Four years off and the collective's rotating door for members has spun once again, as beatmaker Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind has rejoined and rapper
Jus Allah has left the 2015 edition of
Jedi Mind Tricks. Rapper
Vinnie Paz and DJ Kwestion remain constants, as do grim song titles, with "Poison in the Birth Water" and "The Kingdom That Worshipped the Dead" being runaway favorites.
Paz's gruff voice and doom-filled lyrics fit perfectly in this atmosphere, and Stoupe's return is felt in the crackle and stomp of highlights like "Hell's Messenger."
Dilated Peoples,
R.A. the Rugged Man, and
Eamon top the album's well-chosen guest list. ~ David Jeffries