Dope’s “Blood Money, Part 1” is the first album released in seven years so it carries an enormous burden of expectations and promises. Certainly Dope manages to resurrect the old signature style and puts together a sweet collection of catchy songs.

“Blood Money” delivers a raw industrial mood with metallic guitar riffs and groovy drumming. The synths provide a dark noisy atmosphere amplified by dirty rock style vocals.

“Hold On” is a strange hybrid with smooth guitar leads in classic metal style with remarkable 90s accents and crushing guitar riffs that surround the recurring catchy chorus.

“1999” has a darker mood with heavy industrial influence and spooky synths. This track is particularly entertaining with an energetic moshpit friendly groove further embellished by borderline cacophonic synths.

“Razorblade Butterfly” has a playful vibe mixed with an understated sadness. The rough guitar riffs and the atmospheric synths build a sort of electro/industrial groove with dance floor vibes while the chorus will easily hook any listeners.

“A New Low” relies mainly on a trendy metalcore style with a heavy but catchy guitar riffing and the expected combo of clean melodic vocals and angrier screams.

“Selfish” has a horror style atmospheric theme but it’s also full of distorted guitar licks that successfully provide an immediate groove that feels like a crossover of nu metal and industrial.

Dope delivers a lovely cover of Hole’s hit song “Violet” adding loads of modern synths that provide darker layers over a heavier rhythmic core.

In the end, Blood Money, Part 1” demonstrates to be an entertaining album that would please party animals or a restricted alternative crowd but after seven years of silence some would have expected a more challenging/interesting work of music.