All right, I’m gonna put this out there, I like brokeNCYDE. Yes, any metal fan that knew I liked both metal and brokeNCYDE would most likely rather see my head on a pike than talk to me, but it’s the truth. I’ve been listening to them since they released their EP, “BC13” back in 2008 and I love it. Most people say that crunkcore is a stain on the face of modern music. They say it’s a travesty to the creativity of music and that it’s so offensive that they would not wish it upon their worst enemy. But let’s get one thing straight. Bands like brokeNCYDE, along with others like Dot Dot Curve:) (Another of my personal favorites, big fan of Spanky) Blood on the Dance Floor, the Millionaires, and Jeffree Star have brought rise to a kind of music that brings together two genres into one: screamo and rap. Now, don’t get me wrong, I find something inherently wrong with most of the rap scene that is active and thriving today, but bear with me. Crunkcore is a new vision. Back in middle school, I was a big fan of rap. I loved 50 Cent and G-Unit. I thought Ludacris was (and still is) fantastic. DMX was the man. And then I grew up and found a sound that was my own, that I loved. I am a diehard metal fan til the end of my days. And then I found brokeNCYDE. My roommate told me I was an idiot to listen to “shit like that.” That more than likely sparked me to investigate further. And what I found is I do love crunkcore. It’s an unholy and quite hilarious union of two types of music who would rather have nothing to do with each other. It incorporates the heavy and sick beats that I’ve come to appreciate from hip-hop and southern gangsta rap, with a few songs leaning more towards typical pop-ish dance beats. (And who is subject to finding themselves a bit of a toe-tapper to the occasional techno-trance song?) But the best thing to couple with these beats and typical rap lyrics about partying, drugs, and sex? SCREAMING. And lots of it. Sure, you have the occasional auto-tuned voice in there, but, all-in-all, it’s about the screaming, one of my favorite things about metal/screamo. I personally love playing brokeNCYDE or Dot Dot Curve for one of my unsuspecting rap-loving friends, just to see their reactions when the screaming hits them. And so, in honor of this love, I’ve decided to review brokeNCYDE’s newest album, “Will Never Die” (2010).
All I have to say is they toned back on the screaming in general, but it is by no means absent. The beats are far better in comparison to “I’m Not A Fan, but the Kids Like it.” (Although I do think the world of that album. It characterized my 2009.) Since I’m partial to the screaming, some of my favorites songs are “Always Go Hard” and “U Ain’t Crunk.” I love the ending to “Always Go Hard,” the screaming from Se7en and Phat J are fantastic. The album starts off well with “Dis Iz Rager Dude” and keeps up with the cleaner than “I’m Not a Fan…” lyrics, giving more of a wider appeal to those who wouldn’t dare let their kids touch these albums. “Shake” is a near radio worthy song with a typical rap beat that would be in any respectable dance club. As the album goes, one of the more anticipated songs that I liked from when they released it on myspace, “Teach Me how to Scream” starts well with the intro and definitely gives the message that brokeNCYDE knows they’re a crunkcore band and proud to provide a double entendre to prove that point. The synthesizer beats work well on this album for the singing parts, and the beats work well for the screaming. The album ends really strong with my favorite song, “U Ain’t Crunk,” the sick triplets coming together to provide the riff during the hook is fantastic, leaving the album with a bang and brokeNCYDE rides out with “Ride Slow” and “Sunshine.” All in all, this is more than I expected after I so thoroughly enjoyed their EP and first full length album. In the words of Phat J: “Youse a hater/Youse a hater/Sorry things didn’t work out in your favor.” Definitely a 11 out of 10, just cause I can. So here’s a bit of brokeNCYDE’s good shiz, if you’re interested. Here’s to the abyss.
reviewsfromtheabyss 