Rolling Stone (5/11/00, p.132) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...A bipolar breakdown....proving hip-hop is more like T2...capable of morphing into anyone they wanna be."
CMJ (5/1/00, p.23) - "...Proves rather convincingly that Cypress Hill still packs a mighty punch."
Vibe (6/00, p.223) - "...Marks the first major shift in the group's direction....Half of [the album] is a head-banging jam session....Songs like '(Rap) Superstar' prove that the group still has that winning formula..."
The Source (6/00, pp.218-20) - 3.5 mics out of 5 - "...May be their most drastic turn yet....Cypress' flavor runs thick across the disc....They break down the barriers in order to transcend the industry-imposed terms of alternative and rap....another set for the weeded."
Rap Pages (6/00, p.42) - "...May be the best album you hear for the next 2 years....[it] is so artistically good that it [will] stay inyour personal rotation..."
Mojo (Publisher) (6/00, p.113) - "...Finds them sticking a finger in the air and finding the wind blowing in the direction of thrash-metal..."
NME (Magazine) (4/29/00, p.33) - 7 out of 10 - "...Picks up where the groggy metal/rap melange of '98s CYPRESS HILL IV left off....It's business as usual....They do hip-hop and they do funk-metal rawk....evolving slowly..."
SKULL & BONES contains a "Skull" disc featuring hip-hop tracks, and a "Bones" disc featuring rock tracks.
Cypress Hill: Eric Bobo (rap vocals, drums); B-Real, Sen Dog, DJ Muggs (rap vocals).
Additional personnel includes: Eminem, Noreaga, Everlast (vocals); Reggie Stewart (guitar, bass); Andy Zambrano, Mike Fingers, Rogelio Lozano, Dino Cazares (guitar); Christian Olde Wolbers, Jeremy Fleener (bass); Brad Wilk (drums).
Cypress Hill's unique sound sets it apart from all the other outfits in the hip-hop genre. Since its breakthrough album, 1993's BLACK SUNDAY, its drug and gun-related lyrics have helped it maintain a hardcore fan base. SKULL & BONES is split into two separate CDs, the "Skull" disc being the dedicated rap segment, with "Bones" devoted to rock.
Synthesized orchestral strings and kick drum propel B-Real's distinct nasal rap on "(Rap) Superstar," which lays bare the pitfalls awaiting artists who attain their dreams and make it big in the music industry. B-Real and Sen Dog's lyrical skills are on display throughout this set, notably on the rebellious, attitude-driven "What U Want From Me." The second disc features members of Fear Factory, Rage Against The Machine, Downset, and SX10, with Cypress' Bobo on drums. The group's quick raps flow over a monstrous sound that puts most rap pretenders to shame. "Get Out Of My Head" is a speedy, riffing number with a great hook, while "Dust" pays homage to the Anthrax/Public Enemy collaboration of a decade ago. SKULL & BONES 2 CD set will satisfy longtime Cypress fans while also appealing to a new metal audience.