STUCK MOJO seem to make a habit of splitting up and reforming with a new lineup, with Rich Ward and Frank Fontsere being the only constants throughout each incarnation. One thing they have proved, is that these appear to be the two men that matter the most. Instead of losing quality over the years and after losing two vocalists, they have managed to improve and evolve to the point where we get "Here Come The Infidels", which is quite possibly their best album yet. Rich and Frank, are now joined by Len Sonnier on bass, and previously unknown Robby J, rapping his way through 11 brutal, angry, and intense tracks. Robby J, is a fantastic discovery by STUCK MOJO, and I quite often would draw comparisons to early Mike Patton, or Anthony Kiedis in his extremely solid style which blends so well with the metal backing of the rest of the band, and especially with Rich Ward and his more traditional metal vocal style.

"Here Come The Infidels" was a bit of a risk by the band, releasing the album through pledgemusic.com, however it was clearly a risk that paid off with such a great album. Though there really isn't a weak track as such, there are those that stand out. The title track opens the album in such a way that it sets the stage for what's to come, from the second the drums kick it off, through the heavy riffs and the sudden introduction of Robby J on vocals, this is the perfect introduction to the new band. "Charles Bronson" stands out simply for its subject matter, which seems to pretty much just state that Charles Bronson is pretty much an unstoppable superhero. This is something I can get behind.

"Verbal Combat" is basically one giant homage to other pioneers of rap-metal, with ANTHRAX, PUBLIC ENEMY, RUN DMC, and CHUCK D, all getting special mentions. "Destroyer" is almost like an intermission of sorts, bringing down the intensity and playing out more like typical rap. It's a welcome change that helps to show the diversity and skills on display. "I Am Legion", is probably the heaviest track on the album, due to the hard hitting drumming of Frank Fontsere and the exceptionally angry vocals. "Tamborine" is the best chance to hear the skill of new bassist, Len Sonnier, as the other instruments aren't drowning it out quite as much. It's a funky song which lets Len get in to the groove a little more than we had heard up until this point. "Blasphemy" closes the album with possibly the best song on the entire album. It's everything that you should come to expect from STUCK MOJO with the hard hitting drums, groovy bass, heavy riffs, and duelling vocals. It's proof that rap and metal can actually work together despite the protests of so many people.

STUCK MOJO feels like they have always been overlooked, as far as a band who helped to pioneer a genre of music go. While other bands such as ANTHRAX and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE are more considered household names, STUCK MOJO should never be overlooked. There's an undeniable connection between Rich Ward and Frank Fontsere, leading to them playing as such a solid unit after 26 years of experience together, combined with great song writing and now the new band members, they've always been a great band, and have somehow gotten a whole lot better with this most recent outing. Rap-metal is certainly not for everyone, but for those who have any interest in it, "Here Come The Infidels" is a great way to go.

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