 = The Tempest ( album ) = 
 
 The Tempest is the tenth studio album by American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse . Released in 2007 , the album marks the return of producer Mike E. Clark , who had a falling @-@ out with the duo in 2000 . However , he did not collaborate directly with ICP , and would not do so until their 2009 album Bang ! Pow ! Boom ! 
 The album 's concept compares a violent storm to a roller coaster ; its lyrical themes vary from horrorcore @-@ based character deconstructions and songs about the supernatural to humorous and lighter subject matter . Clark 's production was praised by critics , and the album peaked at # 20 on the Billboard 200 . It is the group 's 23rd overall release . 
 
 = = History = = 
 
 Mike E. Clark produced much of Insane Clown Posse 's discography , as well as working with other groups on Psychopathic Records , until having a falling @-@ out with ICP in 2000 , after completing ICP 's album 's Bizaar and Bizzar , and beginning production on the Dark Lotus debut album Tales from the Lotus Pod . 
 After becoming a full @-@ time producer for Kid Rock , Clark contracted pneumonia , but ignored the illness , and began coughing severely as he awoke , leading to a three @-@ month stay in Mount Clemens General Hospital , during which one of his lungs collapsed three times . As the result of his near @-@ death experience , Clark decided to reconcile with Bruce and Utsler . Phone conversations between Clark and Insane Clown Posse led to Clark producing Shaggy 2 Dope 's 2006 solo album F.T.F.O .. The following year , Clark produced The Tempest ; however , in both instances , he did not work with Psychopathic Records directly . Because of this , ICP felt that The Tempest was missing the collaborative element that they felt made their earlier albums enjoyable . Clark would not work directly work with Psychopathic Records until 2009 's Bang ! Pow ! Boom ! 
 
 = = Music and lyrics = = 
 
 Unlike previous Insane Clown Posse albums , The Tempest is not connected to the Dark Carnival mythology , which formed the basis for ICP 's " Joker 's Cards " series , which began in 1992 with Carnival of Carnage and concluded with the albums The Wraith : Shangri @-@ La and Hell 's Pit ; however , it references themes , concepts and songs from previous albums . Joseph Bruce ( Violent J ) said that The Tempest is a concept album in its own right . Bruce describes the album 's concept as relating to both a violent storm which turns into a tornado and pulls people into a hurricane as well as a roller coaster . According to Bruce , " That 's a lot like riding on a violent roller coaster , I 'd assume . You get jerked to the left , jerked to the right , sucked way up into the sky , and then you go shooting down to the floor , and then you jerk up to the left and then you whip around to the right . Well , The Tempest is a storm in the form of a roller coaster . " As a result of this concept , the album focuses on a variety of different moods . 
 The Tempest maintains much of the horrorcore lyrical content ICP is known for , as well as their humorous perspective . Unlike previous albums , this album does not contain any disses aimed at other rappers or music industry figures . Bruce and Joseph Utsler ( Shaggy 2 Dope ) ' s rapping on this album is described by Allmusic reviewer David Jeffries as being delivered in " a carnival barker fashion that fits with their circus motif " , and contrasted Bruce and Utsler themselves as being like " Alice Cooper with a mallrat attitude " . 
 The lyrics of " Growing Again " , which describes Violent J growing into a giant , were inspired by Bruce 's weight gain ; Bruce also says that the song reflects the feeling of being able to " rap about anything we want [ ... ] I feel we have the right for some songs to be softer and not about killing or Dark Carnival . " " The Tower " describes a war veteran and expert marksman climbing a college tower and shooting people with an arsenal of weapons , a reference to Charles Whitman 's 1966 murder spree . 
 Mike E. Clark 's production incorporates elements of rock and heavy metal , as well as live instrumentation . Reviewer Lana Cooper of PopMatters compares " Ride the Tempest " to Flock of Seagulls , and describes the instrumentation as incorporating elements of synthesizers and calliope . Cooper says that " Growing Again " incorporates power ballad chords . Jeffries describes " I Do This ! " as being influenced by psychedelia , and called " Mexico City " " Low Rider music " . 
 
 = = Release and reception = = 
 
 The album was released with a bonus poster . The Tempest debuted at # 20 on the U.S. Billboard 200 , selling about 33 @,@ 000 copies in its first week . Reviews from Allmusic and PopMatters generally appraised Mike E. Clark 's production as the album 's most appealing element . Allmusic 's David Jeffries wrote , " there 's no denying that Clark 's vision does wonders for the duo . " PopMatters ' Lana Cooper said that " [ Insane Clown Posse 's ] theatrics have to be given their due . " 
 
 = = Track listing = = 
 
 
 = = Chart positions = = 
 
 
 = = Personnel = = 
 
 Joseph Bruce – vocals , composer 
 Shaggy 2 Dope — vocals , scratching 
 Mike E. Clark – composer , engineer , mixing , producer , programming 
 Jeffrey Campo – mastering 
 Brian Debler – artwork , cover design 
 DJ Clay — scratching , vocals 
 Insane Clown Posse — composer , vocals 
 James Mitchell — vocals 
 The R.O.C. — vocals , background vocals 
 Razor Ray — guitar , soloist , vocals , background vocals 
 Michael Scotta — artwork , cover design 
 Cindy Wulkan — artwork , cover design 
 
 