Guns N’ Roses: Chinese Democracy (Geffen)

By Ben Liew  •  16 Jan 2009 in Review

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Timing is everything. After nearly two decades, GNR, or rather Axl Rose has finally released Chinese Democracy, reportedly blowing more than $13mil in the process! Many seem to expect (or want) his return to be a failure. But it’s NOT – not completely, anyway. Capitalising on the talent of new bandmates (like recently fired Buckethead), Axl blunts a bitter message as most evident on the album’s standout track, the remorseful ‘Better’ (No ever told me when I was alone / They just thought I knew better). What’s important is that Axl still sounds like Axl, as his vocals punch through walls of distorted guitars and industrial drumming. But in this day and age, younger bands like The Killers will definitely outsell and out-oomph GNR. The album kinda works, but it is all too little too late. BL