The original release date of this CD is in late 2000. It's been re-issued as well, for whatever reason. The only difference between the original and the re-issue as far as I know is that they have different album covers (I will post both below so that you can see the difference, personally I like the original better). I have the reissued version, so that is the one I will be speaking on.
This album is a part of the Cryptic Collection, a series of albums Twiztid has been putting out that are re-released and re-engineered or remixed "rare" tracks that are usually from past entries or projects throughout their career. If the idea of buying anything that has already been released makes you turn your nose up in the air, don't fret, because there's also the addition of unreleased tracks to add something new to the disc. It's kind of like the Forgotten Freshness series by ICP, but you know, for Twiztid.
Graphics:
Paul and Jamie on the cover, throwing signs. A strange cave bat on the back with the group name and album title. CD cover doubles as a booklet; it's got Jamie and Paul on the back, with Paul smoking. The booklet mostly contains information about the history of each track, which is dope because a lot of the information is genuinely interesting. Halfway through you get Madrox and Mono staring at you, with what looks like Mostasteless-era makeup sheening on their beautiful faces. At the back is an ad for the other CCs, which probably only exists because this is the later pressing that came out way after the original one. On the CD art you got Paul and Jamie again, same as the cover but fit to a disc. Nothing in the CD rest.
Content:
If you like Twiztid, you will most certainly like this CD. It might not be as big a project like a full-length album, but still contains a level of sweet freshness and added novelty, because of the rare and unreleased material. If you're just getting into Twiztid and haven't listened to older work from the HoK era, then this CD should be especially fresh. Some of the older fans will recognize a fair amount of content, but not all of it, because of the previously unreleased material on the CD. Cryptic Collection is an opportunity to listen to their old work without having to pay out the ass for it, in a cleaner format, and with the addition of music you will not find anywhere else. Between the old and fresh content, it's all Twiztid and it's all good.
The music itself is pretty good, but not amazing. When buying a CD like this, I don't usually set my standards too high, because they aren't meant to be groundbreaking projects. But regardless of that, Cryptic Collection is pretty good musically. Some of these tracks are not impressive or memorable at all for sure, but remember that some of the songs are here just to be here. To satisfy the collectors who want the rare audio, and to let the regular fans get into some new shit. Regardless of what you think about vault CDs, if you're a fan of Twiztid, you will find something to appreciate about this disc. In terms of production, it's got the familiar underground sound, and the older tracks have been scrubbed up so that they sound a lot better than the OG presses. It's not off the beaten path, and in this case, that's probably a good thing.
Cryptic Collection is not a must-have. It isn't a Mostasteless or W.I.C.K.E.D., it's much simpler and humble, and I like that. If you're a fan of Twiztid, then consider this CD. If you're a collector, scoop it for sure, and if you're the average listener, you'll probably dig it too. It's good and fun to listen to, but nothing compared to their full-length albums.
Final Grade: JRH gives "Cryptic Collection 1" by Twiztid a: 3.6/5
Weak points:
- Not impressive or memorable, especially
- A few stale tracks here and there
Strong points:
- Older tracks allow you to listen to their past work without the hassle of trying to get the OG presses
- Previously unreleased tracks create a sense of novelty, especially for the older fans familiar with their past work
- The extra effort of having tracks re-engineered and remixed makes the album have a clean and professional sound
There it is, ninjas, JRH's second review! Peep it, spread it, keep it locked and while it you're at it, visit the page and drop a like! (https://www.facebook.com/JuggaloReviewHole)
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| Re-Issued Album cover; contemporary version Not sure what year it was re-issued |
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| Ye Olde Album cover, from the 2000 release |
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