"Eooo! Serenity from here has been banned..."

Serenity, indeed. In this short album from 2007, the rapper from the Roman collective Truceklan doesn't exude much of it. After all, in this "Roman Invasion" of harsh rap, angst and squalor are common denominators. Metal Carter is the rapper closest to the mainstream of Italian rap; it's no coincidence he's collaborated with Fabri Fibra on the track "100 modi per morire" (the album is "Bugiardo"). And with just a superficial listen, you can understand why: his songs are mainly based on pop, with catchy choruses that stay in your head, comprehensible and sometimes amusing lyrics with some absurd twists, even helped by a generally slow and well-articulated flow (despite the occasional Roman drawl that pops up).

Metal Carter is a straightforward guy. Listen after listen, you realize how he doesn't get lost in unnecessary embellishments. Metal Carter doesn't like this squalid society, sure, but he wallows in it with a sick pleasure attributable to the traumas that, as he often reminds us, have followed him since childhood (see the "single" with video "Nella mia mano"). The themes, in the end, are the recurring ones of this new genre, which online is dubiously called "Death Hip Hop," namely: death, drugs, violence, abuse, childhood traumas, rapes... Therefore, don't expect "conscious" rap. Here there's no condemnation but only shouted resignation.

Listening to this album, it does quite well, flowing smoothly without anything truly jarring our eardrums. In fact, Carter's tough flow combined with bare but ultimately original beats (not the usual slapdash and boring drum 'n bass) provides pleasure especially over long distances. A rap that from a purely sound point of view is quite (relative to hip hop, pay attention) easy-listening. Quite different from the much more violent rap of another group member, Noyz Narcos, who appears in some tracks here.

In conclusion, a nice little album. It won't shake your spirits but will definitely please your ears and, at times, make you smile. Well done, Metal Sergeant!

And now: "Who hates Metal Carter! Seh! Seh! Step forward without making scenes. Who hates Metal Carter! Seh! Seh! Have the courage to face off!"

Tracklist

01   Vita? (00:00)

02   Truceboia (00:00)

03   Nei Mie Occhi (00:00)

04   Hardcore (Part2 ) (00:00)

05   Amore Rubato (00:00)

06   Skit Elena Grimaldi (00:00)

07   Ammazzami (00:00)

08   Di Notte (00:00)

09   Lascia Che Io Sia (00:00)

10   Nella Mia Mano (00:00)

11   Chi Odia Metal Carter (00:00)

12   T.R.U.C.E. (00:00)

13   Hardcore (Part 1) (00:00)

14   Skit Danno (00:00)

15   Con Il Crack (00:00)

16   Esca (00:00)

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