Music Reviews

Um… What?

I- I don’t even know where to begin… First off all, believe me when I say that there are 2 things in this world I love and those are trap metal and especially when ZillaKami is on the mic. But this… Something feels very wrong with this project. And I can’t really put my finger on what that is for some reason… I tried to pin-point the issue to 2 main factors though – first of all the choruses, how do I say this… They just don’t hit, not at all. I don’t remember a single hook from this thing not a second from it. The second reason I think this project doesn’t work is, well, ZillaKami himself. Don’t get me wrong, I wish nothing but the best for the guy and I loved his music thus far, but here he just delivers these really akward kinda safe hooks over what seems to be just looped guitars with trap beats that probably even I could make in like 5 minutes and it all just comes out really forced and mashed together. There are some stand-outs I guess, I like the song „Not Worth It“ no matter how melodramatic it can be, it at least isn’t another trap beat slapped over some mediocre guitars, it’s different, gives the record a bit of variety. Also that’s another problem not only with this song but so many god damn songs on this record – THEY ARE SO FRICKING SHORT. Like even for this genre’s standarts, where songs are usually shorter – these songs don’t go anywhere, because they don’t have the TIME to go anywhere. Also I was laughing my ass off when the song „Hello“ came on – that’s like the most lazy tribute to Nirvana I’ve probably ever heard, it’s comically stupid and uninspired, Post Malone did this s**t 3 times as good, even though admiteddly he did just covers, but I’ll take covers anyday over whatever this is. I DO like „Bleach“ with Denzel Curry though, that feels like legitematelly the only song that had some care and thought put into it. After that rare moment of clarity we go back to the pointless wannabe ragers that just don’t get any better nor memorable. That’s the thing, if these songs were like really bad, I would at least remember them, but they are not bad, just really mediocre and therefore forgetable and boring and that’s just not the level of quality I’m used to from ZillaKami and City Morgue as a whole. The either make Ws or here and there some Ls, but you are entertained the entire way through – here I was just waiting to hear something I didn’t the million times before that. „BADASS“ with Lil Uzi Vert seems to also be one of the more positively rated songs on the album and why exactly is that? Once again, the production barely gets a pass, the hook is somewhat better than the majority of this record I guess and Uzi does just alright – like what makes this song so different from the rest of them? The Denzel Curry cut at least had some uniqueness to it, this just blends together with the rest of thie songs on here. 5 songs left and I’m DREADING for this to be over – however the quality does pick-up somewhat on the song „Nissan Only“ where you immidiately hear that this song had some effort put into it. For the first time on this whole record I felt like I was listening to an actual ZillaKami song, instead of a parody of it. „Black Cats“ has a similar vibe to it like „Not Worth It“ does and they both are just a cut above the rest. However after this the album ONCE AGAIN remembers it’s trying to be as boring as possible and realising it almost made a good song throws a couple more non-tracks on us in the form of „dedgrl“ (which is honestly fine) and „FROSTY“ (which not so much, easily the worst vocal performance of the whole album and the emotional weight just isn’t strong enough to carry this song, I’m sorry), before closing with „Space Cowboy“, which I’ll admit, FROSTY leads to pretty well and this song… I’ll just say he definetly saves the best for last. Well I guess not the best, but definetly one of the better cuts here, for sure – I’m glad ZillaKami remembered how to make good songs again a shame that it’s only at THE END OF THE ALBUM.

*sigh* yeah, this was disapointing to say the least. It’s not bad and if you’re a die-hard City Morgue fan, you will definetly find some enjoyment on this album, but for me, this felt like a weird way to compile some random ideas Zilla had into a full half-baked album. Also this is all just my opinnion, you’re completely free to have a different one and honestly, if you enjoy this album, don’t let my trash-talking get to you, like all power to you for seeing the good in this album – but even still, I’m gonna go ask you to do one thing. Take ANY song of of this album and compare it to, I don’t know, like „DRAINO“ by City Morgue. You see what I mean now?

Strong 4/10