Review by Sheri Bicheno for MPM
Body Count are a force to be reckoned with within the realms of rap metal and during a time where we see constant shifting and growth of genres, they adapt to the evolvement whilst keeping their mark on the world as their own style, that cannot be erased.
We see them return with a number of live shows to prep for an upcoming release.
At the London O2 Forum in Kentish Town, on a Sunday evening, it’s the perfect way to finish a week and head into a new one.
With a two band show, German hardcore outfit Slope kicked things off with an upbeat and energetic performance.
With snippets of Funk injections on I’m Fine that smash into rolling scratchy riffs and jumpy beats, we’re taken back to some rap turned hardcore era in places.
There’s elements that threaten some moulds of old school nu metal with the rolls of crashing chords here harmonizing under barking vocals and chugging bassnotes.
Slope come across as hard as they are dynamic as WHY SAD powers in with a heavier and thrashier blend of riffs and tempo changing drums.
The vocals skit across this track with some skillful blends of rap and hardcore punk edges that drive the aggression of the track.
The riffs are suspense filled and frenzied in places with a killer breakdown about halfway through the set that melt into a gorgeously chuggy riff to downpick some sludgy notes into the mix.
The bassline is chuggy as hell and gives way to an overturn of solo licks and fret dances.
This track serves as a new offering from the newly released Freak Dreams album
With the title track from the album, Freak Dreams smacks slabs of heavy injections over funky notes that gives off Run DMC vibes.
The chuggy chords whirlwind into moments of the tracks that glide over those jazzy loose strings and slappy bassnotes. There’s some sweet blends of chill tones to this part of the set before the battering ram is set into motion.
A good choice to bring these guys on the tour. They certainly got the crowd warmed up for Body Count.
As Body Count prepares to storm the Forum, a backdrop lit up in purples and shadows of a cloaked Reaper hangs from the rafters.
All is dark and a roar of cheers erupts that is almost deafening amongst the sirens that fills the stage,
Choppy riffs from Ernie C and Juan of the Dead wind out and our strolls Ice T into the looming chaos.
“BODY COUNT IN THE HOUSE”
The crowd chants back and the atmosphere here is intensely hyped before we’re catapulted into a rendition of Slayer’s Raining Blood crashing riffs interludes during Postmortem offers a hardcore cross Slayer rainfall.
The crowd below me is going mental already with circle pits and bodies thrashing around to the hard hitting headbanger of the riffs and beatdowns.
Bowels of the Devil bulldozes in with an evil harmony that blends into a hardcore punk roll of guitars and old school rap style vocals.
Ice T throws water across the front of the crowd and prowls the stage whilst Little Ice lunges towards the crowd and playfully taunts them.
“We got a new album coming out” Ice T addresses the crowd, “This is a new song never heard before and it’s inspired by one of my favourite horror movies. If you know, you know.”
The Purge was designed for the mosh pit. With tannoy voiceovers, searchlights skimming across the stage and dimmed into darkness, Body Count served up a major dose of thrashing guitars, speed bullet drumming behind Ill Will’s kit and gutturals you’d not expect from the same stage as Ice T.
With blends of rap and hip hop, blistering riffs ripped through the track and aligned with the beats and slaps of Vincent Price’s bass.
This was a stonking riff fuelled track of pure frantic pace with some sludgy double kicks injected for measure.
And speaking of new tracks, newly released Psychopath is tributed to the love for horror themed movies,
“Too much Michael Myers and too much Jeffrey Dahmer” was the inspiration behind this track and with it’s thrashy hardcore blends over the entwining riffs, this was a new fan favourite.
Little Ice got into a play fight on stage and covered in blood (Real? Who even knows at this point!) he re-enacts a maniacal stage presence towards the crowd.
Screaming and skitting across the floor on his hands and knees, this show is totally something else!
“Ya’ll who follow me and know me, know that my number 1 message is… F*ck racism.”
Remaining with the enraged energy through the set, this track has a powerful and raw feel to it and comes with an imperative message on anthemic terms..
The blood stained tshirt that Lil Ice was wearing earlier gets signed during the track and thrown into the crowd.
A rendition of The Exploited’s Disorder makes it onto tonight’s setlist along with Voodoo before Ice T brings out his kids to wreck the stage with Talk Shit, Get Shot – which has a modern rap twist to the choppy riffs that play in between some stunning melodics that bludgeons into your core,
Shaking up the whole vibe, we end on an unexpected but stunning version of Comfortably Numb which displays a dynamic approach to Body Count’s performance and shows the more tender side of the band.
With a heartfelt ending, it was beautiful to witness and probably the closest I’ll get to a live performance of that song.
I came away with such a good vibe.
After 30 odd years since they began, Body Count still create an unforgiving energy and an unwavering, powerful performance. We await Merciless eagerly so we can all have a part of the next chapter of these guys.
Amazing band with an amazing personality to it.
Photography by Manuela Langotsch for MPM
