Body Count Makes a “Merciless” Return (Album Review)
Body Count is a crossover thrash/rap metal band fronted by the O.G. of gangsta rap, actor, songwriter, producer & author Ice-T. Introducing themselves with an acclaimed posthumous debut, their next 2 offerings Born Dead & Violent Demise: The Last Days proved to be additionally well received although Murder 4 Hire marked their return after a near-decade long hiatus to mixed feedback. Manslaughter became Body Count’s strongest body of work since their debut, later resulting in Bloodlust & Carnivore maintains that consistency. Considering the steadily consistent output, the band’s 8th album had me anticipating it.
After the “Interrogation” intro, the title track starts us off on some rap metal shit talking about having only 1 life to live & 0 fucks left to give whereas “The Purge” featuring Cannibal Corpse frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher embraces more of a death metal vibe drawing inspiration from the titular film franchise conceptually. “Psychopath” brings back the rap metal sound showing his psychotic tendencies leading into “Fuck What You Heard” dissing the Democrips & Bloodpublicans since he taught me both wings are on the same bird.
“Live Forever” featuring Howard Jones raps over more heavy metal production about the idea of immortality while “Do or Die” promises that no one is safe from the war that’s going on outside & that it’s either kill or be killed the way Ice-T sees it. “Comfortably Numb” featuring David Gilmour is a cover of the Pink Floyd track of the same name & religious beef prior to “Lying Motherfucka” blasting the United States president-elect Donald Trump.
Sepultura co-founder Max Cavalera joins Body Count for the song “Drug Lords” talking about the world we’re living in being in complete chaos as it is covering it all up using lies & schemes while “World War” talks about the possibility of World War III turning our own inner cities into battle grounds with the possibility of it all getting set off either next year or maybe tonight as we speak. “Mic Contract” finishes Mercilessin the form of this 1 final rap metal joint wanting his muhfuckin’ money.
After persevering through personal tragedies along with social opposition & an army of naysayers, Ice-T & company emerges bloody but unbroken & with more rage than ever to the point where you can’t take any more & you’re done. The metal production is on par with their last couple Body Count offerings & the west coast O.G. himself doesn’t let up venting genuine anger through the iconoclastic lyrics.
Score: 8/10
