The first collection of new music from the rap-rock/nu-metal crew in over a decade, The Brimstone Sluggers finds Crazy Town returning to their roots and dialing back the guitars in favor of a more alternative hip-hop approach.

The years between 2015's The Brimstone Sluggers (the title is a nod to the group's original moniker) and 2002's Darkhorse haven't exactly been kind to the band, with their 2003 breakup and the death of DJ AM (2009), along with co-founder Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer's well-documented battles with substance abuse, contributing to their shrinking musical footprint.

At the very least, the 13-track LP stays true to the band's penchant for doling out brash, trope-heavy party-rap with hooks and Auto-Tune galore, and there's an expected yet refreshing current of self-reflection that permeates much of the album (something that could never have happened in 1999), especially on standout cuts like "A Little More Time," "Backpack," and "Born to Raise Hell." However, 13 years is a long time, and the genre which the band helped spawn has hardly aged into favor.

There's a bit more grit, and a tad more grime, but The Brimstone Sluggers is mostly a nostalgia trip with little to entice new listeners.