Only in Amerika
Only in Amerika is the fourth studio album by American rapcore band Hed PE. Released on Koch Records on October 19, 2004, it is the band's first release on an independent label and the first album featuring guitarist Jaxon Benge and ex-Otep drummer Mark "Moke" Bistany. It peaked at #20 on the Top Independent Albums chart and at #186 on the Billboard 200.[1]
Music
Similarly to Hed PE's previous albums, Only in Amerika is a fusion of styles ranging from hip-hop to hardcore punk and heavy metal.[2] Johnny Loftus wrote that Only in Amerika is a "thrash-hop spew [which] takes cues from Anthrax, Korn, Dirty South, pre-acting career Ice-T, and the uncompromising Psychopathic Records collective."[3] Overall, Only in Amerika is much heavier and more chaotic than the band's previous albums, courtesy of Jaxon's heavy down-tuned 7-string guitar grooves, Bistany's drumming, and a new level of independent label explicitness in Jahred's lyrics. Apart from the obvious hip-hop influence present on all Hed PE releases, Amerika is much more metal-oriented than the band's debut album, which is primarily hip-hop driven but contains elements of punk rock and alternative, 2000's Broke, which continues the band's original style while incorporating world music, reggae, and ska influences, and 2003's Blackout, which showcases a more melodic hard rock sound while lessening the hip-hop presence.
Lyrical themes
Gomes expresses nationalistic themes in the song "War",[3] and elsewhere on the album, calling for retaliation against Al Qaeda for the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Reception
In his review of the album, Johnny Loftus wrote that "[the album] wants to be a confrontational megaphone in the ear of conservatives, but Jahred's torrential rhetoric is too messy and blatantly offensive to incite anything but superficial anger, and the music -- though occasionally explosive -- takes a backseat to the ranting."[3]
Track listing
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| 1. | "Foreplay" | Jahred; Jaxon | 1:32 |
| 2. | "Represent" | Jahred; Jaxon | 4:20 |
| 3. | "The Truth" | Jahred; Jaxon | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Wake Up" | Jahred | 4:35 |
| 5. | "War" | Jahred | 3:49 |
| 6. | "The Box" | Jahred; Jaxon | 3:28 |
| 7. | "CBC" | Jahred | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Voices" | Jahred | 3:13 |
| 9. | "Raise Hell" | Jahred | 5:09 |
| 10. | "Amerikan Beauty" | Jahred | 3:56 |
| 11. | "Chicken" | Jahred | 4:22 |
| 12. | "Daydreams" | Jahred | 2:43 |
| 13. | "Not Ded Yet" | Jahred; Jaxon | 3:31 |
| 14. | "HED" (Hidden) | Jahred | 3:07 |
| Total length: | 50:22 |
Personnel
- (Hed) Planet Earth
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- Production
- Produced by Jahred Gomes & Sean E
- Mixed by Jahred Gomes, Chris Holmes & Ryan Boesch
- Drum mix by Chris Holmes & Ryan Boesch
- Drums engineering by Ryan Boesch
- A&R by Cliff Cultreri
- Marketing by John Franck
- Management by DAS Communications, Ltd.
- Design by Jeff Gilligan
- Artwork by DJ Product © 1969
- Logo by Stuart Chamberlain & Jahred Gomes
- Photo by Greg Watermann
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References
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| Studio albums | |
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| EPs | |
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| Live album | |
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| Compilation albums | |
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