Out Of The Cage: “State Of Lunacy” Review

State Of Lunacy is the debut album by UK underground artists “Rhyme Asylum”. Rhyme Asylum for those of you who don’t know, consists of rappers: “Possessed”, “Skirmish” and “Pliskone”; The production is done (for the most part) by new-comer “Leatherface”. The album has been described as: “…what happens if you suffocate the Wu-Tang Clan’s collective vision with a straight-jacket.”, and thats an understatement to their brutal style.

This album is by no means for the faint of heart. Covering everything from brutal battle raps to being locked up in an insane asylum, this group doesn’t shy away from shock factor. The Instrumentals portray these topics perfectly, giving the blueprints for vicious war themes and in some cases, even sounding very dream like. There was not one beat on this album (with the exception of Multiplicity’s remix) that sounded lacking in any way; complimenting this is the groups incredible grasp of language and flawless use of multiple-syllable rhymes. Everyone in Rhyme Asylum holds their own (only ever slipping up a few times), with each member contributing their own unique style to the mix, dropping a ton of quotables that I’m sure many underground heads will be repeating for ages to come.

The track listing is as follows:

1. Explorers Of The Minds (Intro):
This is a gloomy intro, quoting a movie (I’m afraid I do not know the name to) with a dark melody playing in the background. This sets you up for the albums dark aspects.

2. Ground Zero:
This is what I consider the true opener for the album. It starts with Possessed, and the rest of the members jump in and out. Not as epic as the other tracks on the album, but definitely a good starter track. Demonstrates their styles perfectly, laced with battle raps and horrorcore themed rhymes. A perfect mood setter for a truly vicious album.

3. Straight Jacket Part 1, Featuring “Reain”:
Straight Jacket starts off with Reain, and what a perfect starter it is, coming with the “sure-to-be-quoted” line: “Create panic when I run a muck, I’ll punch your mug ’till my knuckles cut, with my straight jacket still buckled up!”, the battle raps only become more brutal as the song continues. Possessed and Skirmish also drop impressive verses on this. Possessed also having some notable quotes such as: “I’ll swing Excalibur with the stone still attached to the blade.” Quite impressive.

4. The Awakening (Skit):
Similar to the intro, this is yet another movie clip I don’t know the origins of. While interesting, it’s yet another “to get an understanding of this albums dark aspects” sort of filler that will do well for those who are looking for a “complete package”.

5. Lost:
Plisklone is the first to rap on this song, and he spits one of the most memorable verses I’ve heard in recent memories. Covering aspects of his life and additionally giving his social and political attitudes while lacing them with heavy multiples. This verse makes this track a stand out one amongst the already stellar selection of songs. Now, here’s where the song becomes hampered, Skirmish’s verse. Remember in the second paragraph when I had said: “the group only ever slipped up a few times”? Well this is one of those “few times”. Skirmish doesn’t flow nearly as nice as he does on some of the other songs, and he felt largely over-shadowed by Plisk’s standout verse.

6. Multiplicity:
This is the only track on the album that isn’t produced by Leatherface, instead being produced by S-Type. Regardless of the switch in producers, the instrumental still sounds amazing, having a playful approach with a dream like atmosphere, paving the way for some intricate battle raps such as Possessed’s starting verse, Skirmish following with an incredible flow and Plisk taking care of the chorus.

7. Smoke Screens and Pipe Dreams:
This track is more-so a “shout out” to stoner’s. To be honest, this is probably my least favorite track on the album, only because I’ve heard this sort of song on too many albums before. Yes the multiples are good, and yes the production is stellar, and by no means am I saying that it isn’t good. I’m just saying that the content itself seems like it’s been done enough times that I didn’t find this track to be anything overly fresh.

8. Unreasonable, Featuring “Diabolic”:
American emcee “Diabolic” makes an appearance on this track, dropping a more-then potent battle verse. With Plisk and Possessed following; Plisk dropping lines like “The horse whisperer, turning Pegasus to the dark side”, and Possessed dropping lines like: “When opportunity knocks I bang back with battering rams”.

9. Poison Penmanship:
This is a solo-track having only Possessed rapping on it. This is yet again another “standout” track on an already amazing album. I remember I once heard a notion towards a specific comedy style and how they tried to get “a joke every five seconds”, and I think this song drops a “punchline” in that same context, with consistent punch after punch.

10. Test Of Faith:
This song focuses on religion, with Plisk starting out first and again, dropping a notable verse. However, everyone (Possessed and Skirmish) spits just as well this time.

11. Stark Raving Mad Genius:
This song is about mental illness and being in an Insane Asylum, sounds like the sort of thing you’d get straight out of a horror movie. Every verse on this song I consider near-perfect, with everyone giving dark and depressing tones through-out their verses. Yet again – brace yourself for this one – another stand out track.

12. Attitude Problem, Featuring “Copywrite”:
Another vicious battle track, with many quotables, and another notable American Emcee is featured. However, I thought all of Rhyme Asylum was good on this song, yet I felt Copy was lacking compared to his previous outings. So in other words, the only low points of this track stem from Copy’s performance, he sounded slightly off beat and his punches were off-point.

13. Straight Jacket Part 2, Featuring “Reain”:
Following up from Attitude Problem comes another battle track. While not as genius as Part 1, this one does enough to hold it’s own; the beat is fast paced and sits very well with the rhyme delivery.

14. Holding On:
The beat gives off a more “depressing” theme, and Rhyme Asylum comes on this beat perfectly, with one of my favorite chorus’ from this album. I thought Skirmish however, stood out the most on this track with some truly nice quotables such as: “I don’t see sheep at night, I’m too busy counting my blessings”.

15. Shadow People (Skit):
Suprise suprise, another movie clip I don’t know the origins of. The beat used in this skit feels more like an outro.

16. Iller Instinct:
One of the best tracks on this album (I know, you’ve heard that a lot thus far). Everyone on this track has atleast three or four quotables, and the beat compliments this heavily. Another battle track, but again demonstrating the groups amazing grasp of multiples and heavy use of dark overtones. And I’ll say this a final time without any feeling of redundancy, not only a stand out track but a great way to finish off an already stellar album.

17. Multiplicity (Remix):
*As this is a remix, I will not consider it in my final evaluation and only regard it as an extra for the fans.

With stellar production, amazing lyrics and some of the most unique song ideas I’ve heard in awhile this album is near-flawless. While only ever slightly slipping, each track stays rugged and vicious, with it’s moment of emotional content. All the tracks work well together, creating a sort of “symphony” in it’s own right. This album will appeal to fans of early Wu-Tang and will definitely be on the play lists of Jedi Mind Trick heads. One of the most intricate hip hop albums I’ve listened to in the past year and it will continue securing a spot in my play list for months (even years?) to come. If you haven’t picked up this album, or even heard of this group, it should be one of your top priorities to get ahold of it.

9.5/10: This album has amazing production, a cast of genius emcees and tracks that are sure to please fans who enjoyed Wu-Tang or Jedi Mind Tricks. One of this year’s best albums, and it definitely deserves to grace your playlist.

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Posted by LostMoniker on September 17th, 2008 :: Filed under Out Of The Cage: Album Reviews
Tags :: battle rap, depressing, dope, horrorcore, out of the cage, recommended, rhyme asylum, state of lunacy
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