The duo of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child discuss the modern era of Twiztid and how their most recent album is a true testament to the independence they spent their career establishing.
The final segment of the exploratory series that revisits the entire discography horrorcore pioneers Twiztid, resumes at a particularly pivotal time for the dup of Jamie and Paul.
In 2015, the team released their 10th studio record with The Darkness. Happening in tandem, Twiztid was also forging their own record label in Majik Ninja Entertainment. Coordinating all of the working parts for that kind of endeavor made the task of written and recording music part of the band’s focus, not the entirety of it. For that reason, Jamie and Paul confided that The Darkness didn’t have the kind of impact they typically require of their work.
Citing an urgent need to get an album out to establish the legitimacy of the record label, the haste of the record ultimately made the process a bit of blur for Madrox and Monoxide. Despite that fact, the album tallied some notable numbers, hitting #29 on the Billboard 200, #18 on the Top Album Sales chart, and #3 on the Top Rap Albums chart. The album was primarily just Jamie and Paul, opting to go with minimal features. Although one especially impactful guest spot, was a contribution from The Devil’s Reject himself in Sid Haig. (RIP)
Two years later, Twiztid shared a new iteration of the duo with the release of the album, The Continuous Evilution of Life’s ?’s. Getting back to the task of making and creating music with a renewed focus, Jamie and Paul went especially hard for the album cover art, which served in making a statement that Twiztid was back in fine form. For the guys, the significance of album 11 was to speak to the versatility they had. Paul detailed that this record underscored the band’s ability to thrive in whatever creative capacity they move forward with – be it as MCs, or horrorcore practitioners.
2019’s Generation Nightmare further emphasizes that versatility. Twiztid had spent their duration of their creative career disregarding what the trends dictated and doing what satisfied their artistic itch. For the band’s twelve studio effort, it was crystal clear that the freedom that comes with that kind of self-confidence loans itself to the kind of environment that allows artists to shine. Twiztid is a prime example of that. Continuing to blur genre divides, few artists get to twelve albums, let alone try something new with each one. The rock-focused Generation Nightmare is the exception to that fact.
The culmination of the conversation fittingly brings the band’s thirteenth album into focus. The 2020 iteration of Twiztid in Mad Season is particularly significant in underscoring the notion of independence that both Jamie and Paul have spent so long in establishing. While the world went into lockdown, Twiztid, in being their own bosses, had the ability to get back to work.
With their fanbase, their family in mind, the guys felt it was an important to be able to provide some kind of creative relief for a world that continues to growin its uncertainty. Combating bleak times with art is the ethos of Mad Season for Twiztid and an appropriate punctuation for a duo that has worked for decades to pave their own lane.
Watch the final segment of The Disc Dive with Twiztid and host Ryan J. Downey below.
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