Mikahl Lawless – “Cult” review

Here we have the 5th EP from York, Pennsylvania rapper Mikahl Lawless. Introducing himself in the summer of 2019 off his debut EP Pen to Paper, he would go on to follow it up with Overture for the Ill & Broken Hearted as well as 13 & Kisses to Nowhere until Cody Manson made him a member of his Trife Life collective. Cody eventually introduced Mikahl to Scum, impressing The Gorefather enough to give him his own deal with Lyrikal Snuff Productionz & introduce himself as part of the roster on Gangri-La. Commemorating the 1-year anniversary of The Snuff Gremlin later this weekend, he’s ending LSP’s year by releasing Cult.

“Ash” starts with a trap metal intro talking about what‘s left of him being blackened whereas “Cold Snow” blends this cloudy backdrop & live drumming telling how he’s feeling on the inside. “Ghost” reaches the halfway point by throwing it back to LINKIN PARK’s earlier output while the title track embraces a synth-pop vibe singing to bleed out beside him. “Prey” shifts back in nu metal turf comparing himself amongst the hunted & the same can be said regarding the outro “In Absence”, singing about him wishing he found nothing.

Many of the previews sounded nothing like Gangri-La & The Snuff Gremlin whatsoever, which gave me the impression of Mikahl Lawless venturing out artistically throughout the duration of Cult & he does it well enough to the point where I can confidently say that it could be the boldest musical statement he’s ever made. The production’s more versatile exploring trap metal, nu metal & synthpop in addition to the horrorcore lyrics being primarily sung as opposed to rapped.

Score: 4/5

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ILLtemper – “Paxil Rose” review

ILLtemper is a 36 year old MC from Trevose, Pennsylvania establishing himself for over a decade within the underground wicked shit scene by releasing a total of 8 EPs & 10 full-lengths. He’s also notable for being 1/2 of the Even Heathens with King Gordy, who also make up 2/5 of the Wic Kids. For his 11th album however, it marks his debut for Lyrikal Snuff Productionz only a few months after the Heathens made their LSP debut with Handful of Cancel & had me hoping it would become an important statement amongst the rest of his solo output.

After the “INTROvert” intro, the 1st song “Stayed the Same” produced by J Reno somberly begins talking about being a lost one who was never found whereas the title track compares himself to Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose except he’s taking antidepressants. “The Used” by the Even Heathens hops over a bluesy boom bap instrumental talking about not ruining other people because you’re a cunt leading into “Pitch Blackness” admits to feeling like everything’s darkening around him.

Stir Crazy jumps behind the boards for the rock/boom bap crossover “Felt” taking a more heartfelt approach to the songwriting telling anyone who thinks he’s stronger than this would be sorely mistaken while “Losers” featuring Jakprogresso talks about always being failures swapping the guitars out for pianos. “Games” brings these Atari-like synthesizers with kicks & snares suggesting that Mario should stop saving the Princess while “Ain’t Right” advises to think twice prior to taking your own life.

“Unease” featuring Killator comes out the gate with a rock sample panicking like they’re looking at the current state of the stock market while “Nice Guy” talks about the nicest people dying alone over another rock/boom bap fusion. “Orange Bottles” heads for a summery trap direction talking about taking paxil anymore & after “In Your Eyes” suggests he should play hardball, “Dear Ronnie” finishes with a tearjerking open letter to himself.

It’s not something that I’ve publicly disclosed, but I personally have been taking Paxil ever since I was in grade school & hearing ILLtemper making a whole entire body of work dedicated to his experiences with it whilst likening himself as a rockstar makes his Lyrikal Snuff Productionz debut arguably the greatest solo effort of his entire discography. The production maintains the consistency of Handful of Cancel & ILLtemper conceptually takes us all on a trip into the world of mental health medications.

Score: 4/5

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Even Heathens – “Handful of Cancel” review

Even Heathens is a horrorcore duo consisting of Pennsylvania emcee ILLtemper & Detroit veteran King Gordy. Forming in 2021 off an eponymous full-length debut & the Horrorcore Stories EP, they would go on to put out a sophomore effort Unpleasant Never Dies & the Odd Gods trilogy until forming the Wic Kids with Donnie Menace & Grewsum respectively last summer. Signing to Lyrikal Snuff Productionz a few months ago for a 2-album deal, the Heathens are ready to make their debut for the label.

The first song “Dig” produced by J Reno after the intro made for a cavernously dark opener talking about not finding what you were hoping for going deep in their minds whereas the guitar/trap crossover “Canceled” addresses the topic of cancel culture, which Cormega called an abused power & he wasn’t wrong. Stir Crazy reunites with the Heavens for a rap rock sequel to “King” bringing that horror music to your speakers while “Choices” talks about choosing 1 of 6,000,000 ways to die.

Insane Poetry joins ILLtemper & Gordy on “You Think?” as a way of responding to those speculate they’re crazy over a boom bap instrumental with some vibraphones just before “Can’t Hide” replaces the vibraphones with pianos to talk about them being unavoidable. “Fear Us” blends boom bap & horrorcore lyricism together explaining why they should be feared while “Grime” featuring Nasaan & Seuss Mace finds the quartet cautioning not to disturb them.

After the shock value “Coby Gets Raped” skit, “Tu Weered” featuring Killator gets the trio together for a trap joint talking about how they’re uncomfortable to be around & the closing track “Lot Lizards” closes the Even Heathens’ debut for LSP with 1 more boom bap track with a bit of a funkier twist to it describing sexual relations with those exact type of women feeling reminiscent of Necro’s sex raps regarding the level of vulgarity.

Only halfway through the decade with 6 LPs & an EP deep, the Heathens introduce themselves as the newest members of Team Snuff by carrying on the Experimental Drugz series with their finest work together so far in addition to raising my expectations for their next offering under the saw & axe. Stir Crazy & J Reno both kill it with their shares of the production & lyrically, both ILLtemper & King Gordy are at their filthiest.

Score: 4/5

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Brothers of Chaos – Self-Titled review

The Brothers of Chaos are a west coast horrorcore duo from California consisting of San Jose emcee Chuckklez as well as Simi Valley singer/songwriter, rapper, producer, bassist, guitarist, audio engineer & music manager Freakshow. We recently got Chuckklez’ sophomore effort debut Horrors from the Unstable produced by DJ Ill Sprite this past winter, although it marked his debut for Lyrikal Snuff Productionz. However, he’s secured a separate label deal for him & Freakshow to properly introduce themselves to the Gore Hop universe with a debut EP in preparation of an upcoming tour run.

“Chaos” produced by Freakshow begins with a wicked rap rock intro talking about playing with an evil seance whereas “Sick Minds Think Alike” takes the boom bap route thanks to Zombie Aristocrats looking to leave corpses rotting in the sun. “Sonz of Darkness” samples “Fear No Evil” by Gimisum Family & Hollow Poynt displaying a back-&-forth chemistry while “STFU” featuring Bloody Ruckus sends a message to those who don’t know when to shut up. “Wanna Play a Game” references the Saw franchise & “Wicked Days” featuring Madopelli finishes with a west coast horrorcore heater that M.A.D. laced himself.

Chuckklez has already told The Gorefather himself Scum that he’d rather be a solo artist, but he wouldn’t mind being a part of a group depending on the person or people & how connected he is to them. The inaugural extended play from the Brothers of Chaos gives the underground wicked shit scene a glimpse of his magical chemistry with Freakshow, which has me hoping they’ll do an entire album down the line honing in on the standout beats now that the San Jose artist has been having more fun with his partner-in-rhyme than being by himself.

Score: 4/5

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M.M.M.F.D. – “Horrorcore” review

M.M.M.F.D. or Make My Muthafuckin’ Day is a horrorcore superduo consisting of Los Angeles, California wicked shit pioneer Cyco a.k.a. Insane Poetry alongside Denver, Colorado emcee & Lyrikal Snuff Productionz founder Scum. Introducing themselves off Random Acts of Violence as well as Unsubs & Butcher Brothaz, they would later begin the Deadly Drug trilogy with the 1st entry & the sequel Overdoze. Preluding the final chapter, they’re diverting from the concepts of both predecessors on their 6th studio LP.

“Then It Gets All Quiet” kicks it all off with a dark trap instrumental showcasing a back-&-forth deliver from both members suggesting to turn down the sobbing that only they can hear whereas “Monsters Among Us” works in some pianos talking about the inside of a book potentially being worse than it’s cover. “Devil’s Trident” featuring Smallz 1 finds the trio fucking people up with no mercy prior to “On That Sick Shit” keeps it wicked.

As for “Vengeance”, we have M.M.M.F.D. getting back on a trap vibe to get their revenge just before “Corpse of a Foe” heads for a boom bap direction suggesting that their enemies should’ve never tried to come at them in the beginning. “D.W.T.D (Dance with the Devil)” maintains a dusty edge to the beat telling everyone to observe them & Satans dancing in the pale moonlight, but then “Never Be the Same” talks about your chances of survival changing you forever.

“Brazen Bull” produced by Gibby Stites gets the 2nd half of Horrorcore started with another boom bap instrumental proclaiming that they’ve come to commit torture & the flames being hot while “In & Out” solemnly talks about punchin’ muhfuckas in the face in the middle of stab ‘em. “Soon” promises those being kept to rest will awaken & most will not survive while “Obey” brings a trap flare back to the table wanting a hostage to tell them what they know.

Hitting the final leg of the album, “2 Pumps & a Black Mask” assures they still have the Deadly Drug secured in a black bag & overdosing off the sick while “Let the Beasts Out” unleashes the demons from within to leave their opps hangin’ from a hook. “Head on a Spike” cautions their competition to stay away from them if they know what’s best & the closer “Stampede” puts the final nail in the coffin by talking about seeing only red.

Continuing to celebrate 25 years of Snuff, M.M.M.F.D. comes off this past Easter weekend by delivering what I consider to be the best offering from the LSP camp thus far this year & hope whatever they have planned to drop in 2025 maintains this caliber of gore hop. The production is generally a mix of boom bap & trap except the lyricism from the duo truly is Horrorcore at it’s purest in response to people now watering down the style & trying to pass it off as such.

Score: 4/5

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Madopelli – “Suffer Not Dishonor” review

California City horrorcore duo Madopelli back together again for their 4th studio LP. Consisting of M.A.D & Ant Dog, the pair have also gone on to drop a couple of mixtapes & EPs ever since forming in 2016. Their sophomore effort albeit Lyrikal Snuff Productionz debut No Bluffin’ proved itself to be Madopelli’s most refined work to date both lyrically & sonically to the point where they were instantly accepted within the Gorehop realm. The follow-up Stories from the Sanctum later resulted in both members making their LSP debut as solo artists with Sadistic Symphony & M.A.D (Me Against Death), coming off their feature on IOUz couple weeks ago with Suffer Not Dishonor.

After the intro, the title track is an uncanny opener talking about rather dreaming on than losing all their love for the game whereas “Breaking the Mold” samples blues music telling everyone listening to never give up the fight since it could be worse. “O.M.G.W.T.F.Y.D.” (Oh My God, What The Fuck Y’all Drinking?)” shows a more carefree attitude dedicating this to all the drinkers & after the “Descend into Madness” skit, “Save Some Time” dabbles with trap waiting for the rain to come down & wash them away.

“Murder Glow” aggressively breaks down their mission of getting LSP on top of the underground leading into “Bad Side” featuring Scum bringing the trio together for a skull-smashing trap metal cut talking about putting you out our misery once you’ve crossed the line with them. “Perfect Place” brings a regular trap flare to the table feeling like you’re gonna die while “This Life” sends prayers to the lost souls hoping they find peace.

Mikahl Lawless joins Madopelli on “Superstitious” stacking up dead bodies on the 13th floor talking about everyone who’s said the trio has always had an irrational belief or practice that is based on magic or chance rather than reason & prior to the outro, the final song “Really Mid Faces” rounds out Ant Dog & M.A.D.’s first body of work together in a year & a half.

Both halves of the duo spent 2024 focusing on crafting the finest solo efforts of their careers last spring with their respective LSP debuts & 10 months later, they’re linking back up to drop off their 3rd album since signing to the Gorehop powerhouse & reaffirming their ever-rising status as one of the biggest acts on the label. The production draws from trap music to trap metal, sampling blues music & hardcore hip hop bringing the type of wicked shit that’ll make the squeamish suffer.

Score: 4/5

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Scum – “IOUz” review

Here we have the 16th studio LP from Denver, Colorado emcee & Lyrikal Snuff Productionz founder Scum. Starting as a member of an experimental grind/noise band called Down Syndrome about 29 years ago, his solo debut Enter the Asylum just turned 20 this past winter & has outdone himself plenty of times since. Case in point: The Gorefather, Out with the Old & recently his 3rd EP Bad Uncle fully produced by Chapter 17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer Devereaux. I also found myself enjoying the previously mentioned Dyin’ World Chroniclez trilogy of course too & paying off some IOUz almost 9 months since Anti-Human.

The title track featuring Smallz 1 starts with this grisly trap intro paying up & making a deal with the devil whereas “Not Us” apocalyptically talks about representing the outcasts of the outcasts. “On My Behalf” brings back the trap vibes showcasing his bilingualism rippin’ the mic in both English & Russian respectively during his verse prior to “What I Want” featuring Rysk suggests you’d already be dead if they wanted you gone.

“Snuff Lab” offers a heinous trap flare instrumentally morbidly breaking down his murderous tendencies & saying that Jesus hung up on y’all while the ghostly boom bap joint “Tell Me” featuring Our Inner Circle asking if there’s something you haven’t told them yet. “Skeet Skirt” keeps it in the basement slaughtering anyone trippin’ leading into the sample-driven trap cut “Neva Good Enough” featuring Chloe Killz talking about that very feeling.

As for “When That Bill Due”, we have Scum on top of these ominous synthesizers to talk about revenge never being too late just before “Free 2 Rot” featuring Mista Doesha clarifying that they’ll probably never live up to the expectations of others. “Blown Off Heads” cloudily discusses headless corpses literally being unable to speak with police, but then “Whatever Awaits” featuring Madopelli & Mikahl Lawless returns to the boom bap heading towards what’s on the other side.

“Necessary Evil” gets the encore of IOUz going on a villainous trap note reassuring the fact of every story needing a villain while “Reburn” by M.M.M.F.D. energetically talks about pyromania. “Giving Up” ties up the Gorefather’s first body of work in 9 months feeling as if there are heavy chains attached to his legs getting ready to go for a swim off the edge a cliff & the chances of surviving being very slim.

Apologizing for being less professional & on point from time to time than everyone else deserves, the LSP founder has a reached a point where his life-long tab is due for a payment & IOUz is the best way he knows how to do it. All profits from the limited run of persobalised & signed physical copies will be donated to a non-kill animal shelter owing them too since as an animal lover & not doing as much as he should to help.

Score: 4/5

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Mikahl Lawless – “The Snuff Gremlin” review

This is the sophomore effort from York, Pennsylvania rapper Mikahl Lawless. Signing to Lyrikal Snuff Productionz a couple years ago, he made his full-length debut a few months later with Gangri-La & shortly after teamed up with MC Welchs for a collaborative EP called Carnevil. However to celebrate with the 2 year anniversary of his record deal, it makes absolute since for Mikahl to celebrate by unleashing The Snuff Gremlin on Friday the 13th & have it coincide with labelmate Chuckklez’ own sophomore effort Horrors from the Unstable fully produced by DJ Ill Sprite.

“Maybe Another Life” is this trap intro flexing that everyone wants a piece of the demonic spirit within him & losing all reason whereas “No Angel” talks about embracing his demons & asking for strength in the flames he’s feeling. “Hit the Deck” fuses trap & gangsta rap advising to drop to the ground as he lets shots ring out from his heater that is until “Let It Go” embraces the trap metal sound hoping y’all see the other side after tonight.

Scum joins Mikahl on “When I Think About It” coming clean that it excites them when thinking of some day reading of a couple people that they wish death on getting what’s coming to them just before the dejecting “Finding Distance” admits that he doesn’t feel like people want to get to know him. The anthemic title track aggressively represents his crew for 2 & a half minutes leading into the sample-driven “After Everything” saying that if he has to take a soul, he’ll go there.

“Kreepin’” brings back the trap metal vibes assuring that you’ll be purified through the flames of Hell itself & catchin’ him lurkin’ through his hood while “Relationship A.D.” takes 125 seconds to talk about his murderous tendencies. “Dead” mixes elements of rage & horrorcore in an interesting way teaching that sometimes blood has to be spilled to find your footing while “My Haunted House” talks about The Wraith carrying him from all his pain.

The song “Smiley” pushes further towards the encore of The Snuff Gremlin by giving everyone a dose of the very psychosis that he so happens to suffer from while the cloudy penultimate track “Low” talks about being persecuted like no other when he used to represent the confederate flag & Insane Clown Posse had a highlight on their debut album Carnival of Carnage called “Fuck Your Rebel Flag”, but I digress & mean absolutely no disrespect by mentioning that. The closer however “Bleed Out” ends on a trap metal note justifying his demons.

Some in the underground wicked shit scene are reasonably quick to dismiss Mikahl as a juff for the whole rebel flag thing & even putting that aside, I was still open-minded enough to go into The Snuff Gremlin expecting to get a better understanding of who he is artistically & I can say that there are improvements over his debut. The production’s more versatile whether it be trap, trap metal, cloud rap & a hint of rage to suit the horrorcore & gangsta rap lyricism that the east coast artist delivers.

Score: 3.5/5

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Chuckklez – “Horrors from the Unstable” review

Here we have the sophomore effort from San Jose, California emcee Chuckklez. Emerging on Halloween of 2018 with the full-length debut A Mind of Evilness, he would later sign to Lyrikal Snuff Productionz & I even got to meet him in person at Fright Fest a couple years back. For his official LSP debut however, he’s tapping in with DJ Ill Sprite to produce Horrors from the Unstable in it’s entirety & putting it out on Friday the 13th to coincide with labelmate Mikahl Lawless’ own sophomore effort The Snuff Gremlin.

After the intro, the first song “Welcome to the Carnevil” is a grim trap opener giving y’all a glimpse of the horror show whereas “The Eater of Worlds” further emphasizes a heinous atmosphere instrumentally making people’s blood curl with the sickness. “Bloody Chainsaw” gives me a bombastic trap vibe to the beat likening himself to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre antagonist Leatherface just before “I See Dead People” featuring Razakel finds the 2 unable to get the images of corpses out their heads.

“A Scary Story” keeps it going by admitting that the sins of his life feel like they were ripped right out of a horror flick surrounded by hatred & vengeance while “Don’t Sleep” heinously talks about everyone looking at a bastard of 100 maniacs promising to reveal who the real face of horror is. “Furious & Dangerous” has some cool Memphis undertones simultaneously experiencing feelings of both fury & peril, but then “Gore Hounds” featuring Doc Gruesome & Donnie Menace goes trap metal comparing themselves to vicious dogs.

Sinizter joins Chuckklez on “Let the Bodies Burn” screaming over trap production that he wants to see all y’all go up in flames after throwing a molotov while “Murder All the Time” pulls from trap metal once again talking about going on killing sprees. “The Last Laugh” is this organ-trap hybrid flexing the very thing that he gets in the end while “Darker Side” featuring Kung Fu Vampire finds the 2 talking about how they’ll never see it coming when the darker sides of themselves get reintroduced.

“Going Mental” angrily boasts that he’ll murder any instrumental that comes his way while the bass-heavy “Possessed Mode” featuring Bloody Ruckus talks about being possessed by demons. “Crime Scene” featuring VLNC is another trap metal cut with them catching bodies while “Hell’z Bells” takes us a trip to the fiery depths of eternal Hell itself. “Nameless Grave” ends the LP with a 5 minute closer pleading his headstone to be left nameless to hide his shame.

The LSP roster has been experiencing an exponential growth in recent years & Chuckklez’ follow-up to A Mind of Evilness surpasses it’s predecessor by amplifying everything that makes him right at home with the Denver gore hop powerhouse. DJ Ill Sprite’s production is a refinement of the San Jose emcee’s debut 6 years ago, the features are mostly on point & Chuckklez himself puts his Horrors from the Unstable on full display.

Score: 4/5

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Heaven & Miztica – “Deathpression & Inhumanity” review

This is a brand new double disc collaborative album from Russian duo Heaven & Miztica. One of whom was already established within the European horrorcore scene by putting out a couple EPs alongside a full-length album as part of his solo discography in the early/mid 2010s & the other happened to be his close friend, music partner, a multi-talented vocalist & a highly skilled tattoo artist. Heaven sadly passed away in September 2021 due to COVID-19 complications & Scum signed the duo to Lyrikal Snuff Productionz exactly a year later, making them the label’s first international act. Deathpression & Inhumanity were later clarified to be Heaven’s final works, which made even more since when Miztica signed to LSP as a solo artist this spring.

“The Farm” starts in the form of this Hellish trap metal opener talking about the reason why both of them are alone whereas “Sorrow & Sadness” featuring Jakob Shaw finds the trio taking the boom bap route instrumentally discussing the only 2 things they have in this world. “On My Own” goes full-blown nu metal to talk about doing things themselves just before “Anger” fuses trap metal with nu metal showing off some angst.

As for “Close Your Eyes”, we have the duo returning with a nu metal edge with some hardcore rap verses leading into “Do Me a Favor” featuring Suburban Noize Records g-punk band (həd) p.e. gets everyone together for this killer rap rock/nu metal crossover throwing it back to the early 2000s. “Let Me Try” chaotically tackles the theme of death while “Where Are You?” sings about wanting to be remembered.

“No More Hell” works in some heavy guitars advising not to look at either one of them in the face since they’re ready to fly & the closer “While My Flame Burns” properly ties off the collaborative 2-disc experience with this heartfelt rap rock ballad that would not only make Heaven proud of, but Sick Jacken lays the best feature for the end on top of it.

In contrast to most of the artists on the LSP roster being known for putting a boom bap & trap spin on the horrorcore subgenre, Deathpression / Inhumanity sticks out as something completely unique blending trap metal with nu metal & rap rock during the span of a 2-disc body of work clocking in it a little over a half hour doing Heaven’s legacy justice & sparking interested in Miztica’s solo career going forward.

Score: 4/5

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