Fresh off dropping their sophomore effort, A Child Trapped in Poems, SoCal hip hop icon Ariano and Portland producer Jade River bring the heat one more time with the third installment of their collaborative efforts, Fear is a Liar (Rockets).

While Ariano and Jade stuck to purer hip hop stylings of trap and boom bap on their previous two albums, Fear is a Liar is far more rock-driven. From Jade’s bass-heavy production, to Ariano singing his hooks as much as he raps, Fear is a Liar is indisputable evidence of the duo’s musical evolution. Tracks laden with electric guitar and classic rock vibes, like on “Hush (I Wait for You),” permeate the album.

Fear is a Liar delivers an underlying message of perseverance and acceptance, even when the tracks themselves may seem filled with anger and frustration. Read between the lines and you hear the truth about overcoming fear, making peace with the things you cannot change and riding your own rocket to the next phase of life (a theme that plays throughout the album). Take the track “Heroin;” it’s a banging 90’s-esque straight rap attack on older rappers, but in the same breath it’s a ferocious defense of the youth coming up in the game.

Ariano and Jade continue to elevate their chemistry with each album they drop. Fear is a Liar is the rocket taking them to new heights as a writer/producer team.