Review: Ghoul “Ill Bill“

Ghoul – ”Ill Bill” (Tankcrimes)

Creepsylvania horror metal band Ghoul team up with Brooklyn rap master Ill Bill for this split release that sees both artists unleash their deft skills to full effect. Both of these artists have huge underground followings and respect from their peers and while the pairing of Ghouls splatter tinged thrash and Ill Bill’s impressive lyrical flow may seem an odd mixture on the surface, they have a lot more in common than it first appears with their love of metal uniting both forces.

Whether as a solo artist or a member of underground rap crews Non Phixion and La Coka Nostra and especially Heavy Metal Kings with Vinnie Paz from Jedi Mind Tricks, Ill Bill has always been extremely vocal about his love of metal. From his days as vocalist and bassist with Brooklyn death metal band Injustice alongside his brother Necro (also well known for his rapping and love of metal) playing shows at legendary Brooklyn metal venue L’Amours with the likes of Obituary, Napalm Death and Sepultura to metal referencing tracks like Unathourised Biograpy Of Slayer, L’Amour East, Peace Sells and Paul Baloff as well as the remix to Non Phixions CIA Is Trying To Kill Me which features members of Deftones and Fear Factory, his metal credentials are more than impressive.

His rapping skill is even more impressive and he attacks tracks with just as much brutality as the heaviest metal bands. On this split, Bill teams up with returning long time rap ally Goretex for the creeping, Pentagram. This track sees both rappers spitting hard boiled and grimy New York street rhymes over a macabre beat

Ghoul come just as hard with their effort Splatterthrash 2: Thrash Damage. The spoken word intro references a hooded menace of a character sporting an Ill Bill t-shirt before the thrashing mania engulfs the speakers for a full throttle blast with a classic shout-along chorus, some gloriously deathly vocals and some berserk fretwork that demonstrates the fun but very brutal nature of Ghoul.

While the music may be different on the surface, these two tracks come from the very same place and sit perfectly side by side on this extremely enjoyable split that will satisfy both metal heads and hip hop heads extremely well.