Review
In 2020, Body Count celebrates its 30th birthday. What better way to celebrate than with an album? What better way to celebrate than with a really good album? Not much! Except maybe a failure of Trump in the elections, the end of racism, the end of police violence… in short, the end of the problems that destroy our world today. Subjects dear to Ice-T and his band but which should be dear to every human being on Earth. And what better way to talk about it than through music?
Since their return in 2014 with “Manslaughter”, Body Count has reminded the older among us but also taught the younger ones that Ice-T is not only an actor in New York Special Unit. No, he is first and foremost a musician. And if you like his acting skills, you’ll love his singing and writing skills!
A recurrent topic in recent years, not only in the hardcore sphere, vegetarianism and veganism are not concerned by the title of the album. Nor the carnivorous diet for that matter. No, it should be seen as a metaphor for the human being as a bloodthirsty, violent creature. As aggressive as ever in his lyrics, Ice-T has – fortunately – not grown old despite his 62 years. This record therefore deals with racism (The Hate Is Real), Trump and political problems (Bum-Rush), police violence, etc. Everyone takes a shot at him. Everyone gets a kick out of it. And of course, you couldn’t put a soft lullaby behind such strong lyrics. Which is never the case with Body Count anyway!
The 10 tracks (+1 on the bonus version) form a real 35-minute steamroller that goes by like a charm! Because, yes, this is one of the band’s best records. And the best of the band in the 21st century. From the first notes of the overpowering Carnivore to the finale of The Hate Is Real, there’s no shortage of moshing urges. Body Count’s crossover style has evolved with the times to offer a more modern and heavier sound than ever before.
Covers and guests have become a tradition for Body Count. After having released covers of Suicidal Tendencies in 2014 and Slayer in 2017, the Yanks have this time planned a tribute to a great man: Lemmy from Motörhead with a perfectly covered Aces Of Spades. As for the guests, there are three on vocals: Jasta from Hatebreed on Another Level, Riley from Power Trip on Point The Finger and Amy Lee from Evanescence on When I’m Gone. If the first two choices are not surprising, as Jasta was already featuring on the “Manslaughter” album, the presence of Amy Lee is much more surprising and unexpected. As is the track she appears on! The lyrics of this track were inspired by the death of Ice-T’s friend Nipsey Hussle, who insists on the fact that we should enjoy our friends and loved ones while they are still with us. Last but not least, a fourth guest is present: Mr Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer, current Suicidal Tendencies), drummer of two of the band’s three reference bands with Black Sabbath. He is present on the drums on two rather special songs since Colors and 6 In The Morning date from 1988, written at the time by Ice-T in a pure 80’s hip-hop style, and are here covered in Body Count’s style. A success with a capital R: at least for Colors because 6 In The Morning is only present on the collector’s version of the album and the vinyl. So you’ll have to wait until March 6th to hear it.
We feel Ice-T, Ernie C and their acolytes are more energetic than ever and this translates into an overpowering album that will be a milestone in their discography and that already claims a place in the top of the best hardcore-metal albums of 2020!