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In 1990, then-rapper Ice-T made the decision to dabble in metal by forming the band Body Count. The politically-charged self-titled Body Count released in 1992, to much controversy with the standout track “Cop Killer.” Several albums followed, continuing the discussion of societal themes like prejudice, inequality, and the dangers of gang living, and Ice-T defines the lyricism as “rock albums with a rap mentality“.

Carnivore is the band’s newest effort, 3 years separated from the vicious Bloodlust album in 2017. Before my first listen with this new album, my most-listened record from the band was Manslaughter, released in 2014; that album was full of surprises and was a great entry point for me, with their tasteful modern rendition of Suicidal Tendencies’ “Institutionalized” and a heavy spin on “99 Problems” by Jay-Z.

The title track kicks off Carnivore, amidst police sirens and Ice-T shouting “CARNIVORE!” during the choruses with force. The trade-off between metal and rap is evident from the start and establishes this dynamic for the listener to get accustomed to. “Point the Finger” follows, with Power Trip’s vocalist Riley Gale performing unclean vocals throughout much of the song. His vocals are absolutely natural here with the instruments being a perfect backdrop.

Next comes “Bum-Rush,” with a lyrical theme of power in numbers and a solid guitar solo in the early-goings. After this, Ice-T monologues about how Body Count always has a cover in dedication to their inspirations, with Carnivore‘s being “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead. This faithful tribute to Lemmy and his legendary act has Ice-T put in real effort to provide clean vocals with some deep passion, as opposed to the rest of the album’s rapping.

Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta appears on the following track, “Another Level.” With gang vocals in the chorus, Body Count proves to consistently beg the listener to shout the lyrics along with them. Next is “Colors 2020”, a re-visiting of Ice-T’s breakout track from 1988 in his solo work that transitions well into the heavier sound of Body Count. This curveball is something Body Count excels with in their albums, as the first-time listen is a welcome surprise throughout their discography.

Ice-T’s most vitriolic lyrics and delivery come out on “No Remorse”, with hilarious black humor in the third verse. The strangest feature, Amy Lee of Evanescence, takes hold of “When I’m Gone,” another tribute, to the late Nipsey Hustle, that urges the listener to love your closest people before it’s too late. Amy’s vocals are a departure in tone, yet somehow mesh well when they get the spotlight during the song with the held-back instrumentals.

“Thee Critical Breakdown” is all about your enemies being all talk, without actually having the guts to fight back. The outro of this song is hysterical to me as it features Ice-T imitating a fight, complete with wacky sound effects. “The Hate is Real” is the most politically-critical song on Carnivore, with the skin-deep chorus lyrics of “The love is fake, but the hate is real.” The final track is “6 in Tha Morning,” an unreleased demo of Ice-T’s 1986 B-side of “Dog ‘N the Wax,” yet another instance of an Ice-T cut making the move to Body Count without issue.

It is evident that Carnivore is a labor of love for Body Count, as there isn’t a song on this album that would warrant a skip. While the band isn’t for everyone, metal fans looking for a fresh take on the genre would do well to discover Body Count, and Carnivore serves as a relevant, striking entry point, so long as the listener can get past its shock value that long-time Body Count fans have come to expect. I hope that Ice-T makes music forever, as, after almost 30 years, it hasn’t gotten old yet.

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