Random Abum Review: MSTRKRFT - Fist Of God

MSTRKRFT
Fist Of God
(Dim Mak)

Three words: Worst. Album. Ever. MSTRKRFT should be glad we don't have a rating system here on Crossfade, because if we did, they would rightfully receive a zero-star rating from us. Honestly, we really wanted to like this album, but there is just no getting around how big of a mess it truly is.

Signs that this album was going to be an utter failure was easy to spot when the duo left its label Last Gang, home of Crystal Castles, Metric, Tiga and Chromeo, for Dim Mak, a label led by dance music worst enemy, Steve Aoki. And it's evident on Fist Of God that Aoki's mark has been left on every single track. Jesse Keeler and Al-P follow the boss' motto of louder and harder is better, which if you've ever heard an Aoki track, you know that isn't true.

Perhaps the biggest offense are the confusing appearances by N.O.R.E., John Legend, Jamal, E40 and Ghostface Killah on the album, all who don't seem able to keep up with the album's breakneck speed. But even at the rapid speed, everything seems a bit too polished, as if they obsessively worked in the studio cleaning up every mistake found, which only makes the album that much more boring because it lacks character.

If you must download any tracks, stick with "It Ain't Love," "Vu Vu Vu," and "Fist Of God," everything else is pretty much disposable, particularly the embarrassing "Heartbreaker" featuring John Legend, who sings the most ridiculous lyrics: "Remember when I caught your eye / You gave me rainbows and butterflies."

My only question is, how do you go from being called the next Daft Punk to releasing this coke-binge of a disaster?