Slash - Apocalyptic Love Review

According to Axl Rose, one of the main reasons that Slash left Guns N’ Roses was due to the fact that he resented having to adapt and evolve his style. Of course, there is always more than one side to any story, but the passing years have conspired to prove this version of events to be correct.

Upon his departure from the warring factions of Guns, he immediately established Slash’s Snakepit; a thinly-veiled solo vehicle that produced interesting but unmemorable hard rock schlock. Velvet Revolver, established in 2002, were little more than an unimaginative re-tread of two or three different bands. His debut solo album-proper, 2010’s Slash, was nothing but an exercise in big name cameos that had all the substance of low-quality candyfloss.

Slash is now at the stage of his career wherein he is firmly entrenched in the category of International Heritage. He could put the words of Mein Kampf to music and still be granted some leeway, such is the adoration some people hold for him. Indeed, the man born Saul Hudson might have been better transcribing Hitler’s literary madness into music form as that would have been halfway exciting and fresh. As it stands, Apocalyptic Love is conspicuous by its complete anonymity and dogged by the tepid boredom that leaks from each song like a faulty gas pipe. Deciding to dispense with the cameo carousel, he has formed a de-facto group with former Alter Bridge vocalist Myles Kennedy and a drummer and bass player collectively known as The Conspirators. One would be forgiven for thinking that the establishment of a more permanent band structure would lend itself to a more stable and creative environment. Alas, the opposite has happened. Each of the album’s thirteen tracks passes by without any fuss or fight; every song blending into one long blob of grey matter that leaves such little impression in spite of repeated listens. It’s commendable in itself that an album is able to achieve this effect....full text We all know and love Slash. This is the guy behind the riffs from "Paradise City" and "Welcome To The Jungle". This is the guy from the "November Rain" video soloing in the desert. He’s become almost a trademark in and of himself with his long hair obscuring his face under his top hat. There are very few guitarists who can say they haven’t played a few riffs, solos or licks made famous by Slash. From the streets of Los Angeles, Slash and his bandmates in Guns N Roses became celebrity bad boys and arena rock superstars basically overnight. At the time, they were just what rock music needed – a solid kick in the butt. The music scene was becoming more and more polished with the artists at the time wearing makeup and having elaborate hairdos. Guns N Roses looked rough, and they were passionate and their songs rocked. From the very beginning Axl and Slash stood out as the dominant personalities in the band and it was only a matter of time till the band blew up, but while it lasted it was intense and vital.

Of course, Guns N Roses did implode with all kinds of inner strife, drug binges, rehab, and out of control egos. Fast forward to the present and while Axl is continuing on with new members as Guns N Roses, we have Slash creating some pretty solid music – which is pretty remarkable when you think that this guy’s career should have peaked like 20 years ago. After the "demise" of Guns N Roses, Slash attempted a band called Slash's Snakepit which was met with mostly a negative reaction from fans and critics. After this, Slash regrouped and formed Velvet Revolver, which released its first album, "Contraband", in 2004. "Libertad" followed in 2007, but then there were issues again with an egoistical vocalist – namely Scott Weiland. After this Velvet Revolver was kind of put on hold as they attempt to find a new vocalist....full text Fresh off his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his former band Guns N’ Roses, guitar great Slash returns with his second solo disc, ‘Apocalyptic Love.’

With his debut self-titled disc, Slash tested the waters, conducting a musical experiment boasting a wide array of guest vocalists from Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas to shock rocker Alice Cooper offering a slew sounds and styles.

On ‘Apocalyptic Love,’ Slash continues to experiment with different sounds but has clearly fallen into a more comfortable groove of relying solely on lead vocalist Myles Kennedy rather than a singer-by-committee approach, and with good reason.

While the album title ‘Apocalyptic Love’ may conjure up images of the amorous undead, this disc is chock full of life. The title track kicks off with a funkified guitar intro and proves to be a true love story as Kennedy’s vocals wail, “This is the last time Whoa-oh / Don’t care how we do it as long as we make love under the same sky / All we’ve got is tonight.” By the end of the song you realize what a perfect pairing Kennedy and Slash truly are. Kennedy has the chops to keep up with Slash note for note, regardless of where he takes the song – and let’s face it, with Slash that could be anywhere.

‘One Last Thrill’ and ‘Shots Fired’ are as close to vintage GN’R as it gets on this disc, and that’s more than enough to leave one satisfied. ‘One Last Thrill’ proves to be a gritty, up-tempo rocker that speeds through the chorus and leaves you feeling a little dirty just for being in the same soundscape. ‘Shots Fired’ is a bold-faced rocker driven by a speedy little drum beat and classic sing-a-long choruses before Slash unleashes an epic guitar solo. It’s hard not to picture him slouched back, top hat firmly in place, as he tears through the riff....full text