Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Motley Crue Saints of Los Angeles Company: Eleven Seven Music Release: 2008 Genre: Hard Rock Reviewer: Chris Kincaid

Like the Crue it holds it's own

Saints of Los Angeles does the same thing that "Generation Swine" did. It comes off sounding overproduced, synthetic and different.

But different doesn't have to be a bad word.

It'd be too easy to stick to the tried and true for these guys. Nikki is a great song writer and knows what their fans expect from them but he's an artist first and foremost who wants to explore his wide range of musical tastes. It can be heard on 'Face Down in The Dirt' as well as 'Welcome to the Machine' and 'Going Out Swingin'--three songs with a pitch perfect guitar driven charge but underlined with undertones of punk rebellion reminiscent of Crue's debut decades ago.

Or the melded Metal/Industrial pounce on tracks like 'Mutherfucker of the Year' or 'Just Another Psycho'. And on songs like 'This Ain't A Love Song' 'What's it Gonna Take To Make It' and 'The Animal in Me' have a slightly alternative sounding draw. Sure it comes with a modern touch but instead of dominating the album it's blended nicely with the Crue's gritty, often sleazy, Hard Rock punch. If you're a Rock purist that longs for the old days of the Crue the closest you'll come is on songs like 'Down At The Whisky' the title track 'Saints of Los Angeles' and 'Chicks = Trouble'. They instigate a warm and fuzzy feeling in which Crue return to form.

In fact, the only thing missing is that addictive melody so common place in their music before 1991.

Also worth mentioning for those that can't get enough Crue is the fact there are 2 versions of S.O.L.A. One strictly a CD the other comes with a DVD loaded with interviews, concert footage and music videos.

Now in their 50s the Crue's S.O.L.A is a reflection of their almost 30 years in the music business where their struggles often took center stage in their lives. Will it stand up against classics like "Girls Girls Girls" or "Dr.Feelgood"? That's simply a question of time and taste. But like the Crue it holds it's own.