Customer Reviews

Back From Hell

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album was released in 1990. By this time, the (undeserved) street backlash to TOUGHER THAN LEATHER gave the group a bad reputation in hip-hop-only circles. Also, Rap had splintered off into several sub-factions: The success of West coast and Southern rap acts weakened the New York-centric stranglehold on the rap scene. Gangster rap, as epitomized by N.W.A., Ice T & the Geto Boys, made national headlines, and managed to get major sales regardless of limited radio & video airplay. The sexually explicit tales of Too Short and 2 Live Crew brought a decidedly blue flavor to rap, while achieving similar sales results. New York's newer Rap acts, like Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim, KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane brought updated topics and influences ranging from The Black Panthers to the Nation of Islam.
All this, combined with the fact that the hip-hop 'freshness' timetable is ridiculously accelerated, made New York traditionalists like Run DMC seem, well, old. "Pause" was a comeback single that hit in 1989, that adopted the then-hot New Jack Swing style of R&B production. For the album, the band self-produces for the first time (longtime collaborators Larry Smith and Davy D work on a few cuts, but keyboardist Stanley Brown has the most prominent role), and eschews the rock aesthetic that they pioneered (which by that time, had been virtually abandoned for funk & soul samples) and goes full-throttle into Teddy Riley territory (indeed, Aaron Hall shows up on "Don't Stop").. The results are mixed.
The band sure curses a lot more, which is either a sign of the band's frustrations at the time, or a pained attempt at being contemporary: The title track "Back from Hell" is a series of anecdotes about thugs going into or getting released from prison. There are some vague guitar licks scratched in, and that's about the most of the rock-rap fusion to be found on this release. People expecting "Raising Hell part 2" will be disappointed. Most of the songs would be okay for anyone else, but Run DMC fans demand more.

Arista Records bought the Profile catalog in the late 90's and re-released the standard versions of Run DMC's studio LPs. However, Back from Hell was not included in the 2004 expanded versions of the group's albums. At the time of the album's original promotion, there was a groundbreaking 12-inch/EP-only remix of the single "Back From Hell" featuring Ice Cube and Public Enemy's Chuck D. That makes for at least one potential bonus cut that could be included for a proper re-release.

I have to give credit to these guys because this album begins the social political issue messages in Hip Hop! Caution: This album is strait Hip Hop, not rock! So, if u like Run DMC's strait Hip Hop, buy this Cd, if you don't, then get there other classics!

R.I.P. Jam Master Jay (1965-2002)

This group is definitely hot. RUN DMC should be inducted into the "hip hop hall of fame", no doubt. I been listening to Run DMC for years (even before the Krush Groove Era). These fellas has not lost their hip hop edge. Hard Core beats and tossed lyrics was always a hit and Run DMC mastered that part of the RAP GAME. Eventhough, It's been a while since their last recording Run DMC is still my favorite. "The KINGS FROM QUEENS" is still hotter than ever.

Though "Back from Hell" was released in the midst of the rise of commercial hip-hop and gangsta rap, Run-DMC still came through with a fun album that stood apart from the trends of the day. Telling tales of the city and throwing in some party-like anthems, the group put itself in between people like Hammer and NWA, not to be safe, but to keep making rap music the way they meant it to be. Looping some great grooves and adding in some funky keys, You can't help but enjoying this record after a few listens. Run and D still shine through with their mc abilities, just as they did with King of rock, Raisin' and Tougher than leather. This album seemed to close one chapter of their career, in a stylistic sense, but as the title says, also opens a new chapter for the 3 originals.

Yet Run-DMC had turmoil and was knocked off the charts by West Coast greats N.W.A.,Too-short,and Ice-T,they would a comeback during the New Jack era in 1990 with the heavy New Jack Hit "Pause",one the greatest songs on the album. So if your looking for some New Jack Swing from Run-DMC,I suggest Back From Hell.

"THE AVE" is definitely a head-rocker, my favorite joint on the album. Slept on by fans even more than Tougher than Leather, but deserves a listen, even if only as an alternative to the often trite product coming out today...