One-third of a re-Wu-nion

“Wu Massacre,” the new collaboration from Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, flies in with exactly the kind of frenzied pacing expected from Wu-Tang Clan’s three most successful members.

The first two tracks revisit old numbers from Raekwon and Method Man, respectively, reprising their old roles on “Criminology 2.5” and “Meth vs. Chef Part II.”

Not one track is out of place here; the influence of classic Wu producers like RZA and Mathematics riddles “Massacre.” The three Staten Island emcees bring the heat in their seemingly nonsensical street jargon, weaving tales of everything from sultry female friends to drug heists seamlessly into their stream-of-consciousness flow that never wavers in its intensity.

The lead single “Our Dreams” features a soulful ’70s Michael Jackson sample (quintessential RZA) and some playfully sentimental romance, even from Ghostface.
Checking in at just over a half-hour in runtime, “Massacre” plays almost like a series of premium promotional cuts, furious and unrelenting before winding down into “It’s the Wu Shit” at its conclusion.

It’s a more polished and well-conceived effort, though the guest spots are forgettable and Ghost, Meth, and Rae combine for maybe 20 verses between them. However, it’s a strong production in the classic Wu-Tang tradition and accomplishes virtually everything it attempts.