Slash Feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators
Apocalyptic Love

When it comes to Slash, I believe a moment of reflection is essential. Slash is someone who knows what he wants. He has always known. His true goal has always been to play his favorite instrument in front of people, no more, no less. He never aspired to write "the album of the century," nor to invent a new way of playing the electric guitar. All he has ever done is write songs to take on tour. We are not in the presence of some new music guru. However, one undeniable quality he possesses is consistency. The consistency he has demonstrated in the post-Guns N' Roses years is impressive: first with Snakepit, then with Velvet Revolver, and finally alone, he has always remained faithful to his origins and his musical tastes. He has always played powerful and melodic hard rock, or as he likes to call it in a rather cheeky way: Rock N'Fuckin Roll. No experiments and no frills, just plug in the guitar and start with a new riff or solo. It is by no means complex or particularly refined music. But this does not diminish the merits of a style that is now widely recognized and equally loved.

The idea for this album was born during the recent world tour. A tour that witnessed a strong connection with the band and particularly with Myles Kennedy. The rules were essentially two: Slash writes the music and Myles the lyrics. Slash insisted that this CD be recorded "live": Band and singer united in the same recording room rehearsing together, like in a sort of soundcheck before a concert. This was to achieve a lot of spontaneity, prioritizing the inspiration of the moment over extended work and study on each individual track. The result is 13 songs (+ two bonus tracks) homogeneous and inspired, with many highs and few lows. The CD starts off great with a trio of aggressive and very heavy songs. The highlight of this trio is undoubtedly "Standing In The Sun," a typical hard rock song with an intro that is a mix of Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" and Guns' "Locomotive." After the initial CD single ("You're a Lie"), we are faced with something almost unprecedented for Slash: a song with a strong political theme. "No More Heroes" is also and above all a song with a captivating but at the same time straightforward riff, which to some long-time fans may surely remind of some work by Velvet Revolver.

In the second part of the plot comes the best. "Anastasia" is indeed the guitar masterpiece of the CD. A 6.07-minute rock ride where Slash decided to delight every guitar lover. The song starts with a series of classical guitar phrases, continues with an electric riff, and finally reaches the climax of almost 2 minutes of soloing. A finale that will surely make all shredding fans happy. To break this frenetic rhythm comes "Not For Me." If you're looking for a song that can well associate Slash's road-style rock and Kennedy's introspection, this is the song for you. A track that recalls a lot of Mayfield Four (Kennedy's first band), but that does not take away space from Slash's Les Paul here in a softer version. A great song enriched by lyrics dedicated to Myles' life sufferings. Towards the end, the CD maintains a medium-high quality, there's no masterpiece but neither fillers nor deplorable songs. Having said the two protagonists of the project, it would be unfair not to mention the "Conspirators." Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass) are excellent supporters who serve the cause, managing to create an excellent rhythm that accompanies (and what an accompaniment!) the songs of the CD.

This second solo release brings a fit Slash back to the world stage, who finally devotes his time to writing very personal songs and is no longer a slave to a commercial project. "Apocalyptic Love" is undoubtedly a more successful album than its predecessor. There are many differences, but it is evident how there has been a great synergy between a cohesive band and a talented singer, now increasingly projected into the pantheon of the greats. A somewhat lacking aspect of the previous release. Be careful with the easy mistake of believing in a miracle. This album neither adds nor takes away anything from the curly guitarist's personal baggage. Do not expect to listen to a particularly original CD because, after all, it's the usual Slash-branded sound. What you can find in abundance is fun. The classic fun that only a great hard rock CD can guarantee. The typical album to listen to in the car at full volume and with the windows down. It's cocky right from the cover, no mystery there. But there's quality. Lots of quality. In the end, it's the perfect synthesis of a character named Saul Hudson, aka Slash.