The Wraith: Hell's Pit is the ninth studio album by the American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse. It was released on August 31, 2004, via Psychopathic Records as a follow-up to 2002 The Wraith: Shangri-La and the second half of the sixth and final Joker Card in the first Deck of the Dark Carnival mythology. Recording sessions took place at the Lotus Pod in Detroit. Production was handled by ICP themselves.
| Hell's Pit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 31, 2004 | |||
| Recorded | 2003–04 | |||
| Studio | The Lotus Pod (Detroit, MI) | |||
| Genre | Horrorcore | |||
| Length | 1:04:18 | |||
| Label | Psychopathic Records | |||
| Producer | Insane Clown Posse | |||
| Insane Clown Posse chronology | ||||
| ||||
| The Wraith: Hell's Pit | ||||
 Outer cardboard slip cover. | ||||
The album peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Independent Albums charts in the United States. It also made it to number 49 in the ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart, and peaked at number 25 on the Rock & Metal Albums Chart and at number 22 on the Independent Albums Chart in the UK music charts.
13 of its 17 original tracks were remixed and included in The Wraith: Remix Albums compilation album, which was released on November 14, 2006.
History
editFollowing the release of 2002 The Wraith: Shangri-La, group member Violent J admitted that he was considering not completing the production of Hell's Pit. He is quoted as describing Shangri-La as "the end of the road. It's the end of the Joker's Cards. After this I could do anything I want, for the rest of my life. The positivity was so unbelievable".[1]
Music
editProduction
editPreceding the release of Hell's Pit, Violent J stated the album's sound was intended as a throwback to the minimalistic sound of Carnival of Carnage, particularly its darker second half.[2] He also stated that it would contain less rock elements and singing, and that it would not feature guest appearances.[2] "Bowling Balls" samples the drum beat of Madonna's "Justify My Love", which was based upon Public Enemy's instrumental "Security of the First World",[3] which was in turn based on the end drum break of James Brown's "Funky Drummer".[4]
Lyrical themes
editHell's Pit is the second part of the sixth Joker's Card, The Wraith, written with the opposite intent of its counterpart, Shangri-La, Hell's Pit is intended to illustrate the horrors of hell itself. Many of the songs feature Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope fictitiously dying, to be sent to Hell, depicted in the album as a place void of all hope and peace, where those who do not atone for their sins and follow the ways of Shangri-La will presumably be sent upon their death. Violent J described the album as "Horror tale after Horror tale, mixed in with songs that describe hell"[2] and stated that it was the darkest, most painful work he had ever done.[5]
Release
editTwo versions of the album were released, each containing a different DVD. One release featured a live concert and a twelve-minute music video for the song "Real Underground Baby", and another featured a short 3D film for the song "Bowling Balls", shot in high-definition video.[6]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| RapReviews | 3.5/10[7] |
Of the album's conclusion to the Dark Carnival storyline, AllMusic's David Jeffries wrote that "Insane Clown Posse sound tired of the concept, only getting inspired when they've moved on from it".[3] Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews wrote that "Hell's Pit may be appopriately [sic] named, if only because I felt like I was in a burning pit of Hell in my ears while listening to it. Actually, that might be preferable to ever playing this album again".[7] Walker MacMurdo of Willamette Week stated: "although the first half of the album bears a little too much of a resemblance to Korn's disappointing output of the early 2000s, the consistency of the second half of Hell's Pit makes it one of ICP's stronger offerings".[8]
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, except for track 2 contains additional lyrics by Rich Murrell.
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 1:31 | |
| 2. | "Walk into the Darkness" | Mike Puwal | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Suicide Hotline" | Fritz The Cat | 3:32 |
| 4. | "C.P.K.'s" | Esham | 2:47 |
| 5. | "Truly Alone" | Fritz The Cat | 3:54 |
| 6. | "Everyday I Die" | Mike Puwal | 3:23 |
| 7. | "The Night of the 44" |
| 3:00 |
| 8. | "The Witch" | Mike Puwal | 3:16 |
| 9. | "Bowling Balls" | [uncredited] B. Jones | 3:28 |
| 10. | "24" |
| 2:13 |
| 11. | "Burning Up" | Mike Puwal | 3:34 |
| 12. | "Sedatives" | Mike Puwal | 2:58 |
| 13. | "In My Room" | Mike Puwal | 3:51 |
| 14. | "Basehead Attack" | Esham | 4:16 |
| 15. | "Angels Falling" | Esham | 3:21 |
| 16. | "Manic Depressive" |
| 3:14 |
| 17. | "Real Underground Baby" | Esham | 12:36 |
| Total length: | 1:04:18 | ||
Personnel
edit- Joseph "Violent J" Bruce – lyrics, vocals, producer, engineering (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12–17), mixing & editing (track 17), concept
- Joseph "Shaggy 2 Dope" Utsler – lyrics, vocals, producer, scratches & mixing (track 17), concept
- Rich "Legz Diamond" Murrell – additional lyrics (track 2)
- Michelle Rapp – additional vocals (track 15)
- Michael J. "Mike P." Puwal – engineering (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 8, 11–13), mixing (tracks: 2, 3, 5–8, 10–17)
- Fritz "The Cat" Van Kosky – engineering & mixing (tracks: 3, 5, 17)
- Esham Smith – engineering & mixing (tracks: 7, 10, 14–17)
Charts
edit| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[9] | 49 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[10] | 25 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[11] | 22 |
| US Billboard 200[12] | 12 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[13] | 1 |
Hell's Cellar
edit| Hell's Cellar | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP by | ||||
| Released | July 19, 2018 | |||
| Genre | Horrorcore | |||
| Length | 35:39 | |||
| Label | Psychopathic Records | |||
| Producer | Insane Clown Posse | |||
| Insane Clown Posse chronology | ||||
| ||||
Hell's Cellar an extended play by American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse. It was released on July 19, 2018 at the Gathering of the Juggalos festival via Psychopathic Records. It is composed of nine outtakes from The Wraith: Hell's Pit and has no verses from Shaggy 2 Dope.[14]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [14] |
In 2017, it was announced that Insane Clown Posse would perform The Wraith: Hell's Pit album in its entirety at the 2018 Gathering of the Juggalos (happened July 18 – 20 at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio). On July 13, 2018, the duo announced that in preparation for the 2018 Gathering of the Juggalos, they had found nine "lost Violent J recordings from the Hell's Pit recording sessions" and would release them as an EP on the day of the Hell's Pit show (July 19, 2018), and titled it Hell's Cellar.[15] During ICP's seminar, they announced that they found 13 songs all together, but decided to release nine then and the rest on the 20th anniversary edition.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hell's Pit Intro" (Extended) | 1:37 |
| 2. | "Clown Show" | 3:45 |
| 3. | "Can't End Myself" | 3:23 |
| 4. | "Takin' It Away" | 4:01 |
| 5. | "I Can See It All" | 3:41 |
| 6. | "Big Bad Wolf" | 3:36 |
| 7. | "Alakazam" | 3:27 |
| 8. | "Spontaneous Combust" | 4:37 |
| 9. | "The Truth" | 7:32 |
| Total length: | 35:39 | |
References
edit- ^ D'Angelo, Joe (October 3, 2002). "Insane Clown Posse Find Light (And Hotties, Homies, Faygo) At End Of Tunnel". MTV. Retrieved October 13, 2023.[dead link]
- ^ a b c Bruce, Joseph (June 25, 2004). "Weekly Freekly: Number 669". Psychopathic Records. Archived from the original on August 20, 2004. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
- ^ a b c Jeffries, David. "Insane Clown Posse - Hell's Pit, Pt. 1 Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ Givens, Ron (February 1, 1991). "Controversy over Justify My Love". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Who R ICP > History > The Wraith: Hell's Pit". Psychopathic Records. Archived from the original on 2007-10-20. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ^ Anderson, John (March 26, 2009). "3-D not an alien concept in Hollywood". Newsday. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
- ^ a b Juon, Steve 'Flash' (August 31, 2004). "Insane Clown Posse :: Hell's Pit – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ MacMurdo, Walker (October 29, 2015). "All 13 Insane Clown Posse Albums, Ranked". Willamette Week. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Insane Clown Posse – Hell's Pit". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Insane Clown Posse Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Insane Clown Posse Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Thomas, Fred. "Insane Clown Posse - Hell's Cellar Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "ICP Announces Just-Found Hell's Pit Tracks Dropping at GOTJ: Hell's Cellar!". Faygoluvers. July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
External links
edit- The Wraith: Hell's Pit at Discogs (list of releases)
- Hell's Cellar at Discogs (list of releases)