K.O.D.

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Remarkably, Tech N9ne's second release of 2009 is as driven, ambitious, and satisfying as his first, the collaboration filled Sickology 101. The big difference here is that K.O.D. is a concept album at its core, telling the story of Tech was the "King of Darkness" and dividing it into three acts: Anger, Madness, and The Hole. Coming before the official intro, the opening "Show Me a God" is one giant highlight of a prelude as Tech deals with his mother's failing health and offers a more humble examination of despair than the heavy-handed epic that follows. Guests Three 6 Mafia prove a perfect choice to set the tone with their eerie work on "Demons," while the fantastic foursome of Big Scoob, Kutt Calhoun, Skatterman, and Bumpy Knuckles are just as welcome on Tech's version of guys night out, "B. Boy." It gets shockingly dark from here, with victims being thrown "In the Trunk," while past acquaintances are addressed in "Killing You," but you don't come to a Tech N9ne album for sunshine and light. Fans who feed on the rapper's Eminem-meets-Freddy Krueger style are going to find that Tech is communicating his inner demons as vividly as ever, and that the dark carnival music still holds strong with returning favorites Ruben Armstrong, YoungFyre, and Robert Rebeck handling most of the production.

© David Jeffries /TiVo