Aftershock: CREATING SILENCE

AFTERSHOCK:  “CREATING SILENCE”

I’ve been sitting here contemplating how to start this review off, as there is too much that goes on in my confusing mind to be able to organize and lay out in an orderly fashion my view of Aftershock’s new album, “Creating Silence.”  So I’ve decided to just dribble some shit about the album, and hopefully not flap around all over the place too much.  If you don’t know already, Aftershock consists of 2 young and talented artists, Mysc and Blunt, 2 individuals with completely different styles of writing, microphone presence and delivery, yet somehow they fit together like 2 peas in a pod, if one of those peas were little, and one was a big juicy one!  With cuts by a Perth favourite, Rob Shaker, and mastered by Maali The Haunter, the album is a great added addition to my Aussie Hip Hop collection.

The flow of the album and track order was consistent and done well, and in general Mysc and Blunt do a great job in allowing you to see their personalities, thoughts, passions, attitudes, struggles – whether past or present, the pain they’ve encountered, and their sense of humour just to name a few. Honestly, I thought that the whole album is tight, with a little something for everyone.  I got my favourites and my not so favourites, but all in all as a whole it’s a well rounded production.  Aiight, LET’S GOOOO…..

To me one of the most important things on an album is the opening track, and as soon as track 1 “Rebirth” kicked in while I was drivin in my pimpin’ gangsta hard hittin Toyota Yaris, I was already anticipating the tracks there after.  With a bangin beat, that you can’t help but break ya neck too, Mysc comes in welcoming the listener to what’s to come before beasting the microphone.  Mysc comes hard with a tough delivery, witty wordplay and punch lines, some you might miss until you’ve listened a few times, with quotables like  “Motherf*cker I’m a rare production / I’m not afraid of you – even though I’m scared of nothing!”  When Mysc finishes his verse the cuts by Rob Shaker are vicious, fitting perfectly, before the heavy voice of Blunt kicks in, which at first sounds a bit off and corny, until you realise that it’s just the way he exactly delivers most of his pieces, almost as if he has to warm up before putting the pedal to metal as he delivers his quirky bars, clear enunciation, and one of the few artists I’ve heard who loves to emphasise phrases in a way to make sure you don’t miss his point, example - “It’s harder to speak after a carton of Beam / and flossin aint shit when you’re missin half of your teeth / fuckers you’ll see caskets before you see me startin to beef / cuz I don’t believe in harming the weak.”  Great opener.  

“No Substitute” follows after “Rebirth” – and the beat is on some mellow Beastie Boys lounge room shit, smooth, silky almost.  Blunt starts the track off with his lazy laid back flow, while Mysc delivers his words in a steady paced rhythm.  Basically, there is no substitute for these 2 dudes!

“Here We Come” – featuring Intelekt, Hunter (Never Forgotten) and Porsah Laine.  Firstly, this track deserves nothing but respect for one of Perth’s lost Hip Hop soldiers, Robert Hunter, nuff said.  Intelekt kicks in with the intro, and delivers an excellent bombardment of grammatical flavour, kid got skills, while Porsah Laine is slammin down one of her beautiful hooks, and in between is Hunter, Blunt, and Mysc doin what they do, when they do, what they do.  Word.

“Too Suave” and “Free Bullsh*t, P*ssy Sold Separately” give you an insight to the comical yet twisted mind of Aftershock, as Blunt delivers some hilarious bars and paints a funny ass picture for you in “Too Suave”, whereby taking on the persona of Hugo Suave, the title says all, afterwards both Mysc and Blunt bring nasty back with “Free Bullsh*t, P*ssy Sold Separately.” 

“On My Way” – Blunt possibly delivers one of his best verses of the album on this track in my opinion, not necessarily content or wordplay, I think it’s because Blunt let’s the dog out the cage for the first time on the album, unleashing a faster paced flow, fitting perfectly with Mysc and both complimenting each other.

“Silent Surrender” to me kind of sounds like the current soundtrack to Mysc’s life, opening up his journal of struggle -  inviting the listener to empathize with a broken heart, being the odd one out, participating in self destructive entertainment, and simply fumbling through obstacles which lay in his path.  An excellent track – Mysc display’s some ill internal rhyming and wordplay!

Ok, so, I’m in a great mood, and I’m ready for some sharp, dark, monster type of shit when “Midnight Mindstate kicks in featuring Sever.  The beat is F*CKING fantastic, and Rob Shaker’s cuts make it even better, Blunt hauls in first, paving the way for Sever, who, if I may note, chews the shit out of this beat with his mic presence, swinging bars to knock anyone’s head off, followed by Mysc who puts the cherry on the top.  This is a definite repeater, and with too many quotables to mention from all 3 artists, I’ll just say this, “Now my pants are so baggy cuz I belt c*nts!”  HA!

“Send Me To Hell” featuring Bitter Belief.  The 3 artists put down some truth, touching on their own failures, failed relationships, giving us a bit of the dark side of Aftershock.  The only criticism I have on this track is how it ends, it just….ends.  It kinda threw me off, but still dope none the less.

“Home For Now” – A dope little ditty of heartfelt down to earth realism, the struggle of finding a place to settle, physically, spiritually, mentally, whatever, almost as if both MC’s decide to let the listener in on their own self contemplation, from the struggle of Blunt’s mother working 2 jobs when he was 13 to pay the rent, whereby he also helped out, to Mysc living in the back of a car for an unknown amount of time, however both keep movin on.

Any artist, if honest with themselves, know that any track where they decide to really open up and let the public hear what is really inside their deepest canyons of the soul, is somewhat scary and risky.   I think “Hidden In Plain Sight” by Blunt is one of those tracks, and it’s f*cking fantastic.  Wheeeeewwww….the track gave me the chills, and is probably one of my favourite songs from Blunt.  The picture is clear, the struggle in keeping relations with his brother, the death of their father, and the unconditional love Blunt has, just crazy and real.  I’ll keep it at that, and thank you Blunt for sharing, great song, mad respect.

On a happier note, “The Silver Lining” is probably the anthem track on the album for me, even my contemporary rock/blues and blue grass music fans of a friend loved the song.  The song will take you back to the days of downing bags of that disgusting goon juice, the box of Coolabah you got for 10 dollars, that you paid for with 5 and 10 cent pieces you found on your bedroom floor, in your car, and ya mates pants pockets while he was sleeping.  You can mix it with orange juice, pineapple juice (you know you have!), and it still taste like shit.  You wake up feeling like a camel took a shit in your mouth and kicked you in the head while you were sleeping, yet there’s no doubt that you will drink from the silver pillow of madness again – “GOON BAG GOON BAG!”  The song is a crack up and you will be singin along with it regardless.

“Closed Deal” featuring Complete – just a raw little tune where all 3 artists claim bragging rights and Complete complete’s the song with an excellent finishing touch – “yeah my Nike’s are bloodstained but I bleed from the wrist” – Too late to turn back! 

“Dead Shark” is a great metaphorical rhyme about broken love, about that fish in the sea you caught, then realized it was a “dead shark.”  Mysc delivers the track solo, with a catchy hook, saying what many of us have dealt with.  “She loves me, then she loves me not – She wants me, then she wants me gone…”

“Dope As Fuck II” featuring Down South Crew, tear up a dope little beat that will have you smiling, following every word from all MC’s, again with some excellent cuts by Rob Shaker, the track is dope as fuck too….HA! 

As the album comes to a close, the ending track is “Silence of The Stands.”  If you got some good subs in ya ride, it’s well worth cranking at the lights next to that old lady who frowns at anyone born after 1942.  A well picked finishing track, “One day one day I’ll stop sayin one day” sums up the track for me, as both MC’s are letting us know that they owe nobody nothing, and they will silence those who oppose or doubt their goals. 

In summary, the album is full of emotion, passion, hard work and honesty.  Both Blunt and Mysc deliver powerful verses and excellent lyricism, some tracks more than others.  All the hooks to the songs fit well with the mood of the song, pace and content.  I feel a bit more attention to detail was needed in the volume and sound levels, which were somewhat off balance on certain tracks, however very minor but noticeable.  I will note that every artists Aftershock had featured on Creating Silence brought their skills, not one faltered in their delivery or mic presence, and each complimented the track they were on.  I will be brutally honest and comment on the album cover itself, and I’m just being an anal koont here, but I don’t like it.  I think a better picture, or graphic could’ve been used.  I’m no visual artist expert, but the photo looks b-grade corny compared to what you hear from the actual content of the album, which is dope, and unfortunately people do “judge a book by it’s cover.”  I think the picture could’ve been on the inside of the sleeve, but not as it’s main feature for the album. 

All in all, this album will continue to be on my play list.  I believe with age and maturity, like any skill or occupation, Mysc and Blunt will only continue to get better, fine-tuning their styles to a point of precision, and I don’t think it’ll take very long.  Both MC’s have clever punch lines, witty simile’s, metaphor’s and synonyms.  Blunt’s laid back baritone flow and comical deliveries combined with Mysc’s serious, energetic flow and flexible delivery, internals and multi’s, make for a great little gem to the collection.  The quality overall was done well, and Rob Shakers cuts definitely add spice to certain tracks that may otherwise be a bit plain in regards to music.  At the end of the day everyone who participated in this production put heart and soul into it, a proud result for Aftershock I’m sure, dedicated to the memory of Robert Hunter, one who will be missed in the Perth Hip Hop community.  Respect. 

In case you give a shit, and for something different, my top favourite’s of the album are:

Rebirth

Here We Come featuring Intelekt, Hunter, and Porsah Laine

Midnight Mindstate featuring Sever

Send Me To Hell featuring Bitter Belief

Silence of The Stands

Honourable Mentions:

Silent Surrender

Hidden In Plain Sight

The Silver Lining

Closed Deal featuring Complete

Dope As Fuck II featuring Down South Crew

Thank you to Aftershock for the privilege to review the album, for sharing your music, your feelings, thoughts and passion with PerthUnderground.  You can download Creating Silence here -  Aftershock – Creating Silence

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