Los Angeles’ own, Body Count is back with their fifth studio album titled Carnivore. For those unfamiliar with the band, they are fronted by legendary rapper Ice T alongside founding guitarist Ernie C. However, if you’re expecting a hip-hop album, you’ll certainly be disappointed as these guys are as metal as they come. Released on March 6th, the new album has all the elements that we’ve come to expect from the band with some surprises along the way. The music is rooted in thrash metal but blends elements of hardcore, punk, and hip-hop while Ice T, himself, continues to tackle controversial and political topics through his lyrics. 

The album starts out with the title track, Carnivore. This song starts out with a melodic guitar intro with the faint sounds of sirens in the background. As the sirens become more prevalent, the song kicks in with a ferocious growl paired with a heavy, choppy guitar riff that really allows Ice to showcase his Hip Hop prowess. However, these are no ordinary hip-hop lyrics. As you listen to this track, you’ll find yourself immersed in the character of a blood thirsty killer who roams the streets at night looking to satiate his carnivorous desires. The guitar riffs in the song compliment the story perfectly as they sound like they came right out of a 90s horror movie soundtrack. From here, we get into the track “Point The Finger” which takes on a subject that has always been close to Ice T’s heart, police brutality. Featuring Power Trip’s, Riley Gale, this track perfectly sums up the aggression that Ice has felt towards this subject dating back to the early stages of Body Count when they recorded their now infamous track, “Cop Killer.” 

“Bum Rush,” one of the more political tracks on the album, is a statement on the current political and racial divide in the U.S. and how it is all fueled by media and hype. This song is sure to become a mosh pit anthem and a fan favorite at shows as it has one of the catchiest guitar hooks paired with Ice’s venomous lyrics. Most metal and rock fans are sure to recognize the next track immediately as it is a cover of Motorhead’s most famous song, “Ace of Spades.” The band manage to perfectly capture the energy of the original song while hitting every note with perfect precision. From here, we get into the track “Another Level” featuring Hatebreed front man Jamey Jasta. This is a song about overcoming adversity and not feeding into the negativity of those that try to bring you down. This is sure to be a special song for anyone who needs motivation to get them through a difficult challenge. 

Fans of Ice T’s early work will also be familiar with the next track “Colors-2020.” This is a pretty straight forward metal rendition of the famous 1988 hit song that fans old and new alike will appreciate. The next track, “No Remorse,” tells the story of a man who has pushed beyond his breaking point and feels no remorse for any of the horrible actions he commits. One of the most surprising moments of the album is the track “When I’m Gone.” This song is a very touching tribute to fallen rapper, Nipsey Hussle and features the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Evanescence’s Amy Lee. The message of this song is a simple one, but one that we can all learn from. Make sure that we appreciate the one’s we love and admire while they’re here. Don’t wait until it’s too late! 

Perhaps the heaviest song on the album, is the thrash metal banger, “The Hate is Real.” Musically, it is probably the most epic track of the album showing that Body Count has the musical chops to hang with any of their heavy metal peers. The lyrics again take on the issues of racial and political divide, issues that Ice has spent his career fighting against, making this track just as heavy lyrically as it is musically. 

Overall, this album sees the band stay very true to their roots and taking on some very socially relevant issues that we are all facing in modern society. The album has something for everyone and is sure to satisfy Body Count’s fanbase and spark some interest from new listeners who will likely find their message just as relevant. 

I’m Music Magazine Contributing Writer Jason Jarvis