From the frozen tundra of Milwaukee, WI, songwriters and blistering rap/hip-hop duo LVCIFERIANZ unleashes ablaze with their latest single, "Tha' Epitome."
LVCIFERIANZ was formed in August 2020, comprising solo recording artists Grimm and Hood Payaso. Before becoming LVCIFERIANZ, Hood Payaso released five unofficial albums, and Grimm, with a BFA in Music Composition and Technology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has been releasing music under the moniker, The Wilting.
Now, coming together inspired by the likes of Tech N9ne, Three 6 Mafia, Esham, Twista, and others, LVCIFERIANZ reminds us what they're made of through a blistering new single entitled "Tha' Epitome." While the duo put on quite the ferocious and dominant performance, their fiery, cinematic, and broad sonics/production perfectly amplify the entire listening experience.
Beginning our journey into "Tha' Epitome," we're met with a plucky synth arrangement and distant pads that float in from the background. As the heated beat drops with heavy, organic drums, LVCIFERIANZ makes their authoritative vocal appearance and introduces us to their power and forceful approach. Moving over to the hook, LVCIFERIANZ team up to deliver an eerie and spooky melody that leaves our spines chilled.
Moving forward, both Grimm and Hood Payaso tackle their individual verses with the utmost might and vitality while their heated sonics continues to push us towards the song's end. There's undeniably intimidating, yet captivating energy about this song and LVCIFERIANZ perfectly portrays the angst, emotion, and power they have through each bar. Moving our way to the outro, LVCIFERIANZ closes the track on a reflective note with wide instrumentation and melancholy piano melodies.
Get to know the intense stylings of LVCIFERIANZ through their latest single, "Tha' Epitome," now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, LVCIFERIANZ. We love the energy and heat you've brought to your recent single, "Tha' Epitome." What inspired you to create this heavy single?
“Tha’ Epitome” begins the second installment of a larger conceptual narrative we call “The Nine Gates.” The narrative plays out across three releases, with each release showcasing three of the nine gates - two songs per gate. Drawing influences from such allegorical works like Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” or Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress,” we have created a set of nine gates – or nine aspects of the human experience – which make up the landscape of our Underworld. “Tha’ Epitome” belongs to the fourth gate, Greed; and like every song in the trilogy, serves as a manifestation of each its corresponding gate. For this single, we wanted to capture the essence of malice that so often accompanies Greed, and how it can corrupt and distort an individual into something more monstrous. Did both Grimm and Hood Payaso write their own bars for "Tha' Epitome" or do you often collaborate on songwriting to reach a cohesive end goal?
We were definitely responsible for writing our own verses. The process for writing “Tha’ Epitome” is no different than many of our other songs. Typically, we decide on the subject or theme of the song. Afterward, the chorus is usually fleshed out, first. Once we have that, we proceed to write our individual parts as the song requires; though we definitely workshop our parts with each other along the way.
Why did you choose to create such a broad, cinematic, and high-energy sonic landscape for "Tha' Epitome?" How does that intense sound enhance the song itself?
The entire “Nine Gates Trilogy” is very thematic and cinematic, so naturally, the music should be equally cinematic and evolving. The music should feel just as much of a character in this story as we are, and it should reflect the mood and emotions of not only the individual songs themselves but of each respective gate it represents. Being that “Tha’ Epitome” is the first track off of our recently-released second E.P. - we felt it was important to start off aggressively and stylishly. The intensity of the music, combined with our lyrical and performance choices, gives this particular portrait of Malevolence its gravitas. What should listeners learn about you when listening to "Tha' Epitome?" What do you want to make known with songs like this?
“Tha’ Epitome” is just a piece of a much larger artistic concept, one that indulgently explores darker aspects of the human experience. While the overall message may be considered grotesque or macabre, we are artists who are willing to use the grotesque and the macabre as a means of creating art. Finally, at the risk of sounding pretentious, we hope that our music serves as a sort of Nietzschean Abyss: while you are gazing into it, it is also gazing into you.