Dope

Dope's third full-length appears through Recon, an N.Y.C. upstart affiliated with frontman Edsel Dope through management ties. In addition to producing Group Therapy, the dreadlocked kingpin directed and/or conceived of videos for each of the album's 13 songs, including them here as DVD add-ons. The bulk of additional content is a nice touch, and should be appreciated by the group's core fan base. And Group Therapy is much stronger than 2001's flawed Life. Pounding, hard-charging percussion and rumbling, near atonal guitars are garnished with the occasional electronic flourish to form a base for Edsel's guttural yawp and rudimentary singing. He utilizes both on the obstinate "I Am," which crosses emotive Linkin Park-style verses with the double-time chorus shout of "F*ck it, I am what I am." This dirty-mouthed mulishness is typical of Edsel's lyrical muse, which leans heavily on both the F-word and themes common to the genre. Remember "Die MF Die" from Life? That song's rallying cry here as been recast as "burn motherf*cker, burn." Elsewhere, Dope grapples with depression, the everyday grind, and haters. Dope has focused its fiery attack on Group Therapy, and that should at least get the pit roiling at shows. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide