A straight-ahead, slapping snare with swelling guitar distortion flowing into a roiling, quick riff opens the album’s first track, “Electric Kool Aid,” from Slaves On Dope’s latest, Horse. Formed in 1993 by Jason Rockman and Kevin Jardine in Montreal, Québec, Slaves On Dope has been around, through ups and downs in their day, from signing to Ozzy Osbourne’s Divine Recordings, playing Ozzfest and SnoCore, suffering personnel changes, and record company dissolution. Now, 23 years after all the madness began for this band, they are back with their new album, Horse, featuring some stellar guest stars. “Freebasing” has some nice piano with plodding, heavy chords. I think this is the first track of real singing, a pleading, accessible love rock song that’s well delivered. “Script Writer” is the first of the 10 here to feature a special guest. Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels delivers his rap midway on this mid-tempo, rockin’, killer track and then again at the end. This is the very best of utilizing a guest to the fullest without simply relegating him to a shining, all-too-brief moment. Another wonderful lyric is delivered here (from McDaniels as well as the band), this time about where we are placed in the world and if we might have enough time to do what we need to do. “Codependency” (featuring Lee-La Baum) has a running down riff, and probably the best lead vocals here in its verses. It’ts a love/hate song, the lyric here are wonderfully nasty with Lee-La Baum’s sweet warble duet perfectly. I love how the singers here simply yell at one another near the song’s end to disappear. The big slicing high notes of “Disco Biscuit” end Horse. Slaves of Dope are back in a big way with this loud and brash undertaking, utilizing their guests, but are not overshadowed by them. Considered, strong song-making, impassioned delivery, and just simple hard playing makes this one stand out.