The wonderful month of January has rolled around (and pretty much come and gone again). With the start of yet another year, and everyone back to work, enduring mundane Mondays and living for the weekend, is officially here again. Worry not people, there is a beacon of hope, peaking its sadistic way straight to the foreground. Failed new year resolutions are a thing of the past, Ramson Badbonez new album is for the future. The cob webs are well and truly blown away!
The haunted house has been reopened. The hockey mask picked up, dusted down and Badbonez isn’t here to play games. Mic Day the 13th drops on 31st January through High Focus records. The horror infused Hydra has got the world in his sights and a meat cleaver of punch lines in hand. So strap in, and prepare yourself for another trip through a possessed lyrical masterclass.
The resurrection of Jason Bonez has come less than a year since the self titled ‘Jason Bonez’ dropped in May ’18. From that point, I believe it’s safe to say we were intrigued by the idea and wondered how far Ramson could take the character. The next episode in the story for Bonez has seen the formula dissected and improved from the bottom up. The concoction keeps your head bouncing, whilst still keeping the mounting fear that Jason Bonez, might just be around the corner (remember to lock your doors).
We knew the lyrical theme would be similar; understandable with it being a continuation from a previous concept album. The big reputation of being a slick wordsmith has grown since his debut 8 years ago and furthermore solidified by MD13th. After the instrumental intro track of ‘Jason’s Journal’. A marauding escapade of witty punch lines and gritty beats begin.
An improvement on the previous record in every aspect. A tighter selection of beats, show the maturity level has significantly increased. MD13th beats are courtesy of top producers, with Illinformed, Jazz T, Skeleton Key & Mark Fear Beats creating a perfect platform for Bonez to massacre each track.
Bonez welcomes all brave enough back, attacking the first track ‘Haunted House’. High intensity from the start, although, very clear the MC is casually easing you into the onslaught that takes place over the rest of record. Tracks 3-6 showcase this and should be considered the show pieces of the album. The chilling beats, the cruel word play. All unbelievably on point. The first released single, named ‘Sticks & Stones’ hits with the chorus “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but every word from my journal will certainly murk you.” Well Bonez… they definitely do.
Each track possesses something unique for the album without altering the foundations. From the manic machine gun assault on ‘Weirdos’, to the twisted stuttering flow on ‘Stuttering Psychopath’. To throw a track down with a flow centred around stuttering, and still kill it, is no easy task. Confidence in his ability is soaring with an individual take on story telling. ‘Halloween Rap Regime’ smacks you in the chops next. “Cut veins, make a blood stain, of hombres on stage for the chump change, fuck fame”. ‘Bonez disregards anyone who would try to come at him.
For every music artist, they will always want an album to be a continuation and improvement on their skills. MD13th does this 12-fold. Extremely tight production throughout laying a perfect canvas for Bonez to display his creativity. More accessible than his previous album; another sinister effort from Bonez.
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