Alice Cooper didn’t delay after his sober comeback from Constrictor, and his single “He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask),” which was featured in Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives [1986], that he released Raise Your Fist and Hell on September 28, 1987 with sadly some of the worst artwork from a major label, MCA, that also really didn’t Alice; his massive fan base; and how some the songs had a horror movie tie-ins. It might seem normal, however in the 1970s and into the early 1980s Alice was on breakneck pace, making albums, touring, drinking, hospital visits, and repeat just faster, finally the alcohol ended that fuel ride insanity, his sobriety was key, that he needed and wanted.
The first song is “Freedom” was considered his fastest song at that time, it was an anthem of strong lyrics, an easy chorus, but the song fit into a certain time period, 1985, a group called PMRC was in effect wanting to censor anything they the parents disagreed with, it actually stood for Parents Music Resource Center, the ones responsible for the warning labels on music. Actually, in reality, it just increases both album sales and had everyone purchasing these records over ones that didn’t, oops jokes on them. Leading off the next song “Lock Me Up” well that’s Robert Englund doing his voice of Freddy Krueger, though frankly he was creating some odd lyrical songs; yet fun. Honestly, the first half of the album minus the lead off song, is frankly okay tracks nothing to really remember long term. An interesting track is “Step on You” has a strange instrumental portion, it feels foreign to Cooper’s style, more industrial perhaps, a weird experimentation yet it could grow on some, just not that quickly. Finishing out the first half is “Not That Kind of Love” contains a heavy sound, but unfortunately not that memorable.
The first song leading off the back half of the album falls in the beginning of horror splendor with “Prince of Darkness” it clearly is a containing more meaning lyrics, and of a metal feel; although song is more connect to the John Carpenter movie of the same name, in which Alice has small role in it. Overall, a fine quality with menacing vocals foe him to tease the listener, though received limited airplay at the time because if the song title were considered offensive to I suppose Christian ears, I suppose they forgot they could switch the channel to listen to something else. Lastly, the close-out is exquisite the acoustic finish is rare but performed to a high quality status. It’s time for “Time to Kill” as it contains more of the lyrics of a horror shock theme and keeps everything in a metal groove and opens the album for also a horror storyline to finish on the last three songs. Those play first with “Chop, Chop, Chop,” then into a curious ditty though not quite a ballad entitled “Gail” think back to Alice’s “Steven” song to get a fuller understanding and Kip Winger provided some interesting attributes for it and a smashing final “Roses On White Lace.”
This close song has been covered by many metal bands, which only shows how much others enjoyed it, and the messaging in the song is very true when picture in a horrific moment a superb thought – ‘Blood looks like Roses on White Lace’ heard in the lyrics. Alice’s boldness on full display for all to enjoy.
Track List:
Freedom
Lock Me Up
Give The Radio Back
Step On You
Not That Kind of Love
Prince of Darkness
Time To Kill
Chop, Chop, Chop
Gail
Roses On White Lace
Band Members:
Alice Cooper – vocals
Arti Funaro (Devlin 7) – guitar
Kane Roberts – guitar
Kip Winger – bass
Paul Horowitz (Paul Taylor) – keyboards
Ken K. Mary – drums
In all honestly the music is okay, not earth-shattering, but for his 10th-album it will satisfy the more dedicated core of his fan base, his new young band didn’t stay to together very long, but also marked an end to his cooperation with Kane Roberts. Alice had always been a huge cinema fan, from watching martial arts films a different one each night before going on stage. However, he saw his music and the metal genre intwining with the horror genre, and MTV heavy rotation (when it played music videos) become more obsessed with the horror metal vein incorporated themes into his music from Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street franchises. But once again the label missed the connection between the songs and humor found in horror, a missed opportunity, especially when the album name changes from Summer Blood the name above; that first time had more appeal.
Baron’s Rating: 3.5/5.0
Band Websites:
http://www.facebook.com/alicecooper