Album Review: Alice Cooper - The Last Temptation

Alice Cooper - The Last Temptation

Epic Records - 1994

9/10

Possibly the most unplaceable album by Alice Cooper, The Last Temptation is the weird example that hardly fits in with any era. While not completely stepping out of the Hey Stoopid mindset, it’s nothing I would call glam at all. Yet, it’s too far removed from the modern rock era that would follow. What does that leave us? An honest, down to Earth, rock ‘n roll album! This would also confirm the beginning of the trend of only doing a couple albums per decade, instead of filling nearly the entire decade, a common (and necessary) trick in an artist’s later years.

As a musician that tends to blend in well with contemporary styles, it’s surprising that The Last Temptation doesn’t have a glaring grunge presence. But frankly, save for featuring Chris Cornell on “Stolen Prayer” and the Alice In Chains-adjacent dinginess of “You’re My Temptation,” it’s not really present. In fact, if anything, songs like the latter, and perhaps “Unholy War” feel more doom oriented than anything. Thicker, distorted guitars dominate both tracks. Even “Cleansed By Fire” allows things to finish with an eerier stomp in this vein.

But the rest of this is very much the opposite. Warmer, or perhaps soothing rock numbers fill in the other half. Opener “Sideshow” is a favorite of mine, oozing in with the classic poetic structures and welcoming musicianship, whilst upholding a cheap horror presence. Others like “It’s Me” hearken back to the classic ballad structure, maybe the last breath of the glam era. The aforementioned “Stolen Prayer” is a wonderful display of acoustic progression into a heavier chorus with wonderful vocal tradeoffs.

For a disc that seems so hard to pin down, it’s executed wonderfully. The only thing I can really complain about is the sheer glaring ridiculousness of “Lost In America,” but even that one still has me humming along. Otherwise, this is a record that’s rather bittersweet. Being a fan who was born a year after it came out, looking back, I can’t help but see everything following it be a new “hit or miss” era, with noticeable decline in momentum coming with age. If nothing else, see this as a bookend to what we could call “classics.”

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid

Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid

Epic Records - 1991

9.5/10

You would think Hey Stoopid would have dropped earlier, considering its big selling point around sobriety. But I’m almost glad it didn’t, because tailing the glam era served something more focused than either of the prior two albums. With another round featuring other musicians, such as Slash, Motley Crue members, and Steve Vai, it’s no surprise that this one has more of an Appetite For Destruction energy rather than a Slippery When Wet take. Regardless, Alice himself feels just a tad more in control than before, and it shows.

What helps this is the fact that the Coop returns to his earlier strategy of injecting several different angles of attack into one smooth surface. Holding the attention for the whole run, there’s a mix of rock ‘n roll stadium fun, balladry, steady jamming, and some that are near the epic line. Every one of these approaches are spread out perfectly, allowing nothing to feel out of place. Even the ones that could be fillers, “Hurricane Years” and “Dirty Dreams” work nicely and aren’t forced or obvious.

Hey Stoopid has so much to offer. The title track, and the classic “Feed My Frankenstein” reel in that radio energy in a creative way. Others work alongside these perfectly like “Love’s A Loaded Gun” And “Burnin’ Our Bed.” The slower energy around ballad territory could have easily made hits with a different outfit. Other songs do anything but try to be accessible, yet manage to hold the same hot flame. “Might As Well Be On Mars” is a long ballad with melancholic effects and powerful percussion, using repetition to its advantage and invokes a dark feeling of abandonment; truly, this is one of his greatest songs. Moreover, closer “Wind-Up Toy” brings back the spooky atmosphere of Welcome To My Nightmare but with a heavier punch and easier accessibility.

For so much being here as is, there’s still something that works as the glue to all of this. Build-up to chanted choruses mixing faster songs with steadier ones fills in every gap. “Snakebite” utilizes the former, injecting galloping rhythms to the max, while “Dangerous Tonight” focuses more on poetic clarity and a steadier beat. To the back half, there’s the “Little By Little” into “Die For You” combo, both mastering powerful choruses and beefy rhythms. The latter is a beautiful, criminally overlooked tune that’s heartwarming in an album that’s everywhere emotionally.

Damn, considering how long this record is, you would think the ideas would run dry. But not an inch of this is too much and all of the space gets filled. The glam element is masked more than anything since the general restructuring, and while I may prefer Constrictor, there’s no denying that this is the most intricate record of the era. Many ‘80s metal bands were on a swift plummet downward, but not the shock rocker. Someone who’s peak strengths appeared in the early ‘70s dropping this beast in the early ‘90s tells you all you need to know.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Trash

Alice Cooper - Trash

Epic Records - 1989

8.5/10

Similar to how Raise Your Fist And Yell extracted the heavier elements of Constrictor, Trash does something similar in highlighting the glammier elements. Let alone the fact that it features Bon Jovi, most of Aerosmith, and other highlight artists of the late ‘80s, but it’s also probably the horniest album lyrically. If that’s not enough, consider the obvious reaches for radio hits, as well as the continued pop-meets-metal rhythms. Thankfully, it worked pretty well.

From the gate, I can easily admit that some of the lyrics can be a bit tough to get by thanks to how corny they are. The songwriting usually saves this from being glaring, however. “House Of Fire” is an obvious radio classic, but I’d be lying if I said the lyrics were flattering in any way. That chorus structure coats itself on most of the bigger songs here, especially the eternal hit “Poison,” one that actually does have a far better poetic feel. Even “I’m Your Gun” has to be one of the most ridiculous songs in the glam era, but I find myself jamming to its heavier energy every time.

And that energy is the flipside of Trash, areas that blow off more steam. “Bed Of Nails,” the only track to feature the former guitarist Kane Roberts reverts right back to his speed metal energy and ferocious riff patterns. That’s probably the most graphically sexual tune on the whole disc, to add imagery to attitude. You could say the same with “Spark In The Dark,” delivering some rasp with the faster movements. More on the note of fitting in with the times, “Only My Heart Talkin’” rakes in the typical power balladry, featuring Steven Tyler on vocals, while the title track injects an abundance of sleaze. Truly the title fits, especially with Jon Bon Jovi’s added charm.

Being one of my first albums by the shock rocker, it obviously holds a special place in my heart. It’s impossible to overlook some of the reaching cheese that goes on here, but I can’t really say that there’s a single moment that it doesn’t somehow revive itself. Most importantly, every song manages to stick in my head and remain memorable. I understand that this may not be everybody’s thing, but I’m here for it every time.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Raise Your Fist And Yell

Alice Cooper - Raise Your Fist And Yell

MCA - 1987

8.5/10

Following the complete rebranding, Raise Your Fist And Yell may mark what I see as Alice Cooper’s most metal album. Hiring the beastly Kane Roberts on guitar, the riffing itself very much reflects him with some of the most dense rhythm sections. Continuing on with the horror and rebellious nature of Constrictor, this one feels just a bit more polished, acting as something of a sequel, and embellishing on the revolting attitude. I may not have the same biases here, but this still very much reflects the rock ‘n roll sound of the time.

Following all of the PMRC nonsense, it should be obvious that there’s a lot of attitude to be had. Opener “Freedom” hits this immediately, with one of the most powerful opening riffs of the shock rocker’s career. Speed metal permeates the whole thing. Matter of fact, “Give The Radio Back” and “Lock Me Up” take the same approach in tone, but without as much speed. The heavier bottom is still present, thanks to one Kip Winger on bass. Because of the loud drums and bassy thumping mixed with really hooky lines, I’d easily compare this to KISS’s Creatures Of The Night.

And with that, Raise Your Fist And Yell also continues to drench us with fear and trashy horror delights. “Roses On White Lace” was the perfect closer, going out on a speedier note following the creepy “Gail.” This serves as a tighter reminder of Alice’s foundation. An obvious one is “Prince Of Darkness,” raking in steadeir licks to achieve the same unsettling feel. If that’s not enough, it’s the second album in a row to feature a song for a horror film. 

Regardless of which angles of attack that you prefer, this is a record that very much holds a lot of weight. Between the heavy licks, the relatable lyrics, the general attitude, or the loud atmosphere, this record breathes as much life as ever. It may have taken longer to grow on me than others, but I’m thrilled that it did. Different itches for hard rock get scratched, and most importantly, the consistency is on point as ever.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Constrictor

Alice Cooper - Constrictor

MCA - 1986

9.5/10

From 1969 through 1983, we would find only two single years that didn’t see a studio album from Alice Cooper. With the longest break in his career, three years would see a complete redefinition after years of what’s to come being anybody’s guess. Sobering up, getting back to the heavy metal roots, and dipping into the glam pool, Constrictor would resurrect the shock rocker with all of the spooky tropes the fans loved, under a stylistically new umbrella. While there have been drastic changes since, I do believe this is where the Alice Cooper character cemented itself into what we think of today in 2022.

While it isn’t something I’d call a full-on glam metal record, the use of pop-oriented riffs under harder aesthetic and raspier vocals is impossible to not notice. The keyboards, while being all over his discography, take on that bright feeling that they didn’t really contain before. The classic song written for Jason Lives should basically tell you everything you need to know; “He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask)” cakes on every one of these descriptors the hardest. Pop rhythms, heavy metal soloing, catchy lines, synthesizers, and the lyrics on a horror film of the time can be representative of all of this in some way or another.

And that’s why Constrictor is so great, because while leaning into the times, nothing is overdone. You get a little bit of sexual thrill, little bit of horror, little bit of real life, and a raw enough production to give it an identity. Frankly though, I think the songs with the less-welcoming tones are my favorites. Opener “Teenage Frankenstein” lets in heavier energy and more sinister vibes to contrast the accessibility. The triple attack of “Life And Death Of The Party,” “Simple Disobedience,” and “The World Needs Guts” roll in with serious attitude while all standing apart. The first of those dials back the energy a bit in exchange for something more somber, while “Simple Disobedience” hearkens to the doomier edge cast on earlier discs, adding some impressive percussion. To the opposite point, “The World Needs Guts” flips things to a speed metal delivery, and this whole combo flows beautifully.

The brighter songs still hold plenty of weight. “Crawlin’” and “Trick Bag” are a dual combo of rampant sexual energy, utilizing the poppier glazings to the highest amount here. The former hits melody and gang vocals harder than anything on the album, which is almost everywhere anyway. Then on the front side, there’s “Thrill My Gorilla” and “Give It Up,” two that probably hold the least weight but manage to stick in my head every time. If there’s a lyrical outlier, it’s “The Great American Success Story,” but its energy is as clean and upbeat as all of the warmer songs, so it fits in wonderfully.

Taking a couple years off (and sobering up) is the best thing Cooper could have done for his music career. Redefining himself here proved to be a wonderful step, and while I’m a bit biased being a huge glam fan, I truly think this is a perfect record. Even if a couple songs may sound like fillers, they fill in the gaps wonderfully and still show some evidence of thought. Besides the few hits that came of it, I’d almost go as far as to call this one overlooked.

EP Review: Beastmaker - Eye Of The Storm

Beastmaker - Eye Of The Storm

Shadow Kingdom Records - 2019

7.5/10

Having been around since 2015, Beastmaker have released an overwhelming amount of short releases between demos and EPs, as well as a few full-lengths. Eye Of The Storm is one of the more recent ones. To put it simply, this captures a noisier brand of doom metal that still steers clear of harsh vocals and adds vibrant wails for contrast.

For effect, the vocals are meant to match the more colorful leads. Keeping melody as a priority, the two team up for a rather melancholic feel, which is heard very clearly on “Shadows”. The licks that this one boasts in the solo are probably the strongest part of the EP. Admittedly though, dismal and grungy delivery of the rhythms somewhat swallow this up at times, and everything meshing together comes off awkwardly.

This isn’t enough of a problem to ruin anything, but more of an observation that’s hard to overlook. Stripping that away, the steadiness of the riffing here is solid from front to back. Even when we reach an erupting point in “My Only Wish,” the resolve is strong. So if nothing else, this is a neat release that works as a small doomy sidestep for fans of Trevor’s more traditional projects. 

Listen: Bandcamp

Album Review: Alice Cooper - DaDa

Alice Cooper - DaDa

Warner Bros Records - 1983

8.5/10

While the last of Alice Cooper’s experimental bunch of records sidesteps the new wave experiment the most, DaDa is potentially my favorite of the era. While just as odd as the prior two, it manages to tighten things up in a way that actually has a linear flow, rather than ideas tossed at a wall and hoping for the best. It also helps that of the four early ‘80s efforts, it has the most unique ideas. Top that off with memorable songwriting, and you’ve got yourself a solid album!

Despite feeling like a record that’s the final plunge into insanity, considering the opening title track, I found almost everything else to be rather warmer in climate. This jarring shift into the compelling “Enough’s Enough” sets the stage pretty accurately, being loaded with goofy lyrics and fun musical progression. Also, as far as I know, it’s the only song that uses an F-bomb. This energy is projected in and out, showing brightest in the classic “I Love America.” Seldom do the spoken word bases have the kind of rhythmic flow this one does, and its hilarious digs at Americans adds a whole other layer.

The contrasting tunes under a more minor-toned umbrella are what keep us on our toes. “Scarlet And Sheba” has so many phases in itself, flowing from synth smoothness into harder rhythms that eventually fold into a melancholic yet powerful chorus. The fact that this drastic contrast works so well is a mystery, and honestly may have been more accidental than I suspect. Same can be said about the neo-classical, operatic energy in “Former Lee Warmer,” acting as a song written hundreds of years ago but somehow still fitting. Its descent into the steady and poetic “No Man’s Land” doesn’t come off awkwardly at all.

Is DaDa an accidental gem made from drunk on-the-spot ideas? Or was everything coherently thought out? No idea, but I find little to complain about. Everything fits somewhere within the confines of the opposing forces here. Going in with the disillutioning title track and out with the synthy yet unconventional “Pass The Gun Around” worked wonders. Objectively, this is on the same level as Flush The Fashion, and while that one has a much clearer idea, this is probably where I’d point people to revisit the era.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Zipper Catches Skin

Alice Cooper - Zipper Catches Skin

Warner Bros Records - 1982

5.5/10

Instead of correcting the errors that hurt an otherwise solid album, Alice Cooper would follow up with something even more vague. Zipper Catches Skin strips away some of the weirdness (while injecting other weirdness) that hurt Special Forces, but with that went certain things that made the standouts too. The end result? A new wave but also toned-down rock ‘n roll record that isn’t criminally bad but contains very little context.

With that said, this one has admittedly grown on me, despite taking the longest out of anything in this era. It’s certainly the most guitar-oriented album since the mid-’70s, relying less on keyboards for the leads. Unfortunately, even the songs with catchy parts tend to go nowhere. The silly-titled “No Baloney Homosapians” opens on a fun lick but feels incredibly underwhelming when the chorus is reached. Others only stick out because of sound effects or off-guard ticks, such as opener “Zorro’s Accent.”

Matter of fact, Zipper Catches Skin probably contains memorability by accident. What this means is that most of the actual music feels dull and forced, but the little side ingredients like the spoken ramblings in “Tag, You’re It!” add a little light. The bassy rhythms and galloping progression in most of this does very little, yet I still find myself looking forward to goofy vocal toppings that always come with them. “I Like Girls” is objectively a terrible song, but can I really say I hate it?

I’d probably call this one of the best examples of a love/hate relationship album. One one hand, I usually look forward to hearing it, but on the other hand it’s even more frustrating than its predecessor. I’ve heard it so many times that I probably just about gaslit myself into somewhat liking it. I have to give it credit for at least somehow managing to hold interest, similar to Pretties For You. Just about anything beats Lace & Whiskey.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Special Forces

Alice Cooper - Special Forces

Warner Bros Records - 1981

6.5/10

Ever come across an album that seems pretty cool but ultimately doesn’t realize its potential? That’s basically how I would sum up Alice Cooper’s Special Forces. With a likely fear of stagnating too much in the new wave era, slight alterations were made that worked for a few fun tracks but sadly leaves a bit more to be desired. That, or perhaps Cooper was so drunk that he had no idea what to do and some of it just stuck.

Whatever the case, there’s some clear evidence of some spots that try just a bit too hard, and others that don’t try hard enough. For one, there was no need for a live redo of “Generation Landslide” stuck in the middle of this. It’s also hard to overlook the unflattering reaches in “Don’t Talk Old To Me,” and the sheer levels of boring meandering that other songs have. It makes you wonder what the hell was going on during writing. None of these issues are crippling, but certainly bog things down.

On the other hand, Special Forces carries a couple worthwhile gems that save it from failure. “Skeletons In The Closet” is a spooky number that feels like it could be used in a classic family-friendly horror film. The haunted-house effects and eerie, cold instrumentation give it all kinds of imagery. Opener “Who Do You Think We Are” also brings on a very promising start, feeling steady as it flows wonderfully into the “Seven And Seven Is” cover. There are plenty of areas that have catchy enough chops, just not always memorable enough to want to return to them.

Similar to Goes To Hell, this is a record that’s kinda rough around the edges, but I’m glad it exists. A couple tracks to look forward to, a couple that are interesting enough to be reminded of, and then a couple that are just straight up trash. A normal balance to a just-above-average effort that could have been incredible with a touch of focus.

Album Review: Disrupted - Morbid Death

Disrupted - Morbid Death

Memento Mori - 8/10

8/10

In 2020, Memento Mori brought us Disrupted’s ferocious and mighty Pure Death, winning my interest in the band immediately. Looking back five years prior, they had another disc that very much projected the sound they would perfect later on. Titled Morbid Death, the debut seems to have set the stage for a “death” themed album title run. These Swedish death metallers also made sure to inject that regional feel to their riffs, early on.

Objectively, there isn’t really anything new or groundbreaking here. The way that this one manages to maintain attention is the sheer harshness in delivery. Disrupted has a serious ear for chunkier rhythms, under a grainy tone that delivers a blow that could be felt miles away. Couple this with slower riff patterns that contrast the explosive drum work, and you’ve got your album. Tunes that ring in slow, doomy bridges and intros like “From The Tomb” leave the biggest impact.

Tracks that hold this energy also helped break things up for Morbid Death. Right smack in the middle, you get a doom/death headsplitter called “Psalm For The Slaughtered.” It’s as menacing as the title suggests. Keeping things brief also works well. Focusing all of the energy on this harsher delivery allowed for tight songs, despite such an unforgiving atmosphere.

Really, that’s all it takes to make a one-trick-horse that isn’t anything new actually feel compelling. The focus, the delivery, and the small tricks just fill the cracks right in. Nothing here is worth overly hyped over (yet), but I enjoy every time I return to the band’s debut.

Listen: Bandcamp

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Flush The Fashion

Alice Cooper - Flush The Fashion

Warner Bros Records - 1980

8.5/10

Enter the new wave era. The experimental solo stuff had its ups and downs between its four-record span, and you can basically say the exact same about the following four. Thankfully, the first of this run, Flush The Fashion brings Alice Cooper’s latest shift in on a good start. If you’re picturing Elvis Costello or Devo with its own twist, you would be correct.

Literally right from the gate, you’re hit with the lighter guitar tones and dance-friendly beats. “Talk Talk” goes in head first without any warning, likely a shock to those who were there when this dropped. Interestingly, almost the entire disc runs from song-to-song right into each other, surprisingly very smoothly. The opener’s descent into the classic “Clones (We’re All)” allows a bit more identity to come in, injecting the robotic vibes and synthy-pedal effects. The harder guitars can still be felt underneath, too. 

That very identity is what allows Flush The Fashion to work so well. You can envision the ‘80s vibes being reached for without leaning in too far. Closer “Headlines” still feels familiar enough, while “Pain” holds the title of one of the most overlooked songs in Cooper’s career. This one’s piano leads alongside synth rhythms and incredible poetic flow allows it to stand out so heavily; no idea how it got swept under the rug. The explosive transition right into “Leather Boots” is jarring in all the best ways.

Being a very short effort that barely touches the thirty-minute mark certainly worked in its favor. For what everyone may know the shock rocker for, this would certainly be unconventional. But if you can get past that, this should work as a pretty easy listen. I can’t really find anything on it worth complaining about.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - From The Inside

Alice Cooper - From The Inside

Warner Bros Records - 1978

9/10

Working as a bit of a recovery album, lyrically as much as career-wise, From The Inside is a  record I’ve always held close to my heart. So at the expense of possible biases, I’d probably say it’s my favorite Alice Cooper record between Welcome To My Nightmare and the glam era starting with Constrictor. Up front, I’ll admit that it’s patchy in progression, but the songs themselves are so well written that I can overlook it. Also, the common “asylum” theme certainly acts as a bit of a reinforcing adhesive.

So it can be easily said that you’ve got a concept album revolving around different institutional experiences that are expressed in unique ways. For that alone, From The Inside is almost like the rare example where this foundation is preferred. Heavy bangers are rare, making up little of the meat. “Serious” is a fast and catchy tune that reeled me in early on, and “I Wish I Was Born In Beverly Hills” has the hard rock energy that Alice has served up since the beginning of the decade.

Other tunes seem to take this and add a bit of a disco tinge, similar to what KISS would do in upcoming years. The extremely horny “Nurse Rosetta” dumps this on with warm synths (lol), caking on extra sexual tension into the music itself. Similarly, the opening title track drops bass and chanting lines that would fit right in with Saturday Night Fever. You may even see a bit of that in “For Veronica’s Sake,” but this one’s admittedly a bit more of a throwaway tune.

Strangely, this is another anomaly where the ballads carry the most weight. “Millie And Billie” is a tragic acoustic tale around a murderous couple that falls in love, injecting the classic horror tropes. Moreover, the vocal duet with Marcy Levy paired with the unsettling ending really drove this home. A piano ballad “The Quiet Room” pounds in the hopeless feeling of solitary confinement, and “Jackknife Johnny” similarly uses this approach for depressed vibes around the military vet gone insane. Being able to build so much foundation on softees like this is impressive.

The only real issues I have are “How You Gonna See Me Now,” reeking of similar problems of “You And Me” but not nearly as bad. Closer “Inmates (We’re All Crazy)” also feels somewhat forced, but I guess it fits plenty and continues the theme of throwing the weirder shit to the back. Anyone who lost interest before this album should give it at least one shot. I can understand issues people may have, but I also find them easy enough to overlook. There are very few albums with the weird tricks this one has that actually land smoothly.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Lace And Whiskey

Alice Cooper - Lace And Whiskey

Warner Bros Records - 1977

3.0/10

Alice Cooper having short hair has to be some sort of indication that the future is uncertain. Lace And Whiskey could have swung in to revive us of the mistakes made on the somewhat decent but flawed Goes To Hell. Instead, things appear to sink even more. Somewhere along the lines of Pretties For You quality, this disc reeks of being unsure about any direction. Difference is, now there’s no excuse for being rookie or having poor budgets.

The saving grace here is the title track, one that more than likely was good by accident. It’s held up entirely by the basswork and keyboards with an operatic feel. The chorus just has so much life, and I can’t deny the levels of rhythmic flavor this has. Outside of that, it’s a game of tossing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks, which is basically none of it. The cover of the classic “Ubangi Stomp” didn’t even manage to hold much adhesive here. A slight attempt at more alternative takes that show later in the new-wave albums peek a bit, but again, nothing of it is really what I would call flattering.

Furthermore, Lace And Whiskey is guilty of one of the worst crimes in the Cooper Career: “You And Me.” If you took some of the stupidest lyrics, blended them with music that sounds like elevator music in a retirement home, and coated it with uncharming vocal delivery, you’d have this song. “My God” is an absolute joke of a song that fails hard at using the church-vibes to its advantage, and I’m really not even sure what the aim was for “King Of The Silver Screen”. Mess after mess.

Even the songs that aren’t terrible are mediocre and uninteresting at best. Every time I revisit this album, it’s like hearing it for the first time. Not because it’s just that incredible, but because I have zero memory on what the ones that aren’t so bad they stay in my brain sound like. If the title track wasn’t so good, there wouldn’t be a single thing worth hearing on this.

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Goes To Hell

Alice Cooper - Goes To Hell

Warner Bros Records - 1976

6.5/10

The first of two sequels to the phenomenal Welcome To My Nightmare comes another set of nightmares known as Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, or simply Goes To Hell. If the last album was a look into the mind of someone going through nightmares, this one is like going through the mind of someone’s drunken or tripped-out sleep cycle. Oddly, there’s very little to this that invokes fear the way the former did. There’s also, sadly, a substantial drop in song quality.

This isn’t to say that Goes To Hell is void of anything good, of course. To get the strongest points out of the way, “Didn’t We Meet” is built on a softer crawl that breaks into a heavy chorus, and galloping guitar/drum patterns that I can’t get enough of. We’ve also got one of my favorite ballads from the solo era, “I Never Cry.” This is an emotional take on suppressing feelings and general depression. If the whole disc could stay even and work around these types of structures, it could have been fantastic. 

Unfortunately, everything else that I enjoy from here comes not from a place of good songwriting, but odd tactics that just happen to be fun or catchy. “Give The Kid A Break” is bordering classic territory, and I love every second of it. But objectively, it’s not a good song. Same can be said about a lot of the tacky ones. “Just Dance” is plenty cool, but there’s a clear sense of uncertainty, especially considering how different the surrounding tracks are. Opener “Go To Hell” has lyrics and goofy delivery making it memorable, but that’s it; not something I’d call good. The only exception might be “Guilty,” a bit of a classic throwback to the earlier metal-adjacent types.

Not too many things stick out as being overly bad, and I do enjoy much of this record. But the last few tracks certainly feel like a descent into madness, and not in a good way. The filler songs couldn’t be more obvious, and the likes of “I’m The Coolest” are nothing short of flat-out-boring; things are anything but even. It’s worth a listen just because of how interesting a lot of it is, but going in expecting the same quality as Nightmare will leave a lot to be desired.

EP Review: Boia - Chivalry Of Death

Boia - Chivalry Of Death

Caligari Records - 2017

8.5/10

Despite being around since 2013, Boia has only really put out one release, plus a few songs on a split in their entire career. Baking up some furious death metal in Italy, Chivalry Of Death shows some serious potential and makes me want them to do more. While it’s not far from the basics of the formula, they really execute things wonderfully.

Twelve minutes of songs that really reflect the South American death/thrash style that arose with Sepultura certainly show their roots. Fast riffing and blasting drums are the core ingredient, coating that with the echoing howl of harsh vocals that I wouldn’t quite call guttural. The slower break in “Rotten 666” however does shake things for the better. Nothing too original here, but very much worth the quick spin.

Listen: https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/chivalry-of-death-cd-tape

Album Review: Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare

Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare

Atlantic - 1975

10/10

Welcome To My Nightmare is a record that took me a little longer to appreciate than the earlier ones, but over time enveloped me with all of its glory. As perfect as Love It To Death, it manages to take all of its facets and expand upon them into one concept. Perhaps an example where a band breakup serves a better platter? With Cooper’s character now in full control of the music, dynamic shifts were bound to happen.

Revolving around a fictional boy named Steven, and Alice seemingly acting as the adult alternative, this record goes through what is a series of nightmares. It holds the established formula of not getting weird until the back half, working like a play with different acts. You have your intro, your accessible lump of rock hits, your creepier deep sleep, and waking up. How this one holds everything together from front to back is its refusal to dismiss the theatrical workings.

Thus, Welcome To My Nightmare acts as a rare case where the whole record is better analyzed song-by-song. Opening with the title track sets the stage with its quiet intro, slowly working in harder guitars and horns. The next six tracks however weave in and out between different attitudes and contexts. “Cold Ethyl” is a quick banger that reflects a crossover of necrophilia and perhaps alcoholism. On the other hand, the classic ballad “Only Women Bleed” paints the picture of an abusive relationship under a beautiful coat of instrumentation. Horror jitters are crucial in the “Devil’s Food” and “Black Widow” two-piece that features Vincent Price and doom metal excellence in the main riff on the latter. The bass adds so much life here.

The outliers in this set are “Some Folks” with its cabaret sound, really raking in the theater feel, and the cheerful energy on “Department Of Youth.” Both seem less nightmarish with their energy than the others, yet are so well written and fill in the cracks nicely. It’s when we reach the “Years Ago” “Steven” and “The Awakening” block that things really take a spookier turn. All three weave in Exorcist-theme-adjacent keys, minor tones for an unsettling presence, and imagery of disorientation. I’ve always pictured Sid’s bedroom from Toy Story with certain parts of this. The record then exits on the light “Escape” note, acting as the true break from the nightmares and finding the morning light.

All of this makes the first Alice Cooper solo record the most essential disc of his for spooky season. It features a combo of tales that reflect real adult horrors as well as silly childhood fears. While Love It To Death holds the title as my favorite, this one easily earns the place of packing in the most content with the swiftest delivery. I probably play it at least once a week every October, and every time it’s like the first time all over again. Truly an album that loses no steam over time.