Behold Grayskul

Behold Grayskul

There's something odd about the northwest. The climate is insane, with rain and snow pounding unexpectedly during the winter and tranquil summers warming you up later in the year. The atmosphere tends to make for some pretty interesting music, as the grunge era that produced Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Nirvana illustrated. The music that emanates from this region is often dark, moody and retrospective, as this is how people often are up north.

The moodiness has translated over into a genre that is not known for being particularly dark and retrospective. (Moody and demented, perhaps, but not dark.) Hip hop acts Grayskul have put out seven albums in the past five years that have introduced the world to the strange subgenre of goth-hop. Onry Ozzborn, one of the most prolific rappers/producers I've ever heard, is matched by his partner JFK, whose lyrical ferocity could potentially put Ghostface or Busta Rhymes to shame.

Their experiment in darkness is likely far too strange for the average listener. Onry certainly doesn't back down from this on his side project The Gigantics, in which he seems to present a musical illustration of insanity with the aide of a large cadre of underground rappers ranging from Swollen Members to Murs. A fair warning has to be issued to those going in, as what they will hear is certainly not mainstream.

Grayskul - Sand Dolls
From the album Creature.

Grayskul - Haunted
From the album Bloody Radio.