Eminem’s much-hyped and overdue comeback album, “Relapse,” is just hours from dropping and, as is customary with materials that generate this kind of interest, the first reviews are already starting to surface in the media. To say they’re scathing would be, at this point, an understatement, despite the fact that fans seem to be extremely pleased with the final result.

Fans are, no doubt, familiar with Eminem’s sound and, from what they say on dedicated forums, few actually expected something completely different from previous materials. And, while they may be content with that – meaning, the same angry routine and dissing and bashing of everybody – it’s precisely this that has already turned music critics off Em’s latest album. “Would the real Slim Shady please grow up” seems to be, according to critics, the phrase that would best described this collaboration with old-time pal Dr. Dre.

“On ‘Relapse,’ Eminem spends half of the 20 tracks asking for love, understanding and sympathy for the drug problems that derailed his career. […] For the rest of the lengthy album, the star tries to reclaim his old status as the button-pushing bad boy, tweaking Amy Winehouse and her hubby Blake Fielder-Civil; making not one but two gratuitous references to Kim Kardashian’s assets; […] and imagining the ruthless torture and murder of Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears in ‘Same Song and Dance,’ a title that provides another hint that he’s aware of how tired this routine is.” Jim DeRogatis argues for Sun Times.

In the same unmerciful review, DeRogatis says that, while Em’s previous material included about the same themes, what made those good was the tiniest hint that, underneath all the rage, there was a man who was this bad because he never knew better, an “incurable romantic,” as the reviewer calls him. On “Relapse,” there is nothing but hate and anger, and none of it is justified in any way, but rather shamelessly thrust in the face / ears of the listener for pure shock value.

“‘Relapse’ is the first album Eminem has made after returning from his own brink, and it’s an impressively focused and clever work. But this music is not transcendent. It’s still stuck in Marshall Mathers’ muck, his fundamental mistrust of pleasure and love. Maybe he just needs a new therapist. Or a new mask.” Ann Powers also writes for LA Times, echoing DeRogatis’ sentiment.

Still, fans who have already gotten the chance to listen to “Relapse” would beg to differ. The album does not come as a testament to the fact that the rapper should have called it a day and just retired completely, but rather to that he’s evolved, having become and artistically more challenging rapper. In the end, one might as well note, it’s the fans who call the shots, no matter what critics have to say – or with little regard to them.