Guns N’ Roses have shared their first new music since Slash and Duff McKagan’s return. The track, entitled ‘Absurd,’ made its live debut at a show at Boston’s Fenway Park nine days ago. And they released the studio version roughly a week ago. The song is…well…absurd.
I’m just going to lay it down like it is. It’s not a great song. It’s not even really a good song. And frankly, it’s not even really a new song. It’s a reworked version of an early ‘Chinese Democracy’ era track entitled ‘Silkworm.’ It dates back to 2001 as a throw away song that didn’t make the album. That right there should tell you about everything you need to know. If you’re looking for something along the lines of a Use Your Illusion track, you’ve come to the wrong place. It greatly lacks the feel and quality strength that made those albums so special.
The fans are going crazy however. Due greatly to the fact that it’s the first ‘new’ track with Slash, Axl and Duff. But in this writer’s opinion, the track just doesn’t hold up. It’s not dismal. But the lack of soul makes the song seem a bit hollow. This likely is the direction of the next phase of Guns N’ Roses. Do I expect the band to replicate ‘Use Your Illusion?’ No. But I certainly expected more than this bland, dated, industrial metal sound. It’s like Trent Reznor came in and couldn’t figure out how to blend his sound with the short GN’R track ‘My World.’ It just doesn’t work. I mean, it just sounds like they don’t care. Axl’s voice is….well…I don’t even know what to say honestly. I guess the most appropriate description is that it sounds like a rough draft.
Whatever the new material is, it’s destined to find success. Just merely because of the historical fact that Slash and Duff have recorded new material with Axl. It’s been 28 years since they’ve put anything down together. Who knows though, maybe this is just a one off single. And the rest of the new material they’ve supposedly been working on will satisfy the classic GN’R sound. The world needs it more than ever now honestly.
