LIVE REVIEW: Body Count @ O2 Ritz, Manchester
In 1991, rapper Ice-T released his fourth album O. G. Original Gangter, introducing his heavy metal side project BODY COUNT in a track of the same name. Beginning with an interview defending accusations of ‘selling out’ because of his use of rock and roll, ICE-T explains: “I feel sorry for anybody who only listens to one form of music. You know, right now, I got my own Rock band, it’s got to jump off.” Over three and a half decades and eight studio albums, with a ninth set to release later this year, self-proclaimed ‘grind house’ group BODY COUNT and ICE-T retain the undisputed title of the most metal collective in rap. We descend upon the sold-out Ritz in Manchester for BODY COUNT’s three date UK leg of their European tour joined by the German funk-hardcore outfit SLOPE.
SLOPE are an interesting choice for a BODY COUNT support after releasing an absolutely phenomenal album earlier this year. Freak Dreams, released in February makes a TURNSTILE and RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS collab possible, interlacing those tight jazz-adjacent turnarounds with the all best parts of funk.
Either way, the German four-piece put on a grand display bringing the same levels of energy onstage as a hardcore show. Playing tight and each with their own moment in the spotlight, they dared through their backlog with the same levels of unpredictability and dexterity as their own recorded material. Frontman Fabio Krautner paced on the small stage with such enthusiasm for the music he created.
There were real shining moments for pits to open and no one really took a chance to take them on. Unfortunately, the movement from the crowd did not match the level of the band, which was a real shame. Those visibly enjoying SLOPE were noticeably of a younger demographic but there was some very casual ‘cool-guy’ head nodding from the audience all round. Regardless, the set was a joy to watch, and there should be more opportunities made for this electrifying act to come to the UK.
Rating: 8/10
BODY COUNT are met with adoration when they arrive on stage to Body Count’s In The House. Turning up the heat, the band covers the iconic Raining Blood. The missed energy from SLOPE’s set has been awakened in the crowd, scrambling and howling the lyrics in a high-intensity pit. Ice-T’s fascination with thrash, hardcore and punk are evident in this set, as he frequently cites the artists that inspire him. He attributes Point The Finger to close friend and track collaborator Riley Gale of POWER TRIP, who passed away in 2020, as well as later covering Scottish punk rocker’s THE EXPLOITED for a BODY COUNT cover of Disorder. A rich tapestry of heavy metal history encompasses the band’s sound, but Ice-T does not need to justify his place in the scene.
The Purge, an unreleased track of their new album Merciless, is played, leaning into the grotesque horror movie of the same name. The track is fast with damaging choruses, leaning into the metal tendencies of bands like LAMB OF GOD and MEGADETH, who’s frontmen both featured on their 2017 album Bloodlust. The other single the band plays from this new release is Psychopath featuring Joe Bad from FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, which features an impressive on stage performance as Ice-T adorns a pantyhose over his head and kills his son and backing band-backing vocalist Little Ice spreading fake blood across his white t-shirt and mouth. Admittedly, the piercing scream, as the knife was plunged into Little Ice, was a little too loud, however the display in an ICE NINE KILLS fashion was commendable from the 66 year old vocalist.
BODY COUNT cycled through some of their most notable hits including Manslaughter, No Lives Matter and Voodoo. All the members of the band, OG’s Ice and Ernie C. as well as bassist Vincent Price, drummer Will ‘Ill Will’ Dorsay, guitarist Juan ‘Juan of the Dead’ Garcia, and backing vocalist Little Ice have the ferocity and tenacity to carry the whole show. Little Ice in particular brought a fresh perspective to his father’s lyrics with an enthusiastic performance, having his own moment to shine as the self-proclaimed “King of the Mosh” throwing himself into the centre of the pit during the infamous Cop Killer.
BODY COUNT proceeded with an encore (which due to ICE-T’s age this meant not leaving the stage but waiting the lights getting turned off and on again) into an emotional rollercoaster of the hardcore mob’s slower songs. Born Dead is a fan favourite, as after Ice-T comments that there should be a “ceasefire on earth”. Emphasising the gangster mentality in This Is Why We Ride, the band unifies themselves for one final song, a UK exclusive cover of Comfortably Numb by PINK FLOYD, which surprisingly works pretty well as a closer.
You know who BODY COUNT are and what they stand for from this set and any doubts about how the band would perform because of their age were royally crushed. The mixing could have been a little better, as the bass was at times overwhelming. Regardless, Ice-T was a true wordsmith and his charisma on stage was something that was unrivalled and Vikki Hungerford’s calls for them to desperately be a part of a future Bloodstock Open Air need to be heard. Until then, this is how we ride.
Rating: 7/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here:
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