martindavey87 ‘Broken Silence’ is the 2015 debut by Bonz, the original front man of rap-rock pioneers Stuck Mojo. After a second attempt at a reunion with his former band mates produced similar results as before (they’d attempted reunions in both 2005 and 2014, neither were able to sustain themselves for more than a number of shows), it was time for Bonz to step out on his own and break his silence.

Following on from his multiple tenures with Stuck Mojo, this is hard-hitting rap metal, with heavy, crunchy guitar riffs and energetic drumming accompanying Bonz’s spite-filled vocals, which are honest, brutal, and at times humorous. The raw and gritty production gives the album the sound it needs, giving everyone some clarity whilst not sounding overproduced, it sounds dirty, which is befitting of the lyrical themes, style of the music, and image of the band.

However, while there aren’t really any bad songs on the record, there is a major ingredient missing; “The Duke” Rich Ward.

Guitar mastermind of Stuck Mojo and Fozzy, Rich Ward’s groove laden guitar riffs were able to really get the best out of Bonz’s unique voice, which blended traditional rapping with punk and hardcore influences, and unmatched charisma. While ‘Broken Silence’ is a good effort, and certainly gives the man an avenue to voice his thoughts, everything seems just a little rigid without that swinging feeling of Ward’s songwriting and his signature guitar tones.

However, ‘Broken Silence’ is still a good album, and certainly has its moments. ‘Sinister Grin’, ‘Take It Personal’, ’30 Seconds to Swat’, ‘Godshine’ and the title track itself, which is no doubt a shot at his former band mates, are all decent tracks that make this record worth checking out. But if you really want to catch Bonz at his best, check out ‘Declaration of a Headhunter’, ‘Rising’, or ‘Pigwalk’ by Stuck Mojo. The guy is an absolute beast, and ‘Broken Silence’, while a good album, just doesn’t quite do him or his talents justice.