Griz - My Evolution

You know sometimes you get a CD and it doesn't get reviewed right away, and sometimes it can be a good thing, and sometimes not. See what happens is sometimes you get a lot of work at once and cannot possibly get to it all at once which is fine sometimes, but sometimes you sear4ch the net and get some info or reviews written by others can give you a pre-conceived mental image of what to expect, and that can be a bad thing..... Suich was the case that happened to me with the new CD by former underground rap singer Griz' new CD My Evolution.

It started by simple seeing what others had to say about the CD, being compared to Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit and the like. Yes, Griz openly mixes rap and heavy metal together. This CD however does not fall in the same category as the afore mentioned bands, not at all.... Griz on My Evolution sounds more like a heavy duty hardcore rapper that simply adds some metal music and guitar heavy riffs to his sound. Griz does not deserve to be placed in the same category as the Nu Metal clones that are popping up left right and center. The fact is that Griz is first and foremost a RAPPER that happens to blend the heavy stuff in for more of an ambiance thing than a schtick, hey this happens to work...........

My Evolution works and works well when you accept it for what it is, it's when Griz tries to get into the un-chartered waters that the CD seems to fall short. This is most evident on his take on the brutal take on Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild" or his too close to Eminem cloning sappy "I Need Some Time", which comes close to working but falls short. It is when Griz throws his in your face brutality, anger and energy full force in your freakin' face that My Evolution really shines and comes to a sound Griz truly owns.

Yeah, Griz does come dangerously close to looking too much like a wrestler on the almost cheesy CD cover. Yeah, there are times when the heavy metal guitar riffs sound a bit overdone, but the bottom line is what follows. Griz comes at the craft with more charisma than most that attempt the metal-rap mix and doesn't leave the underground hip-hop roots he has in the past. The CD is aptly titled My Evolution, as Griz shows the style he has grown into as an artist. The real evolution here is hearing a metal-rap mix that actually works better than most that try, and most that fail miserably at the attempt to do the same. If Griz had stuck to the sound he has shown on tracks such as "Hardcore", "I Am The One", "Bang, Bang, Bang" or "American Freedom" and stayed away from the vain attempts at mainstream hip-hop or metal, this would have been a great CD, but with the few that haul the CD into the pit, this is a very good CD, just a few steps short of Great! Remember to know what you are getting into when getting the CD, and leave the comparisons out of the picture and you may be surprised at what a good CD you have on your hands! 

  ( 4.5 Axes out of 6 )

   Play MP3 Clip of  Griz - Hardcore

Play MP3 Clip of  Griz - The One

Compare Prices on GRIZ - My Evolution CD below!

Buy Griz - My Evolution @ Amazon.com $15.98 (USD)

Buy Griz - My Evolution @ TowerRecords.com for $14.99 (USD)

Buy Griz - My Evolution @ Buy.com $12.98 (USD)

Buy Griz - My Evolution at Collector's Choice Music $14.98 (USD)

Buy Griz - My Evolution @ JR Music World - $14.49 (USD)

Go back to the main Heavy Metal Reviews page