LOS ANGELES – Some American soldiers relieve wartime stress in the weight room. Some unwind over meals. Others immerse themselves in letters from loved ones.

But for a dozen young fighters featured on a new CD, rap is the route to stress relief.

“It’s all a way of venting,” says Marine Sgt. Kisha Pollard, 22, who left California’s Camp Pendleton this month for a third tour in Iraq. “You’re stressed and you can’t be violent or do anything bad. Freestyling [rap] is a big relief, and everybody will come around and listen.”

Pollard and other amateur rappers serving in Iraq contributed their war-driven rhymes to “Voices From the Frontline,” a CD that hits stores April 25. Some hope for music careers after finishing their military service. Others simply were seeking an outlet for their thoughts on fear, family and fighting abroad.

“This ain’t for a paycheck. This ain’t for us to be known,” Army Sgt. Christopher Tomlinson says of the CD’s introduction. “This is for somebody to understand a soldier’s life.”

That’s what Joel Spielman wanted to do when he came up with the “Voices From the Frontline” concept in 2004. Inspired by a documentary about soldiers’ letters home, Spielman, president of punk label Crosscheck Records, wanted to create something similar in song.

“My vision was to have it be an audio documentary,” says Spielman, 33. “I wanted people to actually hear the voices of the soldiers.”

He posted a call for contributions on military message boards and called Army bases around the country.

Frankie Mayo of Operation AC, a nonprofit group that provides care packages to military servicepeople overseas, responded. Her son, Tomlinson, won military talent shows with his poetic skills.

With Tomlinson and Mayo’s help, notice of Spielman’s effort spread through the cyphers – rap wordplay circles – that spontaneously spring up at military camps in Iraq.

There’s ample rap talent in the war zone, says Tomlinson, who also goes by the name Prophet. Troops get together and create impromptu raps over beats played on laptop computers, CD players or Xbox consoles. Sometimes it’s a competition, other times it’s just to cope.

“We rhyme for hours upon hours about anything and everything,” Tomlinson says on the CD. “All your emotions can come out and everybody’s equal. Ain’t no ranks, ain’t no sergeants or privates. Everybody’s the exact same.”

He also said he can express feelings in rhyme that he couldn’t in conversation.