The Voices of Terror
Rock-Rap Dynasty
(self-released)

Roiling low menace with aggressive vocals, old school gangster rap ‘tude, some neato electronic rock rhythms and special attention to solid drumming make Mike Walker and Zero’s Rock-Rap Dynasty a cut above your usual.

“I Am the Beast” is a bash-ahead rap with again great drumming behind the rap and chorus keys. Tom tom and bash cymbal set up the rhythm to “The Old Gods,” a tune that quickly makes me feel like we are in Rage Against the Machine territory. There’s a real good commercial chorus here with clever lyrics, but I do feel it all just drives on a little too long.

I like the full-on funky keys and drum machine of “Problems”; it sounds slightly different than what came before it, as does the soft keys opening “Dynasty” though we soon get into staccato rhythms and the same sonic territory that has passed so far. The tease of this song’s soft opening makes me wonder how might these two handle music slightly slower and sublime?

“Save Me”  has the first real “lead” of any kind, a good mix of two voices (and great drums again) and the ender, instrumental bonus track, “Voiceless,” is a mix of plinky single-note key lead, slithering keys and bashing solid beat drumming; I really like this tune. It might be the best one on the whole album for me, proving a rap group doesn’t always have to be rapping to be effective.

You can listen to the album here.