Skull & Bones

Japanese Version Featuring A Bonus Track

As rap-metal hybrids continue to sell millions, Cypress Hill fills the "Bones Disc" of this two-CD set with a half-dozen hard rockers that keep things loose-limbed enough to incite the dance floor to something other than moshing. The best music the group has released in years, it shows that this decade-old act is still capable of surprise. The accompanying "Skull Disc" hardly delivers the same jolt, but should satisfy hardcore fans of the Hill. While Cypress Hill sound convincing and forceful over the 64 minutes of Skull & Bones, the record's lyrics have little new to say: most of these songs warn off would-be competitors, praise ganja, or complain about the hardships presented by the rappers' celebrity status. Still, the crunching "Bones" tracks and the occasional Spanglish verses show that this crew hasn't run out of spirit yet. --Bob Roget