Stuck Mojo Southern Born Killers

It can't be denied that much of Stuck Mojo's original fanbase, comprised of those who grew up on Snappin' Necks and Pigwalk in the nineties, has aged and moved on to other priorities and tamer music. As do most upon settling into corporate and family life, an inevitable fate for most. But if those one-time fans would again touch base with Stuck Mojo and their resilient brand of anti-establishment, post-thrash groove metal in 2007, I would be hard pressed to find them disappointed with the direction the band has taken, assuming those former fans would enjoy the more progressive and less abrasive direction taken this time.Southern Born Killers, the band's fifth studio full-length and first self-released effort thus far in their career, signifies both a reunion for the band which initially broke up in 2001 provide guitarist Rich Ward with time to focus on his never released Sick Speed project (though the band demoed dozens of memorable songs with producer Andy Sneap, a close friend of theirs), and the seamless integration of fresh elements not seen on prior releases. With every Stuck Mojo album a marked evolution from its predecessor, this time around flaunting enough authentic eighties guitar rock to make you forget the disposable trends that followed, even fans who have remained could not prepare their ears enough for the monumental shift that would unexpectedly yet necessarily occur in the past year: Lead shouter, rapper, and ghetto politics lyricist Bonz, still chased by personal demons, was replaced by another politically-motivated (and albeit more driven) black frontman, Lord Nelson, a man previously unknown to the music world outside Atlanta but in possession of a unassailable rap voice that combines the old-school flow of Chuck D with the urgency of Malcom X. And with this voice front-and-center in the mix of Southern Born Killers, it's clear the band is flaunting its new imposing frontman. When Stuck Mojo wanted to start political wildfires in the nineties, which they succeeded in doing with impacting songs like "Down Breeding," "Propaganda," "Crooked Figurehead," and "Assassination of a Pop Star," Bonz high-pitched yells and cutting raps proved the face needed to assault listeners. Lord Nelson's self-assured approach authenticates his pride for his homeland in patriotic album opener "I'm American", trend-nailing "Metal is Dead," and the vigilant yet hazardous invitation to confrontation for Islamic terrorists, "Open Season," which is preceded by ill-omened spoken-word track, "For The Cause of Allah." No strangers to controversy, when the video for "Open Season" hit YouTube earlier this year, it shot to the top in views but was prevented from matching its numbers with actual standing due to censorship and the suppression of free speech, a reality Stuck Mojo have had to deal with since their inception. The vocals are split between Nelson and main songwriter Rich Ward, the latter who brings everything from evocative, Firehouse-type clean harmonies, exemplified on the choruses of "I'm American," "The Sky Is Falling," "Metal Is Dead," and "Home," to a bluesy croon on "That's When I Burn," and familiar death growls on "Metal Is Dead." More than ever, slick songwriting trumps the metal phase passed through by the band in years past, with the progressive, Police-influenced "Yoko" throwing the listener a musical curveball while discussing controlling women, a relevant topic of gender politics avoided by most these days. Taking stands is known to split fans, leading to conflicts of opinion and ideally inciting discussions, one of the initial goals of music all but lost in recent decades. For better or worse, musically and ambitiously, Stuck Mojo seem content with defying transitional popularity and critics alike, as Southern Born Killers was completely self-financed and sold only by the band themselves via their website, where the entire album is also downloadable for free in a bold move to undercut piracy of the album. Heavy music is meant to defy trends, and I know of few such bands who actually fulfill this mission. Stuck Mojo are one of them. Bottom Line: Although some fans were less than pleased to learn Stuck Mojo's original frontman was no longer in the band, any who are still running their mouths after hearing Lord Nelson's effortless attack on tracks like "Metal is Dead," "Open Season," and "Yoko" are likely only doing so out of spite, because Nelson is perhaps the wisest move the band could have made at this point in their career. Rich Ward's enormous riffs and grooves, brought to life once again by legendary producer Andy Sneap, provide the core of Stuck Mojo as has always been the case. The more accessible material on Southern Born Killers will divide listeners, but from a songwriting standpoint, there are few flaws on this album. We should now hope that the label-less Mojo are brought on tour by one of the countless bands they have influenced over the past two decades.