Guns N' Roses
Chinese Democracy

At the end of 2008, we finally get to put our hands and ears on the new work of "Guns N' Roses". A work that would be fair to define as Axl Rose's great project. A lifetime project. For those who don't know (but I think they are very few), "Guns N' Roses" are now dead and buried. Now there are the new "Guns N' Roses" led by the one and only true leader Axl Rose. The last album in the band's discography dates back to the distant 1993, the year of "The Spaghetti Incident", an album of punk covers much criticized by fans. The last real album is therefore the mammoth project called "Use Your Illusion" composed of two volumes, dated as far back as 1991. Then, nothing. Years of rumors, announcements, speculations, but always ending with a flop. The new album seemed to never arrive. But finally, it is out now. The title? "Chinese Democracy".

With this brief preface, to understand the kind of anticipation there is on this new work of Axl Rose, let's analyze the CD itself.

"Chinese" consists of 14 tracks that immediately mean problems. Generally, for a rock-style album, the recommended number of tracks is always around ten, the rest are often considered filler tracks. This is also the case here, but without it being a major problem.

The album immediately stands out for a strong use of synthesizers and sound effects absent from previous works, and for a great pursuit of the "perfect" sound as was Axl Rose's intention. Even electronics are present in a couple of tracks but without being a disturbance to our rock-thirsty ears. Because rock is there. The first track is the title track and first single, immediately letting us know that they are still the "Guns" but they have changed, music, after all, has changed in this decade and Axl seems to have well received the message. Then follows the weakest track of the album such as "Shackler's Revenge", a very commercial song not by chance included in the video game "Rock Band 2". Then comes the second single "Better", a famous track because like many other tracks on the album, it appeared online over the years. The song proves to be an excellent mix of old-school rock and melody, with a very dramatic text. "Street Of Dreams" renamed by many as the new "Yesterdays" is a very beautiful song, halfway between a ballad and a power ballad, it was always known as "The Blues"; we then arrive at the fifth track called "If The World", a very experimental song, which begins with an almost flamenco style, and continues with an almost hip-hop rhythm, it is part of the movie "Body Of Lies" soundtrack.

This brings us to the certainly most rock song of the album "There Was A Time", lasting over 6 minutes, it will drive guitar solo lovers crazy, "Catcher In The Rye" another great song with a slightly unusual style, however, has a very pleasant and immediate chorus; followed by two tracks with a clear punk setting "Scraped" and "Riad N' The Bedouins", to then reach the grand finale. "Sorry" a slow and melancholic ballad, "I.R.S." a song in the style of the old Guns, perhaps the only one on the album, "Madagascar" the most elaborate and ambitious song of the album, but it is with "This I Love" that Axl surpasses himself. The song is a super ballad of 5:35 minutes, unfolding on the extraordinary vocal prowess of Axl Rose and a piano in a state of grace. The album concludes brilliantly with "Prostitute" another excellent song, also halfway between a classic ballad and a power ballad. The entire CD is the result of Axl's grace in terms of composition and silences the many skeptics about the condition of his vocal cords, despite being aided by stereo effects. The band consists of even three guitarists, just to understand the intentions of a never-before, megalomaniac Axl. However, the problems related to the making of this album remain, and even great commercial success will not erase them. The fans of the old Guns N' Roses (like me for goodness' sake) will make fierce criticisms of this project. But it is wrong.

The advice I can give to all those who will listen to the album is to have no prejudices, don't think of the old "Guns" but instead focus on this crazy, ambitious, discussed project by Axl Rose, and enjoy a great album. Perhaps the best of this 2008.

My rating is 4.5 out of 5