Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell

Infobox Album
Name = Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell
Type = studio
Artist = Jedi Mind Tricks


Released = September 19 2006
Recorded = 2005–2006
Genre = Hip hop
Length =
Label = Babygrande
Producer = Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind
Reviews = *AllHipHop rating|4|5 [http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviews/archive/2006/10/23/18134825.aspx link]
*Allmusic rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wcfpxq9dldje link]
*HipHopDX rating|3.5|5 [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.696 link]
*Hip-Hop Linguistics rating|5|5 [http://www.hiphoplinguistics.com/reviews/albums/2006/10/jedi-mind-tricks-servants-in-heaven-kings-in-hell link]
*MVRemix (8/10) [http://www.mvremix.com/urban/reviews/2006/servants_in_heaven_kings_in_hell.shtml link]
*Okayplayer rating|3.5|5 [http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/index.php/weblog/more/servents_in_heaven_kings_in_hell link]
*"Prefix Magazine" (7/10) [http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/cds/J/jedi-mind-tricks/servants-in-heaven-kings-in-hell/2590 link]
*RapReviews (8.5/10) [http://rapreviews.com/archive/2006_10_servantsin.html link]
Last album = "Legacy of Blood"
(2004)
This album = "Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell"
(2006)
Next album = "A History of Violence"
(2008)Singles
Name = Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell
Type = studio
single 1 = Heavy Metal Kings
single 1 date = August 1 2006

"Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell" is an album by hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks, released September 19 2006 through Babygrande Records. It is the group's fifth, coming two years after "Legacy of Blood". The first single, "Heavy Metal Kings", featuring Ill Bill of Non Phixion, was released in early August through iTunes, and also through a limited edition vinyl pressing. Additional guest appearances on the album are provided by Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond, Sean Price, R.A. the Rugged Man, Block McCloud and Army of the Pharaohs members Chief Kamachi and Reef the Lost Cauze.

As with previous Jedi Mind Tricks albums, many of the track titles appear to be lifted from previous songs by heavy metal groups. For example, "When All Light Dies" was previously the title of a song by Trivium; "Serenity in Murder" is also the name of a Slayer track; "Razorblade Salvation" is also a song by Sinergy; and "Black Winter Day" is the name of a track by Amorphis. The album title, as well, could potentially be a reference to the Kreator track "Servant in Heaven (King in Hell)" off of their "Violent Revolution" album.

"Servants in Heaven" became the group's most commercially successful release, being their first album to break into the "Billboard" 200, and also landed in the top 10 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and the top 50 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. The album was warmly received critically, especially when compared to their two previous efforts, "Visions of Gandhi" and "Legacy of Blood", which both received mixed reviews. Allmusic gave the album a positive four-star rating, and writer Marisa Brown stated::"Like how Wu-Tang appealed to so many different fans because of both their hard, urban beats and their smart, complex lyrics, so too are Jedi Mind Tricks able to achieve that same status. Stoupe's production is heavy yet musical, and Paz's rhymes are intelligent yet accessible, his voice rough yet his delivery smooth. Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell is the collaboration of two talented musicians who can create a nearly flawless album in which each track can stand on its own, but is more powerful as a whole, as an exploration of pain and hatred, of those feelings that we often don't wish to address but that, thanks to Jedi Mind Tricks, will be addressed for us." [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:zsdjvwrea9rk allmusic ((( Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell > Overview ))) ] ]

An exclusive version of the album was released at Trans World Entertainment chain stores. This version features three bonus tracks, a remixed-version of "Heavy Metal Kings", performed with California hardcore band Terror, the D-Tension mixtape track "Pretty Little Whores", featuring Outerspace, and "Blitz Inc.", featuring King Syze and Esoteric, as well as a bonus DVD, featuring the "Heavy Metal Kings" music video. [ [http://www.babygrande.com/news.jsp?id=106 Babygrande News ] ]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind unless noted.

References