PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Former Guns’n’Roses guitarist Slash releases his latest album next month. For the new album, “World on fire”, he’s once again teamed up with Miles Kennedy and the conspirators, with whom he recorded his last album, Apocalyptic love. It’s a great pairing – Slash’s great guitar work with Miles Kennedy’s superb vocals, with a solid band behind them.
The album is available four weeks in advance of the UK general release as a Classic Rock Fanpack, which consists of the album, a 116 page magazine featuring exclusive interviews with Slash, the band, producer Michael Baskette and cover artist Ron English. A Slash and Myles track-by-track breakdown. Exclusive pictures from the recording sessions as well as a brand new shoot, competition and much more, A giant double sided A1 poster, and a metal Pin Badge.
With 17 tracks it’s not a short album, but surely with that many tracks there will be at least one in there as filler? Well, the short answer is no – this is one hell of a good album with not a single weak track on it.
Brief comments on a few of the tracks…
The album kicks off with the title track, “World on fire”. The song was released earlier this year, so if you haven’t heard it yet I suggest you watch the video right now..
“Shadow life” starts of slower and more melodic with quite soft vocals before the drums join in with a crash and the guitar switches to a heavier riff and you’re into a flull-blown hard rock song.
“Automatic overdrive” starts with drums and guitar at a moderate pace and gradually getting faster and faster before launching into another great song.
The guitar in “Wicked stone” reminds me of Guns’n’Roses, particularly the intro to the song before the vocals kick in. Once you get into the main body of the song it does lose that GnR feel. There’s a long guitar solo (ok instrumental section as the rest of the band are still playing as well as Slash).
“Bent to fly” is a ballad. With soft vocals and gentle guitar its got quite a slow build-up but it’s only a minute or so till they ramp the power up for the chorus
Despite the name, “Battleground” isnt a full power hard rock song. Instead it opens with some nice soft vocals and nice guitar work before like “Bent to fly” to goes to full power for the chorus before returning to the soft vocals and gentle melody for the next verse.
“Iris of the storm” is an unusual title – a play on the commonly used term “eye of the storm”. Despite the slightly odd title it’s a great track.
“Safari inn” is a track that stands out as different. Why? Very simple – it’s an instrumental. Ok the cynics might describe it as a three and a half minute guitar solo, and I’m not sure I could argue with that as it is pretty much a guitar solo with drums and bass in the background, but it’s still a damn good track and a reminder of just how good Slash is on guitar.
What can I say – Slash’s last album was great, and this one is even better. Myles Kennedy is a superb vocalist and it’s no wonder Slash wanted to work with him. His powerful rock vocals really are great and would normally be the star of the album, but the music here is equally impressive – particularly the first class guitar work from Slash, so there’s a perfect balance between the superb vocals and the superb music. I’ve been listening to a few upcoming albums over the last few days and Slash’s album is one of the best that I’ve heard – an essential purchase.
“World on fire” will be released as a Classic rock collectors edition on 15th September 2014 then gets a full release on 13th October 2014
Track listing:
1. World on fire
2. Shadow life
3. Automatic overdrive
4. Wicked stone
5. 30 years to life
6. Bent to fly
7. Stone blind
8. Too far gone
9. Beneath the savage sun
10. Withered delilah
11. Battleground
12. Dirty girl
13. Iris of the storm
14. Avalon
15. The dissident
16. Safari inn
17. The unholy
SLASH and Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators have a full European tour in November and December 2014. Dates are as follows…
Mon 10th Nov Dublin, O2 Arena – IRELAND
Wed 12th Nov Paris, Le Zenith – FRANCE
Sat 15th Nov Basel, St. Jakobshalle – SWITZERLAND
Sun 16th Nov Turin, Palaolimpico – ITALY
Mon 17th Nov Florence, Mandela Forum – ITALY
Wed 19th Nov Vienna, Stadthalle – AUSTRIA
Thu 20th Nov Krakow, Krakow Arena – POLAND
Sat 22nd Nov Munich, Zenith – GERMANY
Sun 23rd Nov Cologne, Palladium – GERMANY
Mon 24th Nov Amsterdam, Heineken Music Hall – THE NETHERLANDS
Wed 26th Nov Brussels, Forest Club – BELGIUM
Fri 28th Nov Manchester, Phones 4U Arena – UK
Sat 29th Nov Leeds, Leeds Arena – UK
Mon 1st Dec Birmingham, LG Arena – UK
Tue 2nd Dec London, Wembley Arena – UK
Thu 4th Dec Glasgow, Hydro Arena – UK
- 13.99
