Alice Cooper
Paranormal

THE REVIEW

The party has begun. Alice is back. Everything is ready for "Paranormal," the guests are taking their seats to celebrate the return of the prince of shock rock, after years of silence. Larry Mullen Jr. (U2), Roger Glover (Deep Purple), and Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) are the guests of honor who aptly frame Cooper's work. Amid distorted guitar riffs and heart-wrenching drum beats comes forth a straightforward rock-metal that is easily digestible by the listener. By avoiding "aging" within his own mask, Alice's persona maintains its relevance in the "popular sphere," renewing itself at every turn; certainly, nothing groundbreaking or innovative, but honest rock'n'roll, consistent with the artist's own image.
By now, Cooper's icon has gained a certain familiarity; it is a distorted figure that nonetheless retains its integrity in today's musical landscape, continuously inspiring new generations of rock and metal. The personality and charismatic character of Vincent Damon Furnier have rendered him a legend, so much so that with the release of a new album, despite a possibly meager result, he will nonetheless be granted particular respect, reserved only for those who sit in the few seats in the Olympus.
The new work follows the stylistic line of the previous ones, characterized by a particular closeness to the music of the seventies, a result with retro flavors and dry, direct nuances. Not quite a masterpiece, but a more than enjoyable album, built on 4/5 main tracks, witnesses to the author's greatness. The rest is an accompaniment, a more than pleasant one, to be listened to lightly. The final result is a fresh and entertaining product that does not give up competitiveness, despite the artist's age, nearing 70. It is admirable that Cooper's venerable age does not influence the course of his musical activity, or at least only in part. A career that few can boast of, an example for present and future generations, a legend that continues, head held high, to move forward, continuously trying not to disappear, to remain current, and to inspire the rising stars in the great musical universe.