Band/Artist: Twiztid
Release House: Majik Ninja Entertainment
Genre: Rap/Hip-hop/Metal
One Sentence Synopsis: 12th studio album from the demented duo.
Series: Standalone
Single/EP/Album: Album
Release Date: 4-26-19
Running Time: 56 Min
MSRP: $11.99
Discount Link: Click Here
Website: Click Here
Sample/Music Video: Click Here
Purchase Site: Click Here
Reviewed by: Reverend Leviathan
Final Score: 5.0 Moons (Out of 5.0)
Underground hip-hop duo Twiztid spent a year preparing their fans for the release of Generation Nightmare. With a number of singles hitting the digital media outlets, Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child showed their fans just how versatile they can be, and announced to the world that “we are the nightmare children.”
Theme
Generation Nightmare is pretty much a huge middle finger to haters, lyrically and musically. That message is pretty clear in “Don’t Be Hatin’ feat. Young Wicked.” A lot of anger, pain, frustration, and responses to haters are present throughout the songs. Compared to some previous releases this is probably one of their darker albums. No humorous skits or songs, except maybe “Role Models.” Fans also get a glimpse of the Venomous 5 (an upcoming supergroup feat. Alla Xul Elu) with the final track “V5-Strike.”
While Twiztid has always experimented with some songs having more of a rock feel to them, “Magic Spellz,” “Phlegm in the Windpipe,” “Siamese Amazement,” and “Wreck,” are some of the most metal songs they’ve done, with some amazing developments in their vocal abilities and the addition of their drummer Drayven Davidson.
Presentation
I’ve seen this album be described as Twiztid’s best album ever, and also their worst album ever. I definitely lean toward the former! It has been playing non-stop for a week straight. I keep turning it off so I don’t burn it out, and then I just end up coming right back to it! Me being a bigger fan of metal than rap, I absolutely love the metal songs on the album. “Magic Spellz” has become one of my favorite Twiztid songs. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to that and “Wreck” on repeat. Jamie and Mono’s vocals are amazing on those tracks and they definitely proved how versatile they are.
Rev and Twiztid at Attack of the Ninjas in 2018 (LEFT TO RIGHT: Drayven, Rev. Leviathan, Monoxide Child, Jamie Madrox)
If I may address this as well, a lot of the hate that I saw for Generation Nightmare came from people calling it their “sell-out rock album,” which makes absolutely no sense. First of all, only four out of the twenty tracks are metal. That’s literally twenty percent of the album. To judge the entire thing based on four songs is pretty ridiculous, and as I said before, Twiztid has had rock songs on previous releases, Mutant Vol. 2 being the most rock-based album of their discography. And did everyone forget that a purported rock album was announced within The Green Book? Fans were excited about it then! People are just creating reasons to hate now.
The layout, mixing and mastering of this album are great. I really like how they spaced out the metal tracks; you don’t get it all at once but just in between their more hip-hop oriented songs. They worked with a few different producers so you also get a nice mix of moods in the rap songs, and a mix of the rap and rock in “If It Matters What I Think Now.”
Closing Thoughts
Twiztid drops one of the most musically-devoloped albums of their career, controversial among the fan base, and a reminder to the haters that they will continue to do exactly what they’ve done since the release of Mostasteless: Whatever the hell they want.
Theme: 4.5 Moons (out of 5.0)
Presentation: 5.0 Moons (out of 5.0)
Gothic Fit: 3.5 Moons (out of 5.0)
Final Score (not an average): 5.0 Moons (out of 5.0)
May 11, 2019
Phlegm in the windpipe….Okay so if you can’t cough it out…you can certainly spit it out. From a hard rock vocalist’s standpoint, I am aware that those raspy notes can get a nasty phlegm. I saw both Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson “spit it out” several times at Ozzfest New Year’s Eve Bash 2018 going into 2019. I was in the third row so I could see very well and I wondered if those two rock stars have spitting contests to see who can spit the farthest because they were literally shooting them across the stage. The fast action film noir video works well with the well executed music. Speaking of executed, I heard Rob Zombie actually owns a real electric chair. Did you borrow it from him for the video? The two steampunk boys with the colanders on their heads is a hoot. Reminds me of a recipe I did for Yngwie Malmsteen for a MusiCares fundraiser. Anyhow, keep the tunes rollin’ and “Never Say Die”.
May 11, 2019
I hear a Jonathan Davis influence in the Magic Spellz song too. Heading over to your website to check out more.