Brimstone Sluggers

The first collection of new music from the rap-rock/nu-metal crew in over a decade, The Brimstone Sluggers finds Crazy Town returning to their roots and dialing back the guitars in favor of a more alternative hip-hop approach. The years between 2015's The Brimstone Sluggers (the title is a nod to the group's original moniker) and 2002's Darkhorse haven't exactly been kind to the band, with their 2003 breakup and the death of DJ AM (2009), along with co-founder Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer's well-documented battles with substance abuse, contributing to their shrinking musical footprint. The 13-track LP stays true to the band's penchant for doling out brash, trope-heavy party-rap with hooks and Auto-Tune galore, and there's an expected yet refreshing current of self-reflection that permeates much of the album (something that could never have happened in 1999), especially on standout cuts like "A Little More Time," "Backpack," and "Born to Raise Hell." ~ James Christopher Monger