Step into the dirty grinding grit of Slash's Snakepit and you'll get a taste of some rough, edgy, full-sounding, bluesy guitar work reminiscent of Aerosmith. For Guns n' Roses fans, the latest release by Slash's Snakepit, Ain't Life Grand, is a sure treat as well as an eye opener to (dare I say it) where a majority of the G n' R's trademark sound came from. At times it seems Slash's Snakepit is trying to re-live the grand old days of Axl, Stradlin, McKagan and Adler, and in my opinion that's OK. Though they aren't G n' R, they get pretty damn close; you can even hear hints of classic G n' R sounds: piano bits, screeched vocals, and winding, grinding guitar work. Goes to show folks how much influence Slash had in G n' R.

On this album, the Snakepit line up consists of: Slash, guitars; Rod Jackson, lead vocals; Johnny Griparic, bass; Matt Laud, drums; and Ryan Roxie, guitars. Each part of the group complements the others like a tightly pieced puzzle. Jackson's raspy, scratchy vocals works with Slash's rough guitar riffs, backed by swinging piano pieces to create a smokey, bluesy atmosphere. Thanks to the good production, each Pit member comes across well.

People, this album is truly kickin'. Every track is unique, some having a soulful, earthy theme accompanied with congas and then some jamming nicely with that jazzy, bluesy feel. If you prefer, there are also some tracks with rough, raw, guitar; it's all there for you. "Just Like Anything" starts with a smokey bar room feel, then Slash slides into licks that made me say, "oh man, thats just sick stuff!" "Serial Killer" is a strange track in the list, but one of my favorites. It has an eerie intro but crawls into some growling, gnawing guitar riffs, accompanied by children singing a hauntingly infectious background chorus.

Slash is truly one of the most technically adept, underrated guitarist out there. Ain't Life Grand is a sweet group of tracks that really shows off Slash's skill. This release is highly recommended for shredders wanting to relive the days of G n' R and for those that live for sick-ass guitar work.

Top Pick: "The Alien"

Reviewed by <-RSCR->

Visit the Snakepit website at www.snakepit.org.

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