ALBUM REVIEW: SLASH - APOCALYPTIC LOVE

Eschewing the superstar co-star vocalist carousel that he employed on his previous outing, Slash has kept his touring buddy Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge onboard for the duration of this album and supplemented the line-up with ‘Conspirators’ Brent Fitz on drums and Todd Kerns on bass. 'Apocalyptic Love' boasts more of a band feel and as a result the songs are more cohesive, honed and toned. A flurry of wah-wah introduces the title track which soars into a classic chorus, ‘One Last Thrill’ then explodes with a punk attitude reminiscent of the feral Guns, with Kennedy railing aggressively. ‘You’re A Lie’ is the breakout hit thanks to Slash’s righteous riffing and a contagious chorus. However it is the six-minute 'Anastasia' where the ex-Gunner brings the sound of classic rock kicking and screaming back into the present - Top hat duly doffed!

Joe Mackett

ROCK iKON Magazine

ALBUM REVIEW: VAN HALEN - A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH

The essence of VH past was a ‘joie de vivre’, an attitude that the music be uplifting, sometimes left-field and quietly fun. So can ‘A Different Kind Of Truth’ deliver enough “sturm and drang” as David Lee Roth used to call it to satisfy substance to add to the mythology? ‘Tattoo’ has a swaggering, hypnotic groove which worms into your psyche making it the most immediate single on an album without a single ballad. That said, it is the next three songs that set the template; ‘She’s The Woman', 'You And Your Blues’ and ‘China Town’ each feature a blistering Eddie Van Halen guitar solo. Elsewhere, neither ‘Bullethead’, ‘Big River’ and closer ‘Beats Workin’ would look out of place on any of their original albums. Despite all the politics and dissension about the absence of bassist Michael Anthony, Van Halen have returned - at the top of their game!

Joe Mackett

ROCK iKON Magazine

ALBUM REVIEW: CHICKENFOOT - III

This, their second album, is jokingly titled ‘III’, but don’t think Chickenfoot are taking their music lightly. Contained within the grooves of this sophomore release are some stonking hard rock tunes crafted with all the expertise you would expect from such high profile musos. Songs such as ‘Big Foot’ which stomps hard and heavy, lead track ‘Last Temptation’ or ‘Up Next’ encompass the basis of the ‘Foot sound, one foot planted in the garden of rock, the other in the house of blues. While Michael Anthony/Chad Smith nail the rhythm section, Joe Satriani’s exquisite guitar is free to express itself in exemplary fashion. Meantime, Sammy Hagar delivers in tremendous style, especially on the ballad 'Come Closer'. There is an infectious joie de vivre surrounding 'III' as it showcases a band doing what they love, and loving every minute of it!

Joe Mackett

ROCK iKON Magazine