Adam WarRock (aka Eugene Ahn) released his new album, The War for Infinity, yesterday. I’ve basically been listening to it non-stop ever since.
WarRock has been releasing songs via his website http://www.adamwarrock.com/ for some time. He received some critical acclaim and good press coverage in public radio with his single, Ira Glass. He has also released a mixtape, West Coast Avengers (about a certain team of super heroes dedicated to serving the west coast), via Comics Alliance.
The War for Infinity is Adam’s first full-length original album. While “nerd” music has been around for quite a while, the concept for this album is very original – at least for me. Adam is not singing about comics, he is singing a comic story as a character within that story. Loosely based on the Marvel Comics Infinity War story from the 1990’s, the album tells the tale of Adam WarRock and Demonos, a power-mad villain trying to impress the female incarnation of Death.
There are basically two versions of the album available. The stand-alone disc is $10 and is available from his website (linked above). Amazon and iTunes have the digital album for $8.00. Additionally, the deluxe version ($12 from his site) comes with a free digital copy, a physical disc, exclusive button, and DJ Empirical’s mashup album (It Was Like That When We Got Here) that provides a new take on some of Adam’s tracklog.
Most modern music is full of singles fit for listening to on your iPod on shuffle. This album demands you listen to it from track one to track seventeen. The bonus 18th track, Ira Glass, is set apart from the story. From the top shelf first track, detailing the origins of Adam’s music based powers, I was hooked. Unfortunately, the second song became a little too repetitive despite it’s otherwise great content. Every song is quality, thanks in part to the collaboration with DJ Ruckus Roboticus and guest vocals from Tribe One. I especially enjoyed Heroes Requiem, but be warned: Watch your feet, this song is full of super hero name dropping. Battle (Reprise) was also enjoyable because of the very thin fourth wall.
Rap and hip-hop are not normally my favorite genre but I did grow up with it and it’s wonderful to see someone with Adam’s talent providing a serious take on the levity of comics. MC Chris, MC Lars, Kirby Krackle, etc. have all provided great music targeted towards geeks like me. But Adam’s action is just a little different. Retelling a classic Marvel story via “raps and swears” is brilliant and well executed. The only real complaint I can raise is that I think some of his free tracklog songs were much better (specifically Girl Comics and I Have Never Watched an Episode of Doctor Who In My Life). It was disappointing to buy his album and hear songs that didn’t always meet the quality of his free stuff. The cover art from Rusty Shackles (http://www.tabletopfetus.com/) is fantastic and I’m hoping there will be more art in the physical disc. Shipping of the disc is being slightly delayed by Adam attending New York Comic Con where he’ll be onstage with Kirby Krackle.
The Infinity Gauntlet may hold six stones, but my scale only goes to five. So I’ll give the album the full five gems – and it’s got enough Soul to fill the last one on its own.