ZillaKami and SosMula, brothers at arms in the ever-expanding trap metal scene are back on the warpath as the unforgiving City Morgue on this ‘TOXIC BOOGALOO’ tape. Infamous for their cutthroat bars and corrosive live shows, consider them flag-bearers of a new generation; a dynamic duo that revels in reckless abandon.
‘TOXIC BOOGALOO’ moves at a breakneck pace across the tracklist, unlike previous projects that have provided what feels like breathing room. “THE ELECTRIC EXPERIENCE” is first up, a warning shot of sorts to what follows. There’s this menacing guitar riff laced throughout the track, it revs like a dull chainsaw, providing the perfect battleground for Zilla and Mula to trade shots over.
Lead single, “HURTWORLD ’99” is just as vicious now as it was when it dropped in July – arguably their best joint to date. “YELLOW PISS” is a ZillaKami led charge. “Life’s short, death’s long, so whatever” rains uncontested on the chorus as DMX-esque barking chews at the end of each bar — a fitting ad-lib for someone with the word ‘wardog’ tattooed on their throat.
Champion Thai boxer, Buakaw Banchamek, gets a nod on “BUAKAW”, yet another wild flurry, originally believed to be a 6ix9ine diss track. ZillaKami would take to Instagram to debunk this theory stating “not every song is aimed at someone”, which is odd given lines like: “I created your whole life, you baller call me “Papa”’ and “who told you to dye your hair and get all those face tats?”.
“YAKUZA” goes from 0-100, sounding like a nightmarish horde or hornets caught in a loop of extreme rage. Loyalty is the crux here, and the lengths one might go to show said loyalty using the Japanese Yakuza as reference. SosMula commandeers this track solo, his delivery only amplifies how batshit insane he is, even more-so than usual.
“ALL KILLER NO FILLER” doubles as both an album highlight and mantra for City Morgue on this project. Probably their most quotable cut, highlights include: “glock spread the oceans, separate your waves” and “Pour liquor, more liquor, heard you got them bricks, well, I’m a door kicker”. Classic nu metal listeners should be able to pinpoint the guitar riff from Flaw’s 2002 track “Get Up Again”.
‘TOXIC BOOGALOO’, overall, feels a lot like an EP versus a cut and dry LP, not to take away from the ruthlessness of what’s on offer. Will it possess longevity like previous volumes? This, remains to be seen. ZillaKami and SosMula clearly know how rally their base; expect diehard fans to flock to ‘TOXIC BOOGALOO’ like a moth to flame. 4/5
Kris Cook
RIDE MUSIC 