Abominationz

To the untrained ear, it might seem that every album issued by Twiztid was inspired by hate, but Abominationz lives up to that press release claim, offering a more jagged and angry version of the horrorcore rap group's usual darkness. The pissed-and-loving-it vibe begins with "Bad Side," a swampy blues-rap track produced by Michael "Seven" Summers, who is as to Twiztid as Mike E. Clark is to Insane Clown Posse, offering a dark carnival's worth of studio tricks with production that's layered. Horror sound effects and other evil whatnot often provide the base under Summers' rock-rap beats, but he's versatile too, offering a simple electro-grind when mentors ICP join for the title track, giving fans their super team-up upfront without the clutter. As far as Twiztid as rappers, here they're as shameless and gross ("I'm unstoppable, like a HIV" plus plenty of references to murder, suicide, and bodily functions to enjoy) as ever, although the tempo of their delivery has steadily increased, making the Abominationz lyric sheet longer than previous albums. "Extension Chords" considers hanging oneself as an easy out to this wretched life, and "This Is Your Anthem" offers "welcome to a brand new hate" during its Kiss-like, stomping chorus, but negative attraction rap-rock doesn't usually come with so much life behind it, or so much sick wit. Even if it's overstuffed, the rap-rock power ballad "LDLHA-IBCSYWA" doesn't fit, and impressionable kids shouldn't come anywhere near it, Abominationz finds Twiztid delivering the hyped-up, hate-filled, horror-rap goods with plenty of punch and the grimmest of jokes. "Rep That Wicked," indeed. ~ David Jeffries