Review: Slash ‘Orgy of the Damned’

Review Slash ‘Orgy of the Damned’

By Martine Ehrenclou

If you haven’t heard legendary guitarist Slash play the blues, you’re in for a treat. World renowned as an aggressive, hard rocking player and long-running guitarist for Guns N’ Roses, Slash also formed Slash’s Snakepit and co-founded supergroup Velvet Revolver. Before his current band, Slash Featuring Miles Kennedy and the Conspirators, it’s been debated whether you could hear blues in his guitar riffs. But they’re there. And with his new solo album Orgy of the Damned, the Grammy winner has definitely returned to his roots. He credits his grandmother for turning him on to the blues, most notably B.B. King.

Out May 17, Orgy of the Damned features celebrated guests including Chris Stapleton, Brian Johnson of AC/DC, Steven Tyler, Beth Hart, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Gary Clark Jr., Billy F Gibbons, Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, Demi Lovato, and more. That’s a mouthful but when releasing a blues album, sometimes it pays to bring in some of the most popular and well known.

Released by Gibson Records, which is becoming a juggernaut of a record company, Orgy of the Damned by Slash features 12 songs, mostly blues classics, shaken and stirred by the man himself. It’s an homage to the blues, and if you’ve seen Slash perform in a B.B. King Tribute, which this writer has, you’ll understand that beneath the hard-hitting shredding as guitarist in some of the world’s most revered rock bands, is a superb feel player with no less prowess than on one of his #1 rock albums. On Orgy of the Damned, Slash is more relaxed, more soulful. Perhaps part of that is because he brought in members of his band from Slash’s Blues Ball—Johnny Griparic (bass), Teddy Andreadis (keyboards), and for this release added Michael Jerome (drums) and Tash Neal (vocals and guitar.) But I’m going to guess it’s because the blues are part of who Slash is as a musician.

Let’s get to the good stuff. The album is a sleek collection of covers and one original instrumental. They’re reinterpreted by Slash and some are absolute standouts. The first is the opening number “The Pusher” (Steppenwolf) featuring Chris Robinson on vocals. It’s dense with a 70s vibe but with modern stylings and production. Robinson’s vocals kick a** and pull in that 70’s wave, followed by Steven Tyler’s soulful harp and Slash’s skillful playing. Let it wash over you.

“Crossroads” couldn’t feature a better artist than Gary Clark Jr. It’s ramped up and a bit wild and wooly with tight guitar and banging drums. It’s a fist-pumping cover with killer guitar by Slash as one would expect, with his clean phrasing and chomping-at-the-bit rhythmic riffs, before it drifts into a slow blues with crisp guitar solos. One of the best covers of this tune I’ve heard.

How could a song not be a standout with Chris Stapleton on it? Seriously, this rocks and sways all at once with acoustic and electric guitars. Stapleton’s gritty vocals are salve to the weary.

The surprise on the album is “Killing Floor” (Howlin’ Wolf) featuring Brian Johnson from AC/DC. You haven’t heard Johnson like this. Apparently, Slash liked how he sang in his lower register and asked him to do this song. Part of the beauty of this amped up cover is Slash’s guitar and interpretation of the song along with Johnson’s vocal. It’s a gem.

It’s a bit of a shame that “Born Under A Bad Sign” (Albert King) wasn’t reinvented somewhat to make the most of Paul Rodgers’ superlative voice. That said, Rodgers couldn’t sound bad if he tried and the guitar is amazing.

Highly recommended.

“Killing Floor”

 
Slash website