In Death Reborn

Audio Mixer: Scott Stallone.
Recording information: Found Sound Recording, Philadelphia, PA.
Having set a personal record with four years off between releases, Vinnie Paz's loose supergroup/supercollective Army of the Pharaohs returns with In Death Reborn, an album that instantly feels wonderfully "old school" thanks to some major contributions from founding member Esoteric. That unapologetic, brutal dude attitude is in full force as "Midnight Burial" barks "I'm out to make a million/Kinda hard to do without pussies catchin' feelings" while late album killer "7th Ghost" creeps the graveyard and threatens "me peelin' your grill off the front of our Hummer truck" because that's what gas guzzlers were made to do. Production wise, lead single "God Particle" is a new kind of stomping electro hulk from Stu Bangas, while rappin' member Apathy does double duty and puts a funky, harpsichord-driven ghost dance beneath "Headless Ritual." Put it all together and this grim one is like the flying death ball from Phantasm, driven by the hunger for blood and totally focused on looking for a forehead to lodge itself into. Get hip to the best album in the Pharaohs' discography, then learn more about the gang's ghoulish ways by checking out other related releases from "The Pharaoh Season" of 2014, including Paz's mixtape The Flawless Victory and Apathy's album Connecticut Casual. ~ David Jeffries