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- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Apocalyptic Love Press Reviews
Slash: Apocalyptic Love
By Ludovic Hunter-Tilney
Former Guns N’ Roses guitarist’s new album opens with, ahem, a bang
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/25da7d10 … z1vIrPpm3L
Fires rage, the sky burns: the world is ending. Beneath top hat and curls of hair Slash’s thoughts turn to … one last roll in the hay with a Sunset Strip hottie. Such is the doomsday scenario of Apocalyptic Love’s title track (“This is the last time/Oh, oh/Don’t care how we do it”), which ensures the former Guns N’ Roses guitarist’s new album opens with, ahem, a bang.
“One Last Thrill” is lithe Sex Pistols-style punk, “Standing in the Sun” revisits the fast boogying riffs of his old band’s “Paradise City”, while the pseudo-classical soloing in “Anastasia” is Beethoven ditching the yawnsome piano sonatas for guitar-shredding. It’s a vast improvement on the veteran LA reprobate’s dull solo debut, aided by the presence of Alter Bridge’s powerful frontman Myles Kennedy on vocals.
4/5
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Apocalyptic Love Press Reviews
Slash, ‘Apocalyptic Love’ – Album Review
by: Mary Ouellette
http://loudwire.com/slash-apocalyptic-l … um-review/
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.
‘Anastasia’ starts off with classic elegance delivered courtesy of Slash and his six-string before the rock band behind him demands to be heard and takes the song to new heights. The beautiful ballad ‘Far and Away’ is where Slash and company prove their true diversity and tests Kennedy’s vocal abilities. We know he can sing rock anthems but he can also go the opposite direction exuding raw emotion through his voice for the softer songs.
What makes this disc so appealing is the sheer diversity of it. Proving his true jack-of-all-trades abilities, the songs range from straight-up rockers to bluesy infused tunes to even the softer side of Slash with classical and cinematic elements – all in all, a well-rounded offering proving that he’s no one-trick pony.
Billed as a solo effort relying on the star power of the Slash brand, ‘Apocalyptic Love’ is definitely no one man show. While Slash’s guitar gymnastics are certainly the star, the supporting cast of Kennedy on vocals, Brent Fitz on drums and Todd Kerns on bass help prove that when the right pieces fall into place, rock ‘n’ roll will always persevere.
Given the drama of the last few months over the Guns N’ Roses Rock Hall induction, it’s nice to see a return to rock at its purest form - letting the music speak for itself. On ‘Apocalyptic Love,’ which has already yielded the hit single ‘You’re a Lie,’ it’s plain to hear that Slash is speaking louder than ever.
4/5
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Apocalyptic Love Press Reviews
Slash - 'Apocalyptic Love' album review
Jason Bodak
Columbus Heavy Metal Music Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/review/slash-ap … bum-review
'Apocalyptic Love,' the second solo album by recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Slash, was released today. His first, self-title album was a star-studded affair, with many of hard rock's elite contributing vocals or making instrumental appearances. Slash eschewed the guest musicians this time and used his solo band (collectively known as Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators) exclusively. This is the same band, sans rhythm guitarist Bobby Schneck, who has been touring with Slash for the past couple years and recorded the excellent live album, 'Made in Stoke 24/7/11' (read my review here).
Those familiar with Slash and his immediately identifiable guitar style won't hear too many surprises on 'Apocalyptic Love,' just another album bursting with the axe legend's trademark bombastic guitar excellence. Slash is one of the all-time greatest guitarists in the hard rock genre and this album is another chapter in his testament to rock and roll. There's a few really cool curveballs thrown at the listener: check out the beautiful acoustic intro to "Anastasia," which was influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor." Overall, however, 'Apocalyptic Love' is a large, overflowing Easter basket of ear candy for the hard rock connoisseur.
Slash is still too young for critics to begin talking about his body of work as a whole, but his new album does give a career retrospective. Sleazy, rowdy, uptempo tracks like "Hard & Fast" and the magnificent "One Last Thrill" sound like songs Guns N' Roses would've recorded back in their mid-1980s demo tape days. Kennedy's vocal gymnastics in the latter song are something to hear; he belts out more words a minute than most Slayer songs. "Standing in the Sun" goes even further back, and wouldn't sound out of place on a mid-1970s Aerosmith album. On the flipside, "Not for You" is very reminiscent of the 'Use Your Illusion' era of GN'R. Ostensibly about finally growing out of the rock and roll lifestyle, Kennedy imbues the melancholy track with a lot of emotion and Slash injects so much feeling with his guitar, this is one of the best songs of its kind I've heard in a while.
The aforementioned "Anastasia" is a whole new beast though: starting off with that delicate acoustic guitar, the song builds up into a hard-driving rocker that slightly recalls 'Appetite for Destruction' but with fancier and more mature fretwork. It just illustrates how much better Slash has got since the 80s. He might be better known as a lead guitarist, but his rhythm skills are just as superb. Check out the great riffs that propel "Bad Rain" and "You're a Lie."
"Anastasia" is not the only ballad either. The penultimate track, "Far and Away," features another phenomenal vocal performance by Kennedy. There's a reason why he is in such demand, from Slash to the Scott Stapp-less Creed (better known as Alter Bridge); heck, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham wanted him to work with them! He truly is one of the best vocalists around.
It's too bad Slash and gang only played two songs from this album at Rock on the Range on Saturday (read my review here). 'Apocalyptic Love' probably won't make anyone forget about 'Appetite for Destruction' but it utterly blows the new "GN'R" album 'Chinese Democracy' out of the water. From Guns N' Roses to Slash's Snakepit to Velvet Revolver, Slash has created a body of work that few guitarists ever do, and his recent solo albums are vital, critical components to his growing, vibrant legacy.
4/5
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Apocalyptic Love Press Reviews
Album Review: Slash featuring Miles Kennedy and The Conspirators – Apocalyptic Love
By Mike Pyle
The G n' R guitarist has returned with his second solo album, and it's an absolute belter...
http://www.sabotagetimes.com/music/albu … ptic-love/
About 25 years ago Guns n’ Roses swaggered on to the scene like uninvited guests at the hair metal party. They spilt Jack Daniels on the carpet, shot up in the corner and then went and played the sleaziest, meanest rock ‘n’ roll anyone had ever heard.
Inevitably, G n’ R imploded but still, while most members have disappeared into the musical abyss and Axl Rose pisses off audiences around the world with a band of hired guns, Slash stands tall like a monument to pure, depraved hedonism.
Despite spending most of his career practically wearing a cigarette and having taken enough drugs to make Pete Doherty’s eyes pop clean out of his head, Slash is on top form. Two years ago he released his first solo album with the help of an eclectic range of A-list collaborators to rave reviews, his concerts sell out which ever country he’s in, his playing is the tightest it’s ever been and, damn it, at 46 he still looks good.
Now, and before this supposed review turns into a loveletter, he’s released his second solo album and it’s time to take a look at it.
First thing to say is it’s not really a solo album. The last album was akin to Santana’s Supernatural or Tom Jones’ Reload – it was a celebration of him. As such, it was diverse and wide-ranging but he was the only constant. From the off on Apocalyptic Love, Slash gives credit to The Conspirators, a constant backing band headed up by Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy.
It gives the album a more consistent theme and from the moment the overdriven, bluesy riff of title-track Apocalyptic Love kicks in it’s clear this is a rock and roll album.
Through the first few tracks Slash’s early influences, particularly Aerosmith, are clear. Halo, with the subtle octave effect on its main riff, is the first nod to more modern influences like Avenged Sevenfold.
The whole thing is a toe-tapping festival of riffs and the cat in the hat’s trademark singalong solos, except nowadays his playing is quicker and more lavish. Slash is at his best on the album’s stand out track – Anastasia. It opens with some Spanish guitar and, even when the Marshalls get turned up to 11, the classical scales remain and lead into a frantic solo complete with some full-on shredding.
It would be unfair to do this review without mentioning singer Myles Kennedy. His voice has charisma and the way he screeches isn’t dissimilar to Bruce Dickinson or, dare I say it, Axl Rose.
Apocalyptic Love is an excellent album. You can imagine it being played in a sleazy LA strip joint – and that’s a compliment. It’s not as accessible as his last and it’s not got as many stand-out songs but Slash’s fans-and in case you hadn’t guessed, I am one- will drink it up like so much Jack Daniels.
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Apocalyptic Love Press Reviews
I see on Itunes in Australia its getting great reviews 5 stars from an average of 45 people and on amazon.
Hes has been promoting it flat out interviews on heaps of radio stations tv live streams videos clips acoustic sets hes a machine
Slash
Going to be speaking w/my good friend, Pierce Morgan on CNN later this afternoon. Before that, at Sirius, an acoustic set wMyles. iiii]; )'
Yeah, this man cannot rest. 
Re: Apocalyptic Love Press Reviews
gibbo wrote:I see on Itunes in Australia its getting great reviews 5 stars from an average of 45 people and on amazon.
Hes has been promoting it flat out interviews on heaps of radio stations tv live streams videos clips acoustic sets hes a machineSlash
Going to be speaking w/my good friend, Pierce Morgan on CNN later this afternoon. Before that, at Sirius, an acoustic set wMyles. iiii]; )'
Yeah, this man cannot rest.
Ain't that the truth. I assume that'll be on tonight? Should be interesting, as Piers stuck up for Axl in his no showing for the Rock Hall. I would imagine that topic will come up.
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
