German producers Snowgoons somehow manage to land underground hardcore hip-hop’s biggest names for their albums. Just like on last year’s German Lugers, their latest, Black Snow, has features from heavyweights like Edo G, Killah Priest, and Reef the Lost Cauze. But what good is it to have rappers of that level on your album when you churn out repetitive beats? Nearly every song on here has the Snowgoons looping orchestral strings to provide an epic feel. And they all tend to blend together. Somewhat fittingly, most of the emcees phone in their verses that are chock full of ‘tough guy’ clichés that sound forced and overdone. Even Reef, who typically kills every verse he spits on, comes across as uninspired and tired on “This is Where the Fun Stops”. And the others don’t fare any better. The homophobic raps on “Who” by Outerspace are annoying and sophomoric while Viro the Virus’s verses on “Starlight” are contemplative, but nothing particularly amazing. To be fair, “Starlight” is a nice change of pace amongst the testosterone-filled anthems. Not everything on here feels like carbon copies of past tracks, though. “Raining”, featuring Brainstorm, Edo G, and Jaysaun, is an excellent slow-paced banger that has a rightful spot on anyone’s playlist. By the end, however, you will no doubt grow bored of this seemingly never-ending album that proves Snowgoons need some variety in their lives.

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