Matt Maddox – Righteous Fury

Label: Red Phone Records/ Seven 13 MusicScore: 8/10

Righteous Fury is the former Guerilla War Tactix member Matt Maddox’s long anticipated release following his début album Asylum Artistry in 2010. Intent on delivering what his previous catalogues of recorded material lacked, Righteous Fury is a confession which lays Maddox’s soul bare. Designed for audiences to interpret and relate to from his perspectives, it is an honest portrayal of the obstacles he has overcome. Full of enticing features from illustrious hip-hop artists and relentless demonstrations of lyrical prowess, this album perhaps delivered more than even he had anticipated. Maddox begins by blasting mainstream MC’s with ferocity in “No Country For Old Men” with anthemic fashion. He unforgivingly tears at the carcass of commercialized America whilst reminiscing of a time before such corporate pressures existed within the industry. Howard Beale’s emotional quote from the satirical ’76 flick Network acts as the featured intro to essentially determine the motivational intentions that underlie the albums purpose.  “Sick And Tired” sees Maddox reflect his soul over a poignant instrumental, leaving the listener open to find relation through his powerfully confessed hardships. Godilla, UG and Born Unique feature on the first collaboration “BARbarians”, each offering diverse lyrical flavour to the album through rhythmic verses that belittle any artist that would dare to contest. Meanwhile, “Work” presents a switch up in production style and pathos, with Maddox vividly expressing his frustrations at the various trials and tribulations he has faced in life. But he offers an optimistic outlook, one of hope rather than ultimate despair. The sentimental instrumental correlates well with Mina Fedora’s melodious singing in her uplifting chorus. The raucous energy returns once more as Maddox rhymes venomously and shares honest insights into his lifestyle in “El Malarchi”. The well produced and classic hip-hop beat arms things up nicely to pave a path for King Magnetic in the subsequent track “The Get Back”. Magnetic features with assertive bars and a composed originality which highlights his lyrical intellect. Righteous Fury fully revitalizes itself with apocalyptic aggression in “Murder Weapons”. Alongside Swann, the pair vent their ferocious taste for the industries blood and will dismember anyone that dare tread on their path. Adlib spits condescending bars blasting the “studio-gangster” “chat-room geek” MC’s in “Spider Man”, also featuring Reef The Lost Cauze who slams some distinctly imaginative verses. The Jurke brings a similarly dismissive tact of wasting weak MC’s lyrically as taken by his predecessors, but with a natural ease for intimidatingly emphasizing each line clearly throughout “Mjolnir”. After Burke The Jurke’s verse, Maddox exasperates more merciless dissatisfaction.  “Upon A Pale Horse” unleashes more of Maddox’s relentless spray and also showcases UK MC Edd Bundy’s precise ability to enforce graphic mental imagery. “Street Art” is the final track to include a featured artist, and blesses the record with the slick and effortless flow of the intelligent hoodlum himself, Tragedy Khadafi. While, as expected, demonstrating his lyrical expertise, he doesn’t outshine Maddox who combats with an equally riveting set of bars before the track plays out to Guru’s verse from Mass Appeal “step into my zone, mad rhymes’ll stifle ya” Righteous Fury arose from an unquenchable aspiration to achieve and it is inevitably a significant milestone in Matt Maddox’s legacy as an artist. Audiences will not only be engaged throughout the release by the dynamic and unmatched lyricism from an impressive variety of artists, but because of the album’s passionately demonstrated realism into exactly who Matt Maddox is. He proves that he possesses the lyrical commodities necessary to progress in the global industry, and it’s a certainty that Righteous Fury will bring him nothing but positivity for his future ahead. Righteous Fury releases on February 25th. The album will be available on partnership labels Red Phone Records and Seven 13 Music. It can also be pre-ordered from itunes by following the link here

Words: Ethan Everton