Immediately, one is struck by a certain nostalgia for the 00s’ sinister horror movie hip hop. Aesop Rock’s “None Shall Pass”, D12’s “Devil’s Night”, even the frequent collaborations of the time between hip hop stars and their metal counterparts, all that DNA is evident from the very first moody piano chords and Friday-The-13th-esque reverb chimes. There’s a focus here that benefits from those influences, laying out not only a professional soundscape setting to the horror flick, but some well-chosen diction that adds legitimacy and weight to the sense of unease.
It’s worth noting that a few lines could stand an additional layer of polish. Some land a bit awkward (bordering on silly) in the context of a song that is all about projecting a hunter’s keen confidence, mostly as a matter of cadence rather than content. Having said that, I did listen to a few other songs by this artist and it seems like this song is something of a stylistic departure for them, so I’m prepared to offer ample grace as they find their stride in this new niche, which I very much hope they pursue beyond this single.
As far as I’m concerned, T. Houze is a rapper worth keeping your eye on if you value a sense of curiosity and clear declaration of vision in your hiphop.
