CZARFACE and MF DOOM
Czarface Meets Metal Face


3.0
good

Review

by butcherboy USER (123 Reviews)
April 2nd, 2018 | 68 replies


Release Date: 2018 | Tracklist

Review Summary: same ol' good ol'..

From the smoked-out, ever-cheeky minds of MF DOOM and Inspectah Deck (along with 7L and Esoteric) comes Czarface Meets Metal Face, another apocalyptic cartoon that taps back into the group's deep-set love for speech balloons, onomatopoeia sound effects and rap's hazy halcyon days. The pointed nostalgia that both Deck and DOOM have been trading in in the 2010's is on full display on the record, their fourth, but instead of harkening them back into some gilded moment, here it does more to calcify and date them. The comic book subculture that the two grew up and on which they've based their personas has lost its 'sub' aspect a while ago, gaining both widespread prominence and a vast new audience. That streamlined tack has seemingly seeped its way into the LP, and though plenty of that satirical malice finds its way into the songs, on the whole, Czarface Meets Metal Face feels less a stirring clash between two stylish villains (and some evil cohorts), and more just a casual hangout caught on tape.

Sadly and surprisingly, it's DOOM who ends up being the album's weakest link. His flow always sported a sluggish unflappable edge, but here, it spirals on most every cut he takes on, and if before, his free and easy approach felt like a statement of style and a personalized pathos, nowadays he sounds beaten and plain beat. His exhaustion becomes painfully glaring in the face of the album's guest spots. On "Phantoms," DOOM mumbles his way through the first verse before Open Mike Eagle takes over with a fiery cluster of tiered and self-collapsing bars that leave the seasoned NY MC in the dust. Inspectah Deck is in markedly finer form and helps elevates cuts like "Astral Travelling," which even flaunts a DJ Premier-esque beat shift down the middle. Between Deck and the cameo artists, and DOOM occasionally showing that he's still got something room-temperature-like running through his veins (like the hi-hat heavy "Captain Crunch"), Czarface Meets Metal Face has enough going for it to keep the listener tuned in through to its end. Still though, and perhaps most disappointingly, there's nothing here to either shift hip-hop's current landscape or add another classic track or two to the artists' respective canons. In the end, all Czarface Meets Metal Face does is remind you that when misfiring, a throwback LP feels not like the lifeblood of able veterans showing what's what, but an hoary time capsule of better days past.



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user ratings (126)
3.3
great
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Comments:Add a Comment 
butcherboy
April 2nd 2018


9464 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

first rap review, methinks..

Papa Universe
April 2nd 2018


22502 Comments


so no Voidz from you?

cleanpeter
April 2nd 2018


121 Comments


you're aware that esoteric's on this thing too, yeah?

Rowan5215
Emeritus
April 2nd 2018


47992 Comments

Album Rating: 3.2

damn I was keen for this, nice stuff though butch



"minds of MF DOOM and Inspectah Deck" probably worth throwing 7L and Esoteric in here, seeing as they're regulars on the Czarface albums



"on full display on the record, their third" makes it sound like it's a third collaboration between Deck and DOOM, might be worth clarifying. (I think this is the fourth Czarface anyway, but I could be wrong)



good stuff otherwise

butcherboy
April 2nd 2018


9464 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Row - wasn't counting the instrumental album, though maybe I should..



esoteric is fucking awful, but I suppose should add him there.. hahaha



@Uni - maybe..



FIXED!

Rowan5215
Emeritus
April 2nd 2018


47992 Comments

Album Rating: 3.2

Yeah even without the instrumental there's three albums apparently. I must have totally missed A Fistful of Peril

TheFantasticDangler
April 2nd 2018


2059 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Funny, because I find DOOMs flow here fun and like the juxtaposition between it and the generally upbeat/whacky/sometimes eerie beats.

I like DOOM, but what holds me back from loving his stuff is hes not dynamic enough and his style wears on me, but here I have no problem. Could be because his verses are pretty spaced here

BlackwaterPork
April 2nd 2018


4390 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Nice review, this pretty much lived up to my expectations

butcherboy
April 2nd 2018


9464 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

cheers!

Jots
Emeritus
April 2nd 2018


7584 Comments


this was a snooze

Divaman
April 3rd 2018


16120 Comments


Way to stretch your horizons bb.

bloc
April 3rd 2018


70683 Comments


Agreed with the rating, wasn't impressed with this

TheFantasticDangler
April 3rd 2018


2059 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

found this pretty meh until the 3rd listen

Typhoon24
April 3rd 2018


2522 Comments


This ain’t bad, I like how doom sounds like his geedorah alter ego or am I the only one who feels that way

Inveigh
April 3rd 2018


26899 Comments


I like this a bit more than you, but review is great nonetheless. DOOM is unfortunately the weak link here, agreed. still a fun record. Deck was always the most underrated Wu member

DrGonzo1937
Staff Reviewer
April 3rd 2018


18508 Comments


sweet rev butch

AsleepInTheBack
Staff Reviewer
April 3rd 2018


10447 Comments


Great write up. Never much got the hype behind DOOM, but always been eager to try. Not sure this would help.

Dimorphic
April 3rd 2018


1390 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Did you... did you just review a Czarface album and give 7L and Esoteric a total of 5 words, 2 of which are their respective names? Damn, dude. Way to disrespect the Gods...

butcherboy
April 3rd 2018


9464 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

they're both second-rate mc's.. get better gods..







also cheers, fellows! Asleep, i'll throw together a quick playlist of DOOM's best (in my opinion) for ya..

guitarded_chuck
April 3rd 2018


18070 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

second rate lol



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