Death Grips - Exmilitary (2011)

When they got famous from this mixtape, I looked at the cover of it without knowing who they were or the fact that it was a mixtape and thought it was an album by a metal band. I was wrong, but I wasn't wrong about them being heavy.

Photo credit: www.sidewalkhustle.com

This is it: This is the mixtape that initially got the band talked about online and even via word of mouth, and it's kinda funny to me, because the mixtape actually begins with three songs that I'd say are good, but are really uneventful compared to the others: "Beware", the intro track, with the sample of Charles Manson in the beginning, and MC Ride repeatedly yelling "I AM THE BEAST I WORSHIP" is a great intro to the band and I swear to God I hear him screaming that shit in my head when I'm exercising. "Guillotine" is probably the song you heard first and then immediately wrote Death Grips off for, with its harsh noise being unable to quite fill the empty void of the music, and then "Spread Eagle Across the Block" is good but I was kinda left feeling like "Eh.." and then...

BAM, "Lord of the Game (Feat. Mexican Girl)" KICKS IN AND KICKS ASS!! THE SAMPLE OF SOMEONE YELLING "I AM THE GOD OF HELLFIRE" IS BADASS!! But even that can't prepare you for "Takyon (Death Yon)" which will make you want to go full Street Fighter and beat the shit out of someone's car while screaming the lyrics to the song, and then after that, it just DOESN'T LET UP!! The harsh "Cut Throat (Instrumental)", the punk rock flavored "Klink" with a BADASS sample of "Rise Above" by Black Flag in there, the calm "Culture Shock", the trippy "5D", and the hectic "Thru the Walls" are all awesome as shit in different ways and shows a big amount of variety to their music even on just their first full-length project. In fact, up until the end (aside from "I Want It I Need It (Death Heated)" which I've never really cared for), it's pretty damn good or even great.

A few small blemishes on an otherwise very promising full-length debut for a band that we'll always remember, especially because THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO THE SHOW YOU FUCKING PAID FOR!! You had to stand around in the venue contemplating while looking at the instruments on stage "WHAT IF THEY WANT US TO BE THE BAND" or some shit and post about it on Reddit. You did that, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?!?! THANKS FOR THE MEMES!! I REPEAT: ZACH HERE, THANKS MAN

7/10 ________________________________________________________
Feel free to check out this mixtape for FREE on DatPiff!