AMG Review of No Mercy

Andy Kellman
All Music Guide

No Mercy's appearance is rather deceptive. After slipping off a stark wraparound sleeve bearing nothing but the ominous title, there’s the album’s proper cover, a black-and-white portrait of T.I. looking downward, alone and pensive. No Mercy does offer some revealing and poignant moments, as on the lyrically deep title track, otherwise a perplexing collaboration with the-Dream and Tricky Stewart that deploys churning guitars and a quasi-Evanescence chorus. However, they are significantly outnumbered by party tracks, as well as a string of high-profile guest appearances.