Stuck Mojo

Stuck Mojo is back, but Bonz is not. For many metal bands, a reunion with a different lead singer is notable, but often not a problem. But when your band is a rap-metal band, the frontman is kinda the whole point. And Bonz was an undeniably powerful and charismatic frontman. Newcomer Lord Nelson is stylistically torn between wanting to be a straightforward rapper, a funk-rock singer and a metal growler, making for a too inconsistent vocal approach. The already tenuous stylistic nature of Stuck Mojo's current sound – which continues to forgo rap-metal clichès in favor of crunchy, riff-based heaviness – needs a strong and believable vocalist to put it across. The WCW-ready paleopatriotism on album opener "I'm American" is probably the low point musically and lyrically; however, solid tracks such as "Metal Is Dead" and "That's When I Burn" deliver the goods. 2 stars.