Guns N8217 Roses 8211 Appetite for Destruction LP

Guns N\’ Roses\’ debut,Appetite for Destructionwas a turning point for hard rock in the late \’80s — it was a dirty, dangerous, and mean record in a time when heavy metal meant nothing but a good time. On the surface,Guns N\’ Rosesmay appear to celebrate the same things as their peers — namely, sex, liquor, drugs, and rock & roll — but there is a nasty edge to their songs, sinceAxl Rosedoesn\’t see much fun in the urban sprawl of L.A. and its parade of heavy metal thugs, cheap women, booze, and crime. The music is as nasty as the lyrics, wallowing in a bluesy, metallic hard rock borrowed fromAerosmith,AC/DC, and countless faceless hard rock bands of the early \’80s. It\’s a primal, sleazy sound that adds grit to already grim tales. It also makesRose\’s misogyny, fear, and anger hard to dismiss as merely an artistic statement; this is music that sounds lived-in. And that\’s exactly whyAppetite for Destructionis such a powerful record — not only doesRosehave fears, but he also is vulnerable, particularly on the power ballad \”Sweet Child O\’ Mine.\” He also has a talent for conveying the fears and horrors of the decaying inner city, whether it\’s on the charging \”Welcome to the Jungle,\” the heroin ode \”Mr. Brownstone,\” or \”Paradise City,\” which simply wants out. But as good asRose\’s lyrics and screeching vocals are, they wouldn\’t be nearly as effective without the twin-guitar interplay ofSlashandIzzy Stradlin, who spit out riffs and solos better than any band sincethe Rolling Stones, and that\’s what makesAppetite for Destructionthe best metal record of the late \’80s. -All Music Guide