LA Guns : "The Missing Peace"

In the early metal years, LA Guns was one of the few hair metal bands that was actually metal instead of pop with guitars. Their first two albums are awesome, and they have been hit or miss from there. So checking back in with these guys finds me surprised that they sound better than Guns N Roses these days. Phil Lewis' voice sounds terrific.The opening track is more aggressive than expected. There is more of a rock n roll swagger to "Speed" as the metal edge of the first song is dialed back.It returns right after this song with "A Drop of Bleach". The riff has a snaking groove to it's palm muted sinew. 

There is a darker mood to somber sex action of "Sticky Fingers" . They remain firmly planted on the metal side of the fence. I don't remember them using this many synths before , but the song is metal enough for me to pass too harsh of a judgement upon this. Then comes the power ballad with "Christine". As far as power ballads go this musing of a hungover morning after seems genuine enough. The vocal melody on the verse has an Areosmith quality to it. Then it's back to dirty Hollywood strip rock n roll for "Baby Gotta Fever". This sounds like it could have come from "Cocked and Loaded".   With the title "Kill it Or Die" I did not picture something so bluesy. It was a decent groove and is true to who they are.

The metal comes back when they kick into the almost Judas Priest like riff to "Don't Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight" . How drunk was Lewis to come up with the title "The Flood's Fault of the Rain"? It feels like "House of the Rising Sun" , but there is enough of their thumb prints on it to make me forget that fact."The Devil Made Me Do it " song does has a great deal of drive it and even manages to retain their sleazy signature. The third act of the album does seem to have more power ballads on it. If they weren't so well written I might have more of a problem with it. I really like the riff that bridges them into the more distorted power chord section. I'll give this one a 9 despite the abundance of power ballads as the heavier moments compensate.