#3 Dark Lotus: The Opaque Brotherhood

Dark Lotus has been around in some form or another since 2000, but in my opinion, 2008 was when the group FINALY came together.  Originally conceived as a supergroup consisting of ICP and Twiztid, Dark Lotus went through many lineup changes over the years.  Eventually, Blaze was added as the fifth member, and Marz was added as the sixth member in time for their first release.  After the departure of Marz, ABK was added as the sixth member until his departure after their second release.

It would seem that the band was cursed and this definitely affected their music in a negative way.  As much as I enjoyed their second release, “Black Rain”, it definitely sounds like it was rushed.  However, Dark Lotus decided to create Opaque Brotherhood with only 5 members and finally created the masterpiece that they were capable of doing.

Opaque Brotherhood is one of those rare albums that comes out where every single track is top notch and in my opinion is one of the creepiest albums that Psychopathic has put out.  Essentially, the album is a series of topics, some of them scary, and each member’s take on the subject.  High points include “Backwords” where each verse tells a story backwards with a concept ripe with potential plot twists, “Follow The Leader” where the group addresses the many copycat artists out there who are strongly influenced by them, and “Withered” which will bring goosebumps to all but the most hardened people.

#2 Insane Clown Posse: Hell’s Pit

ICP’s sixth jokers card, which also included The Wraith: Shangri-La, was what their entire musical career was building up to.  True be told, Shangri-La is just as good as Hell’s Pit, but it is more of an album for established juggalos, while Hell’s Pit is the more accessible one of the two.  The entirety of the album is about Hell and human misery.

What was revolutionary about this album was that ICP managed to make an album about Hell, and the road to Hell, without glamorizing it, and without mentioning Satan more than once.  (Essentially, not giving the devil his due!)

The standout point, to me, was their decision to end the album on a song about manic depression, aka bipolar disorder.  Never before have I heard the anguish and misery of this disease so eloquently put.  There’s a lot to relate to for many people on this album, which is a wake up call to make desperate changes in your life.

Even if you don’t believe in a place called Hell, that doesn’t make it any less real, as ICP points out by showcasing several tracks that deal with the misery that people have created in their own lives.

#1 Insane Clown Posse: Riddlebox

This is where the stars were in alignment and everything seemed to just fall into place for Psychopathic Records.  Riddlebox has stood the test of time, and after fourteen years is still arguably the strongest release from ICP or any other artist on the label.  This is the album where they finally had found their signature carnival sound and mythology and was also their first national release.

Riddlebox features classics such as the Chicken Huntin’ remix that everyone is familiar with, and is probably ICP’s most famous hit.  It also features juggalo classics such as “12″, “The Show Must Go On”, “Toy Box”, “Ol’ Evil Eye”, and “Dead Body Man”.  Quite simply, I just don’t see how any other album could make the top of this list.  It’s just that good.

Honorable Mentions:

Twiztid: Freek Show
Soopa Villainz: Furious
Blaze: Clockwork Gray
Jumpsteady: Master Of The Flying Guillotine