What does it mean to redefine oneself, to evolve beyond a troubled past in pursuit of the person you were always meant to be? Carnage The Executioner, the Minnesota-based artist, now also known as TERRELL X, tackles these questions in his 13th studio album: TRANSFORMATION TO TERRELL X.

Written and produced entirely by Terrell over the course of two months, “Transformation To Terrell X” is a 13-track sonic memoir that marks a significant departure from his previous work. Terrell trades traditional instrumentation with sample-heavy backdrops, for his signature head-nodding human beat box drums, sub-woofer-shaking bassline grooves, dynamic vocal synth layers and turntablist vocal scratches. These efforts are married beautifully to a carefully curated selection of chopped samples from the ‘60s – ‘80s music. Paired with a reflective writing and delivery method, TTTX the is a raw, honest project that stands as his most customized, personal, accessible, and easy-to-digest album to date. Crafted with the intention of being performed in live theater, intimate and listening room settings, the album invites listeners to peer through the windows of his tumultuous past, where Hip-Hop culture – and almost all music genres in general – served as two of his few sanctuaries.

Chapter 1: The Archives Of Terrelletraan 1

“We must choose which of these parts will ultimately have the most profound influence on how much of our undeniable selves we are allowed to become.”

In the opening chapter, “The Archives Of Terrelletraan 1,” tracks like “I Come Here By Way Of…” and “Dang, I Had It Bad,” vividly portray a childhood marred by trauma, yet enriched by the soul stirring sounds of the 70’s and ‘80s, while growing up in Minnesota, after his family migrated from the West Side of Chicago. Here, Terrell sifts through fragments of his youth – poverty, domestic abuse, and the absence of his father – against the backdrop of Saturday morning cartoons, “soul music that momma played,” and the 1984 cartoon TV series, The Transformers.

The album weaves samples from The Transformers cartoon series soundtrack to create thematic bookends for the project’s three distinct chapters. Notable samples include “Teletraan 1” which introduces and inspires the opening track, “Archives Of Terrelletraan 1,” “Ancient Wisdom” provides a sonic bridge for the album’s second chapter, “Wisdom Of Ancient Souls,” while “Explore! Repair!” sets the stage for the interlude “Analyze & Reconstruct.” The final track, “Transformation To Terrell X” samples “Prime Target,” drawing inspiration from Optimus Prime as a personal role model. Every song just before each chapter’s concluding track features a clip from the soundtrack, enhancing the album’s cinematic quality and paying tribute to the TV series that helped to shape his childhood.

Chapter 2: Wisdom Of Ancient Souls

“Songs were played especially for me to hear – my life had a soundtrack bumpin’ night and day.”

The album’s second chapter plunges listeners into Terrell X’s turbulent adolescence, marked by his time in Minneapolis’ foster care system. Here, the narrative shifts from recollection to a deeper understanding of these formative experiences as part of a greater cosmic journey. Hip-Hop, initially a lifeline, evolves into a driving force in his life. Tracks like “I Used To Read The Dictionary” reflect Terrell’s thirst for knowledge as a refuge from the chaos of his environment, while “North Wind Warrior” captures his realization of a higher calling to embrace education, despite where he came from.

Chapter 3: Analyze & Reconstruct

“Born Maynard Terrell Woods wrongfully. Terrell is the part that only belongs to me – with the ‘X’ unknown potential…”

In the final chapter, there appears to be a fully-emerged transformed into Terrell X. The track “(In)Security Guard” directly confronts Carnage, exposing his contrived, character-based persona as a mask designed to shield his vulnerabilities. Building on the themes from his “Ravenous” album, the song offers a more honest look at how such a persona both fueled and hindered Terrell’s journey as a lifelong artist. By shedding light on this struggle, Terrell reveals how his quest for respect and success in the music industry was intricately tied to his insatiable appetite for acclaim, often at the expense of cultivating self-respect and nurturing his closest relationships.

Through raw lyricism, evocative soundscapes, and intricate human beat boxing, “Transformation To Terrell X” delivers a deeply personal narrative about a man’s relentless pursuit of self-discovery, resonating long after the final track fades.