Relapse is the sixth studio album by legendary Detroit rapper Eminem. The man needs no introduction. This album was the first album from him after a 5 year hiatus where he was battling and recovering from a drug addiction. This album might be the darkest and most disturbing album he’s ever made, as on here, his Slim Shady persona doesn’t feel as jokey and ridiculous, it feels like he’s just rapping from a drug addicted serial killer perspective. Legendary producer Dr. Dre produced most of the beats on this album. It honestly feels like old Eminem, but somehow it feels even darker. It turned 15 years old this year, so how does it hold up?

   This is a very long album, so I’m not going to go through every single track in detail, like I usually do. There’s some amazing tracks, but there’s also a lot of tracks that do bring the album down, because of some of the accents. I appreciate what Eminem’s trying to do with this concept album, because not only is he portraying a disturbing character, but he’s illustrating it in great detail. It goes without saying but Eminem is one of the best songwriters in hip-hop. “3 A.M.,” is a great example of the serial killer angle, with an accent that isn’t as grating as others. Eminem’s flow and disturbing lyrics about murdering and dismembering people feels like classic Slim Shady, and it feels like he’s almost 100% serious about what he’s doing. I absolutely love the Dr. Dre produced instrumental with those hard-hitting drums, and piano chords. The dark, suspenseful violins in the chorus are a fantastic addition as well, and it’s easily one of my favorite tracks. This album is also a rare example of where skits don’t bring down the quality of the album. “My Mom,” is yet another diss track to Eminem’s mom, and has some pretty fucked up lyrics like, “Stumble, hobble, tumble, slip, trip then I fall in bed. With a bottle of meds and a Heath Ledger bobblehead,” Through this song he’s saying the reason he became an addict was because of his mom’s addictions. After a strong start, we have a track that I really don’t like, “Insane,” and while I know Eminem’s telling a fictional story, I really don’t want to hear a track about him graphically describing being raped by his stepdad. There’s some lines I wish I could unhear. 

  “Bagpipes from Baghdad,” has one of the best instrumentals on the entire record, with this funky Middle Eastern vibe. He went scorched earth on Mariah Carey, who he used to date, despite her saying they never even met each other. Definitely one of the most interesting Eminem feuds, and his flow is fucking insane on this track. We get a “My Name Is,” style re-introduction track to Slim Shady with, “Hello.” The instrumental is cool as well, with that guitar loop featuring turntable scratches. Eminem’s flow is strong on this track, as he plays the stalker drug addicted serial killer role really well, without it feeling gratuitous and TMI. “Same Song and Dance,” is another track that I’m not a fan of, as the beat feels kinda monotonous, and Eminem’s voice just sounds kinda flat on the track. Following that is another weak track, “We Made You,” I like the goofy instrumental and Eminem’s humorous flow on the track, but a lot of the jokes just don’t really land, and after two incredibly dark tracks, the humor just feels kinda out of place. “Medicine Ball,” has a thumping drum beat with sinister horns in the instrumental, and Eminem is continuing the jokey tone with more outlandish Slim Shady lyrics, and Christopher Reeve really can’t catch a break, dude’s dead and he’s getting dissed still. I also like the line about Madonna, where he says, “the chick’s so old, she looks like she outlived a life sentence.” Still it’s another track I’m just not a fan of. After another skit, we get the insanely track, “Stay Wide Awake,” where Em is on his Ted Bundy shit. I absolutely love the haunting piano instrumental with those ghoulish choral vocals in the background. Eminem is returning to the serial killer/serial rapist vibe on the album, with incredibly fucked up lyrics, even by Eminem standards. There’s no humor, no jokes, just pure darkness and evil. His flow is on point as well, making it one of the best tracks on the record. “Old Times Sake,” is a solid, more lighthearted, stoner track featuring Dr. Dre. It feels a bit out of place, given that we just transitioned from a song where Em was rapping about dismembering and violating women. The accent on this track feels a little bit irritating, but it’s got a great beat, and Dr. Dre has a solid guest verse. Still it’s not one of my favorites. “Must Be the Ganja,” is another least favorite track of mine, as Eminem sounds tired and unenthusiastic compared to other tracks on the record. There should’ve been a better dark track in its place, but there had to be a track that transitioned well into the overdose skit, which brings us to the next track. 

    Another strong track from Eminem, is one of the two heartbreaking songs on the record, which only Em knows how to pull off, “Déjà Vu.” I love the melancholy guitar instrumental, as Eminem talks about the brutal highs and lows of drug addiction. Going from being addicted to NyQuil to Valium pills, and hearing how alone he feels through his battle with addiction and alcoholism. The chorus is so depressing. “Sometimes I feel so alone, I just don’t know feels like I’ve been down this road before. So lonely and cold, it’s like something takes over me as soon as I go home and close the door. Kinda feels like deja vu, I wanna get away from this place, I do. But I can’t and I won’t, say I try, but I know that’s a lie. ‘Cause I don’t and why I just don’t know.” The struggle to stay sober is incredibly relatable, and hearing Eminem rapping from such a raw and personal perspective, is admirable. “Maybe just a nice cold brew, what’s a beer. That’s the devil in my ear, I’ve been sober a fuckin’ year.” It takes incredible strength to reveal that you have a problem with drugs and alcohol, and I respect Marshall for being so vulnerable. Talking about how losing his best friend, Proof, gave him an excuse to use drugs and alcohol even more, and make the justifications he would make to use drugs, with the devil on his shoulder telling him to fuel his vices. The story he tells about his addictions and how it led to his overdose makes it one of the best tracks on the album. 

   Following that masterpiece, is probably my favorite song on the album, “Beautiful,” which he started writing while he was in rehab. I like the Queen sample, and how personal Em is on this track, talking about how depressed and lonely he felt recovering from his addictions, fearing that he’d never be able to rap again. The song has a positive message in the chorus, as he sings, “Don’t let them say you ain’t beautiful. They can all get fucked, just stay true to you.” His descriptive lyrics such as, “I think I’m starting to lose my sense of humor. Everything’s so tense and gloom.” I also like the line, “Marshall, you’re so funny, man you should be a comedian goddamn! Unfortunately I am, I just hide behind the tears of a clown.” In his third verse, he gets motivational and inspirational, talking about how he never waited by the door for his deadbeat dad to show up, rather he worked his ass off to get himself out of the ghetto, and poverty, saying “Nobody asked for life to deal us with these bullshit hands we’re dealt. We gotta take these cards ourselves and flip ‘em don’t expect no help.” Eminem is an amazing lyricist and knows how to make motivational anthems that inspire others.

   After that, we return to another Slim Shady track, with “Crack a Bottle,” featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent. The horn and piano infused instrumental is funky, and really demonstrates how amazing Dre is as a producer. The chorus is catchy, Eminem’s verse is humorous and 50 has a strong verse as well. It’s another favorite of mine, and was actually the first single off of the album, which was a good choice, because it was a strong return for Em. Following that, we finish the album with the track, “Underground,” which definitely hasn’t aged great with the heavy use of the word, “faggot,” but expecting Eminem to not try and offend people is like expecting Florida to not have hurricanes. I like the dramatic theatrical instrumental, as Eminem’s psychotic lyrics fit well over it. It feels like something out of a horror movie, and it makes a strong closer for an album.

   I don’t review deluxe versions of albums, but Relapse: Refill is the best version of the album to listen to, as it has four tracks I absolutely love, “Forever,” featuring Drake, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne, “Hell Breaks Loose,” featuring Dr. Dre, “Careful What You Wish For,” and “Buffalo Bill.” “Forever,” has an amazing instrumental, and four amazing verses from four of the biggest rappers in the game, Eminem easily steals the show with his verse, but the others did fantastic, as well. The other three tracks are serial killer tracks, fitting with the theme of Relapse very well.

   To wrap things up, Relapse is a very flawed album, but overall it is a strong return for Eminem, I loved it when I was a teenager, but a lot of the tracks haven’t aged very well, especially reference wise. Eminem will even say that he looks back and doesn’t like Relapse, but I still enjoy it, as it’s a much stronger album in comparison to an album like Revival or Encore. Eminem incorporates serial killer bars, while also allowing himself to make some of the most personal and vulnerable tracks that he’s ever released. It’s not as strong as an album like The Marshall Mathers LP or The Slim Shady LP, but it’s easily the best “new,” Eminem album, and one of my favorite albums by the legendary rapper.

Overall Score: 7/10

Favorite Tracks: “3 A.M.,” “Bagpipes from Baghdad,” “Déjà Vu,” “Beautiful,” “Stay Wide Awake”

Least Favorite Tracks: “Insane,” “We Made You,” “Same Song and Dance,”

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1tZ8YxzNCU

Genres: Hardcore Hip Hop/Horrorcore