It might seem odd writing about music that has rap vocals at its core for a site like this, a place that is more geared towards rock and indie, but there is a lot more going on here than you usually find in such a genre. And it is those additional elements that make this album, The Battle Within, of interest to this site’s core sonic demographic.
It is worth noting that Mississippi rapper, Hellraizer has pursued his singular path for two decades. During that time, he has created a sound that jumped numerous generic demarcations, assaulted sonic barricades, and even kicked some of them down altogether. Just one listen to the album’s opening salvo, “Long Story Short,” and you realize what a beguiling mix of sounds and styles he draws around him. Dark and delicious gothic vibes, alt-rock muscle, post-rock soundscapes, classical grace and electro-rock grooves, and the more expected urban-infused beats and deft and dexterous vocal deliveries.
And from there, across 11 further tracks, he pushes the boundaries of what that new urban landscape might sound like. Tracks such as “Chained Down” remind me of the sort of music that came out of the nineties’ Nu-Metal explosion, and if you said that this track in particular sounds as if it might be found on a Linkin Park album, few would argue.
“Damage Control” is anthemic and intense, a sort of hip-rock blend of menace and melody; “Late Night” sounds like an urban opera, threads of classic vocals weaving through a rap-rock soundscape, and “Keep Moving” feels like Vangelis rewriting the Blade Runner soundtrack for an even darker, more devastating vision of the future.
Is it rap taken to such an extreme that it evolves into something else altogether? Is it alt-rock under the urban influence? Is it an entirely new genre of music? Who knows? Who cares? Labels are unimportant; just play the music.
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