as they attack fast with minimal decay, even soaked in short reverb they create such a density without the instruments lingering. The result is infectious and repetitious without weakness, as the same sampled drums snap over and over the wild energy of the rappers keeps it feeling fresh through the entirety of the song. For most of the beats they don't go beyond the basic loop, with the occasional dropping of a drum line or sample as the lyrics reach an ample moment. The records best track "Right Back At You", with a momentary exception, is the same six second beat looped for the entire track and with the sublime verses of the duo and their guests its exceptionally banging.

Speaking of guests there's, Nas, Q-Tip featuring as well as Ghostface Killah & Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan. This is a 90s wet dream as New York's finest team up to kill it. All the elements lined up for this record and I couldn't list how many cracking lines have never left my mind, one sticks out though "Your crews featherweight, my gunshots will make you levitate"... Goosebumps! I seem to be drawn to picking out old favorites and revisiting this one really filled me with joy, such an incredible record and brilliant insight into a frightening and entirely different world.

Favorite Songs: Eye For A Eye, Temperatures Rising, Up North Trip, Right Back At You, Drink Away The Pain, Shook Ones Part II, Part Over

Rating: 10/10

Neptune Towers "Transmissions From Empire Algol" (1995)

The second of two ambient records by Norwegian Darkthrone musician Fenriz has little of the ambiguous charm "Caravans To Empire Algol" did. Its another oddity of transforming sounds with little direction or immersion to offer. In its merit there is an aquatic quality about the first songs choice of sounds, sometimes resembling whales, however it amounts to very little in the grand scheme of things. The first tract slogs its way through a collection of friendlier sounds with less drone and fuzz than its predecessor, a chilling organ pops up in the middle and other electronic leads take over following it. Although unnerving, mysterious and illusive in their own way they never get to add up to anything grander with what mood the instrument sets simply drifting out into next shift in the song, dispelling what little magic it conjoured.

The second track bares an uncanny resemblance to Kraftwerk and possibly "Endless Endless" with similar electronic tones and even the melodies sounding distinctly similar if not reminiscent of their approach to composition. It could also be a case of the equipment used having default sounds but I have uncovered no information on how it was composed. Again it drifts through a set of sounds however the aimlessly dispel the vibe when they transition with little correlation. The first record had more ambiguity and mystic going for itself with its dense drones and occasional whiff of a tune in the baseline. "Transmissions..." is more accessible but in that the lack of direction, purpose or composure is further exposed, resulting in a rather forgettable experience if not mildly enjoyable in the mood for ambience.

Rating: 2/10