Customer Reviews

Introduction to Mayhem

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

As they would say, I have much "love" for this band. They are from my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and their first CD is just as good as their new one...which is also their last. If you didn't already know, P55 broke up, and guitarist Bobby Burns went on to a new band called Beautiful. Preston Nash will probably remain in the music industry, but singer Jason and their bassist will more than likely leave fame behind.

Anyway, let's pretend that I just started this review. "Introduction to Mayhem" is a great (if not original), cathchy rap/metal album. The songs can sound familar to each other at times, and ther's enough interludes to make your head spin, but all in all, this is a pretty good recording. Another thing that's bizarre (but doesn't effec the music) is the way the track lentghts are labeled on the back, but just about every single song is a few second longer or shorter. Makes ya thing, don't it?

1. Loose-5/5-The first track on the album is actually MUSIC instead of a FILLER! The first single (even though it wasn't too big...but screw MTV), it starts off with a hard, straight guitar riff, then J-Sin screams, and the loud ... starts. What makes this song (and so many other) standout is the weird, turntable-luke drum beats, which at first I confused with actual turntables, but their not. Anyway, this is a great, catchy song. Next...
2. Something Wicked This Way Comes-0/5-Filler #1.
3. Supa Freak Love-4/5-No, it's not a complete "wanna be black" song, but it does somehow reflect that, which is the main reason it's a 4. Not the best rhymes, but still listenable.
4. G's-2/5-I always skip this track. No, it's not a wanna-be G song, but an anti-G song, about how everyday kids are killed in gangs, etc. But I come from Louisville, where P55 does, as I said before, and to be honest, there's not really that much gang activity at all when you compare it to Detroit City or New York City or something.
5. Chaos-0/5-Filler #2.
6. Pigs-5/5-A great song, with great rhymes, and great music. Love it.
7. Stain-5/5-My second favorite. Filled with heavy riffs, hard bass, and screaming, screaming, screaming. Something a Slipknot fan will definetly enjoy, "Stain" is a great, high-energy song.
8. Revolution-0/5-Filler #3.
9. Set It Off-0/5-Starts off promising, with a cool guitar riff and an almost haunting verse, but wears away, and definetly fades when (hed) PE's M.C.U.D. comes in a raps it up too much. SKIP.
10. Hey Bubba-0/5-Filler #4.
11. Introduction to Mayhem-5/5-A great, head-bobbing comeback from the last three, worthy of the album title in every way.
12. Dose-5/5-Great. That's all that's needed to say. The longest track on the album. The only track with a hint of melodicness (is that a word?), and I love it. But I've said too much...
13. The Big F*ck You-5/5-My absolute favorite. Awesome drum beats, great guitar riffs, a cool bass line, and great rhymes, screams and raps from J-Sin. Just listen and see...
14. Violence-3/5-A boring song, because it's just a repeat of every thing already heard before.
15. Hate-4/5-A slower-paced track, but still not quite meloic. Very funky, if you will, but it seems out of place after all the other tracks.
16. Funhouse-0/5-Filler #5.
17. Tripinthehead-5/5-Cool song. Great drum/guitar duet. It's awesome.

Overall, this is a great CD. If you're looking to become a fan of P55 for any reasonably rational purpose, I suggest this:

Get "The New Release" first if you're a fan of:
Flaw, Dope's "Life", Deftones, Spineshank, or any similar bands

Get "Introduction to Mayhem" first if you're a fan of:
Dope's "F&R", old Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Mudvayne, or any other underground rap/metal bands...

This is just another boring 'nu-metal by numbers' album. The first track 'Loose' isn't bad, sounding like a combination of Soulfy and Limp Bizkit. But after that it doesn't necessarily go downhill, it just doesn't change and nothing interesting happens. If you like music that doesn't offer any suprises, doesn't stray from the nu-metal rulebook and isn't very interesting then put this at the top of your list.

I get at least 3-4 new cds each week all of the rapcore/crossover/heavy metal genres and some of the cds suck, some are all right and some just plain rock. I would have to say that Primer 55 is one of the better cds that I've received although it is not the greatest. The music is a kind of an industrial groovecore accompanied by rapping verses, hardcore choruses and screams. The music is not really original but it's also not something I've really heard before. What I can say is that it does get you moving especially the two standout tracks "Loose" and "Supa Freak Love". Expect agressive music with some decent rapping and plenty of cuss words. This is a good cd, go out and buy it if your really into rapcore. Other good rapcore bands to check out: P.O.D., Project 86. If you really want to check out an awesome band get Factory 81 (a personal fave).

I've heard plenty of rap-metal in my time, from RATM(Rage Against The Machine) to Phunk Junkeez to 311 to (hed) P.E. to Limp Bizkit (eghh!) to Incubus to Kid Rock to Pimpadelic to Crazy Town to Reveille to P.O.D. to Papa Roach, and I'll tell you, while a lot of them (but not all of them) are great bands, none of them compare to the sheer brillence of Primer 55 and this, their debut album 'Introduction To Mayhem'. Of all the millions of rap-metal bands who've seemed to appear overnight now that heavy musics cool on the radio and MTV again, Primer 55 seem to balance their rap and metal influences like no other. Some of these bands stress the rap end of their music too much, like Limp Bizkit, Crazy Town, and Pimpadelic, who all pretty much sound like rap bands with a little bit of heavy guitar thrown in. And other bands stress the metal end, like Reveille and Papa Roach, who are both great bands in my opinion, but sound pretty much like standard metal bands with a rapper. And still others are just way to experimental and unheavy to be true rap-metal, like RATM, Phunk Junkeez, and 311. But Primer 55 are right on target with their perfect balance of heavy guitars, half rapped/half screamed vocals, and slammin' beats. Just listen to the opening track and first single "Loose" and you'll see what I mean. All the songs on this album are great (there are a few non-musical tracks sandwiched inbetween the true songs, much like Tool's great 'AENIMA' album), but my personal favirites have to be "Loose" and "G's". If you like this album I'd definitly recommend (hed) P.E., Reveille, and Papa Roach.

This album is pretty good, I saw them live, and they were alright. Now, I understand the comparisons of this band to Korn or Limp Bizkit, but the Deftones are nothing like these horrible rap-metal bands. The 'Tones are in a league of their own, shared only by bands like Far or Will Haven. Stop comparing Primer55 to the Deftones.

Whats all the hype about this band/CD "Primer 55-Intro. to Mayhem"?. I bought it thinking it would be good, and it was the worst CD i ever bought. They try to sound like a hardcore/rapcore band but it's whack. Try listening to Vision of Disorder, Adamantium, Spitfire, Earth Crisis, or Training For Utopia if you want some good heavy hardcore. Not this CD. Do not buy this CD, you'll be sorry. Every song sounds the same. No talent what-so-ever. The lyrics are in the same monotone voice throughout the entire CD. They use the same distortion on every song. It's very boring to hear. It's torture music.

...This cd is magnificent and after all I have listened toquite some albums in the genre this far so I do know what is qualityand what is quantity. And this is quality!! Who are to decide whethera band is original or not? Nowadays bands just consistent of a similaramount of members as Korn or Limp Bizkit simply don't get a chance;From day one of the band's history they are prejudiced as stereotypeor plagiates and that I find ignorant. Well back to Primer 55. As youmight have guessed I'm quite pleased with their cd and I woulddescribe it as both an original and innovative mixture of Slipknot andSystem of a down. Personally I don't get the references to a bandlike Korn. Of course you could experience some sound-alike riffs butall in all the guys in Primer 55 have more balls and identity than thesoftcore-playing wimps from Korn will ever attain.

"Introduction to Mayhem." For me, this CD represents everything that's wrong with rap-metal today. But it also represents pure unbridled aggression, and incredible amounts of anger & energy. Straight out of Tennessee, (heh heh heh) Primer 55 blast onto the already over-crowded and proclaimed-crap-by-many rap metal genre. And how does this album fare against the current crop of bands, each with their own version of the ratm/korn/deftones sound? Well, not (that) badly. The music is not very good, and the band members are not very talented. Intelligent, thoughtful lyrics are non-existent. There are no soft, tender, melody-ridden ballads. No riot inciting political views. Just "J-Sin" throwing down rhymes about how "bad" their crew is. To be fair, this CD is very easy to get into, and very fast paced. Primer 55 also put on an incredible live show. But most of the songs have that "haven't I heard this before?" factor. The appearance of MCUD from (hed)pe (an excellent rapcore band, by the way) definitely helps the CD. Still, it's doubtful that anyone will remember (or want to remember) this band 10 years down the road. But who knows? Stranger things have happened *cough* limp bizkit *cough*

Amazing cd. Equaled by nothing I've heard before. The use of techno, hard rock, and rap is phenomenal.

What was not known by most critics, fans, and people as a whole, was the fact that Rap/Rock has existed for a mere 20 years. A corny example would be Aerosmith and Run DMC. When that song was released, we saw a bunch of newcomers (now gods) such as the Beastie Boys, Faith No More, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Since then, rock music has never sounded the same. We have seen bands from the good (Rage Against The Machine) to the godawful (Kid Rock) come out and add their mark on rock music. In 2000, many would have expected rock/rap to be over and done with. But look at bands like Primer 55, it is still (even in 2001) annoying everbody. Primer 55 are the main band coming out of the third generation of rock/rap. They are fronted by a diabolical rap-influenced mad-man named J-Sin. As you would expect he screams about tormented drug addictions, whines about not being treated fairly, and raps about how much he hates gangsters. I know Ive seen this before. The guitars are downtuned of course (which is now a federal law for rap/rock bands for some reasons). Oh, and where are the drum solos? There's alot I can complain about. But why are can some of the songs be so catchy? I love The Big F*** You, and Loose. If their are people complaining about how boring this album is, listen to it with an open mind. You'll probably like it then.