A Juggalo Rants About: World Of Bayway Vol. III by Bayway

 

By Ethan Pell
Now, I've never been much of a hardcore guy up until Ryan showed me Bayway this year. Admittedly; so there may be a little bias. However, even saying that and acknowledging said bias, I still can't deny the genius that is Bayway NJ.

In barely three years, Jayway has led a revolutionary combination rapcore-hardcore band that has become so popular, they've even landed themselves a spot at this year’s Hellfest!

Now, while Ryan doesn't quite agree with my takes on Bayway. I think it's important to spread the good gospel of Bayway NJ, with no music of theirs encapsulating their niche better than this year's new EP, World Of Bayway, Vol. III

Loyalty-

The opening track of the album begins as some of the most hardcore hardcore I've heard in this sub-subgenre. An on-and-off riff bleeds into an impressive, if somewhat slow tempo-wise drum track which kicks off then again almost immediately into some fuckass slam shit. Bro’s hitting like one note over and over. In that same part, the drum spam I mean; Jayway finally jumps into the track with some serious bars, serious in terms of lyrical depth, I mean. The content is something else, which I'll get into later. But the rhyme scheme isn't the most impressive thing out there, mostly a simple AA, BB, CC. Etc.

After his first verse, we spit into a really great guitar riff with some spooky ass artificial wind instrumental in the background or something. 

The drum gets back into this shit and takes center stage, beating like right on time with our boy Jayway and it's the fuckin’ shit. 

He hits the mosh callout, titular and its badass as fuck. Some of the heaviest guitar riffs this whole album and he, Jayway, finally hits his grunge voice and it's the fuckin' shit. 

Finishing off after the final little riff is some more artificial noise, don't really know what that shit is but it's still spooky. 

I think the biggest strength of this song is the lyrics. Now, I'm not the most versed in Bayway lore, but, these are some heavy ass lyrics about what I'm sure was a very serious betrayal. I like the line “don't say no lies about me-won’t speak the truth about you” the implication being that, whatever Bayway was accused of, wasn't as bad as what their accuser actually did.

Even if the rhymes weren't the besttt, I'm sure sacrifices had to be made to ensure a high quality narrative. And the music itself, especially the drums made up for it. 

Colder-

Colder opens with a heavy guitar riff. Or maybe bass I don't know. But it's a spooky ass thing accompanied by just the cymbals on the drums which is a unique sound. One string plus one drum note. The drum guy [editors note: drummer] starts hitting one drum every couple of beats until Jayway starts rapping, immediately following of course, the guitarists starting to strum more strings. These are some heavy ass raps too, a bit more technically advanced but more personal to the band members themselves rather than the band as a whole I think. Rhymes about the “chip on my shoulder” “the future seems bright until you get older”, the theme is about how cynicism can overtake you as you get older. The music itself reflects this, the riff getting lower as Jay raps, the drums picking up.

“They try to friend me for fame” “everybody playing games”. The speaker feels like the people around them are just using them to get ahead, further advancing the theme of cynicism. 

Cynicism turning into anger, the guitar staying low, the drums staying hard as Jay spits “I can't be beat” “your talk is cheap”. I’d assume it’s meant to either be a further fall into the pit of anger and cynicism or it’s meant to represent the speaker fighting said emotions and the people associated with it. 

The chorus goes on with the same riff all the way through, staying stubborn.

The riff gets deep and spooky in the last verse as Jayway starts indirectly threatening his haters.

With the final repeat of the opening line, the drum cuts out as Jayway gets to rap over just guitar before finishing with his grunge voice over the full ensemble of instruments.

It's funny they call it colder when it's so fucking hot.

10/10.

Talk My Shit- 

Talk My Shit opens with a sick ass riff. Just one chord being ridden for the first couple seconds, going into the full riff with the intro of a little bit of drums, like edging the drum track, before it kicks off full force in a seriously groovy track that sounds almost hard rock if the guitar wasn't heavily distorted and down tuned. 

It then goes into a world of suffering kinda thing with the drum spam+Jayway rap. Like we saw in Loyalty, too. The lyrics in this one are less than noteworthy. A pretty simple brag/threat rap. “Chew you up and spit you out” “thinkin bout me in their head rent free.”. Some of the later lyrics reference a “pal” who talked “foul” but that's about it. 

The drums go into a full thing, taking center stage over the guitar which is mixed into a pretty hard background track.

The same riff I think but at a lower tempo with the guitar then takes priority in the I think chorus it's called and Jayway slows down his rap and it's got this sick ass ominous vibe but not as spooky as the last two. 

The guitar might actually be down tuned this shit is loowww.

But after that we get a drum spam solo before a “Bayway motherfucker” callout. 

The drummer guy goes into overdrive hitting that shit faster than I can process as Jayway hits some more basic bars.

In the next verse he starts rapping fast as shit, his spit in this is enough to make up for the lackluster lyrics. These ones are technically more advanced than his other shit with lots of half rhymes and longer in-betweens between rhymes but nothing special.

After this he hits his grunge voice for the song blending really well out of the rap. Ending off ironically, with the line “continue” on repeat. 

Jayway Freestyle-

I’d be lying if I didn't say the title of this song alone didn't make me hard. Jayway’s raps are something else and I'm honored to hear him freestyle. 

The track opens with bass, the first song of the EP I think to prominently include it which is cool. Flanked by either guitar or artificial string over the bass, I can't tell.

The song continues into Jay's rap accompanied by some more artificial sounds and a drum with a snare.

Some really silly sound effects like bubbles start coming in, almost Juggalo-Core I would say. Alot of these artifial sounds in the beat are really industrial, it sounds almost like Mike E. Clark’s shit. 

The song ends with a spoken sample, “Bayway motherfucker.” Beautiful.

The lyrics themselves aren't anything too special. It's a diss-track and a brag-rap at the same time, which could work in theory if it wasn't so generic. “You're standing on my dick” “you a bitch” “every time I'm on tracks ima shit on you”. Every line is either a generic line about how good he is at rapping or about how gay the other guy is. 

It's spat really well and the rapping works really well with the more focused beat. It almost sounds like early Eminem stuff. VERY EARLY, don't get cocky, Jay. 

It's not the best hardcore track, in fact, it isn't hardcore at all. It's punk-rap. But I think it does a really good job at putting the rap in rapcore at the very least.

I complimented the beat and I think it's worth mentioning Jayway is the credited producer of the song, so he might’ve made that shit which is impressive as fuck. It's a dope ass beat, trust. 

World of Bayway-

The titular closing track of the album.

It opens with a screech, guitar over guitar before adding some sick ass drums in the background. It sounds schizo but the drummer is so on time it almost sounds like it’s rapping over the guitar. 

If there wasn't the screech in the background it would almost sound like Boltthrower. 

The drums pick up as he adds cymbals, before the drums cut out except the cymbals.

Everything comes back right after cutting out as the band comes together for their chant thing, “World of Bayway” is shouted and it's awesome before it goes back into the opening instrumental.

We get the drums but without the heavier guitar but we still have the screech and it sounds groovy as shit. Almost jazzy.

The song itself is peak, yeah. But the ending isn't the best and it leaves you feeling kinda edged.

Having no rap after arguably the best rap song in Jayway's career is kinda a slap in the face to us rapcore fans but I know y'all ain't here for that. But even the hardcore isn't all that because of the too-smooth ending.

In conclusion-

The album is sick, yeah, it's a great starter piece for new Bayway fans and a must-buy for any virgins to their clique. It comes with all of Bayway. Including the lackluster parts, but I did say it was the ultimate expression of Bayway so yeah.

If you're looking to buy your first Bayway thang, this is it. If you're looking to round out your collection, this is it. This is Bayway.