Czarface Meets Ghostface

by Ghostface Killah, Czarface

Overview

Comic-inspired hip-hop supergroup Czarface's 2018 collaboration with MF Doom was cool, but it was ultimately somewhat underwhelming, as the masked one just didn't seem to be fully committing to the project, and his presence felt phoned-in. Fortunately, the same cannot be said of Czarface Meets Ghostface. Everyone brings their A-game here, and it feels more like the type of intergalactic battle worthy of the Marvel-style cover art. 7L and Jeremy Page, billed as the Czar-Keys, construct inventive beats which are heavy, strong, and detailed, yet don't distract from the rhymes. The production is filled with tense, distorted basslines, haunting organs, and fuzzy '70s funk-rock guitars, along with dense collages of turntable scratches and sound bytes (particularly on "Powers and Stuff," which features an amusing montage of kids screaming out "Czarface!" and "Ghostface!"). The six-minute "Listen to the Color" progresses through several sections, switching the beat up a few times and steadily increasing the drama. Two of the album's best songs feature key appearances by singer Kendra Morris; she taunts "Don't push me" throughout "Iron Claw," while her haunting chorus elevates the horror during "The King Heard Voices." As for the MCs, Ghostface shows up right on schedule and immediately kills it, of course, but Inspectah Deck and Esoteric are just as powerful. All three of them are equally adept at delivering gripping narratives as well as razor-sharp lyrical attacks. Ultimately, the rappers' styles seem to complement each other rather than clash. Perhaps wisely, the album doesn't follow a concrete storyline, so there's no burden of having to conform to a particular concept (and no obligation to declare a winner or loser). It's just one rock-solid blast after another, each one showcasing the involved parties at their sharpest and mightiest. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	02/15/2019
Label:	Silver Age
UPC:	0706091000720

Tracks

1. Back at Ringside
2. Face Off
3. Iron Claw
4. Czarrcade '87
5. Powers and Stuff
6. Masked Superstars
7. Morning Ritual
8. Super Soldier Serum
9. The King Heard Voices
10. Listen to the Color
11. Mongolian Beef
12. [Post Credits Scene]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Czarface   Primary Artist
Ghostface Killah   Primary Artist
Andy Bauer   Drums
Joe Stratton   Vocals
Kendra Morris   Vocals
Josh Mac   Vocals

Technical Credits

Ghostface Killah   Lyricist,Composer
Inspectah Deck   Composer,Lyricist,Group Member
Esoteric   Composer,Lyricist,Group Member,Vocal Engineer
Jeremy Page   Producer
Jason Bitner   Vocal Engineer
Lamour Supreme   Cover Art
Caserta   Mixing,Mastering
7L   Producer,Group Member
Yuki Kaneska   Vocal Engineer
Alfredo Rico-Dimas   Design