SPOTIFY – Dope D.O.D. is a Dutch band that was formed by Dopey Rotten and Skits Vicious. Their first release was a free to download album back in 2008. They reached a huge success with it, so the fans of the genre focused on Dope D.O.D.  One of the best songs from the band is „The Day Is My Enemy” which was recorded with The Prodigy. The song was a milestone in the band’s history. Their music style mixed a new genre that combines elements of hip hop, hardcore hip hop, dubstep, grime and horrorcore genres.

The collaboration with The Prodigy was a huge success and „The Day Is My Enemy” a great work of music, with great beats, and a rather strong lyric. It is no wonder that the fans of the genre grabbed up the band.

The good, the bad …

The band’s style is not an easy one to digest. The lyrics are not bad, the beats, and lyrics provide an interesting essence to the music since it is mixed with dubstep and hardcore hip-hop elements. Of course, there are music fans who will not be able to enjoy this type of music.  However believe me for those who are open to heavier beats, weird rhythm, well they will love Dope D.O.D. latest ep which is called Ugly.

You will find Ugly’s songs on the band’s official site which can be listened to fully. So you can try out the genre before spending money on the EP. In Ugly there are two promising songs are Under Control and Ugly, but there are some bad productions in this EP such as Trapazoid, and Boiling Point.

The Under Control and Ugly duo have rather a great rhythm, and blood pumping lyrics. The ambiance of the lyrics is excellent. However Trapazoid – although this is an opinion only – has too many hardcore elements. It is difficult to like such a song with this many heavy elements, when the speakers nearly explode from all the beats. I know… I know this is what this style is like, a lot of dubstep, and I especially liked the contrast between the beats and the violin. Still the beats are too strong for such a layman music lover.

Boiling Point unleashes its fury to the speakers like hell just like Trapazoid. As in the previous song here the beats are also too strong, and the bass will kill the song (and your ears). Everything else is okay, the rhythm is good, and the lyrics are okay.

… and the one „UGLY”!

One of the weakest songs on the EP is Dirty Dogs, which was recorded with Oiki. The hardcore drums, the ear shredding rhythm, and the lack of sense in the lyrics make this song the worst. It is too simple of a hardcore hip-hop song, which underachieves the previous songs’ quality. I cannot recommend this song to anyone as it is so bad.

All in all the band’s Ugly EP is a mixed bag. There are better songs, with great rhythm, and beats plus lyrics, however, we do get two weaker songs. Also, the black sheep that every family needs which is Dirty Dogs, that can be loved since it is an integral part of the album. Fans of the band and the genre should definitely invest in it, but for those who do not like this type of music should stay away because this will not be the album that makes them like hardcore hip-hop.

-Kese-