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Features, PiercingMetal Says

Guns ‘N Roses Announce “Use Your Illusion” Part I and II Boxed Set For November

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The Press Release:
UME/Geffen celebrates Guns N’ Roses’ incredible musical legacy with GUNS N’ ROSES – USE YOUR ILLUSION I & II, the ultimate box set for the band’s 1991 multi-platinum releases Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. Set for release on November 11, 2022, GUNS N’ ROSES – USE YOUR ILLUSION I & II SUPER DELUXES feature a total of 97 tracks, 63 are previously unreleased. Available in multiple configurations including a Super Deluxe Seven-CD + Blu-ray, a Super Deluxe Twelve-LP + Blu-ray, Two-CD Deluxe Editions of Use Your Illusion I & II separately, standard 1CD and 2LP versions of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II separately. In all formats, the original studio albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II have been fully remastered for the first-time ever, from high-resolution 96kHz 24-bit transfers from the original stereo 1/2-inch analog masters. All versions will be available to stream and as digital downloads, with all configurations available to pre-order and pre-save, HERE.

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Guns N’ Roses’ highly anticipated third and fourth studio albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II were originally released simultaneously on September 17, 1991. With the massive success of GN’R Lies and Appetite For Destruction, the band had the daunting task of a follow up album. Not only did the band deliver, Guns N’ Roses surprised the world by releasing not one but two new, full length studio albums. Upon release, Use Your Illusion I reached No. 2 and Use Your Illusion II took the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 chart concurrently, selling over 500k in the first two hours of release, with an estimated sales of over 685k and 770k respectively within the first week of release.
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Music, Reviews

“Hollywood Vampires” (Deluxe) by Hollywood Vampires

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Artist: Hollywood Vampires
Title: “Hollywood Vampires” (Deluxe)
Label: Universal Music
Release Date: 9-11-2015
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 4/5

Have you heard about these guys yet? If you haven’t let me borrow a line from their Official Wikipedia entry since it gets right to the point. Those who are on point please mark your Facebook Status as “waiting for PiercingMetal to get on with the review” or something.

“Hollywood Vampires is an American rock supergroup formed in 2015 by Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry to honor the music of the rock stars who died from excess in the 1970s. The band name derives from The Hollywood Vampires, a celebrity drinking club formed by Cooper in the 1970s whose members included Ringo Starr of The Beatles and Keith Moon of The Who.”

The album begins with a dramatic reading from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” by the late and still so very great Christopher Lee who seemed to be a class act all around when you look back on his life. Not only was he a resounding acting presence but he also loved the Metal so it was great to find him reading at the opening of this release. “Raise The Dead” is the first original that we get from the band and it’s got a real live sound to it. I can see the band onstage doing this one and the fans rallying behind them. What follows are a LOT of cover versions of tunes that are nothing less than classics and we begin with “My Generation” by The Who and as you saw above, the late Keith Moon was a part of this drinking club. Cooper knocks this out which was great to hear since it’s a different register. During “Whole Lotta Love” you’ll be pleasantly surprised to hear ACDC’s Brian Johnson belting it out like he was 25 years younger. I almost thought it was someone else. I didn’t recall a few of the songs immediately but after a couple of listens knew that they were in my musical mind in regions not checked in some time, one of these was the Spirit inclusion of “I Got A Line On You” which is fantastic. Cooper calls upon the spirit of Jim Morrison for The Doors inclusions and I felt Jim was smiling down on him from the great beyond and perhaps even toasting a drink like they used to do so many times in the past.
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Music, Reviews

“Contraband” by Velvet Revolver

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Artist: Velvet Revolver
Title: “Contraband”
Label: RCA Records
Release: June 8, 2004
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 8/10

Fans for years have longed for Guns N’ Roses to get back together, they wanted it, but it will most likely never happen when along comes the super group Velvet Revolver. Velvet Revolver formed in 2002 and brought together ex Guns N’ Roses members Slash on guitar, Duff McKagan on bass, and Matt Sorum on drums. They also brought in Dave Kushner (Wasted Youth, Dave Navarro) to play on second guitar and after a long search found their frontman none other than Stone Temple Pilots, Scott Weiland on vocals. This album grabbed instant attention and massive touring for the band and earned this album a spot as one of the most successful albums in 2004.
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