Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
The past, as they say, is another country; and yet it can also feel like a completely different world, not only doing things differently there, but having no concept of the shared universal heritage that inherent to all species, all times, all places.
For over fifty years, time has moved on for some, for others it never truly got started, however it never once stood still, and Time has a habit of not only remembering what was once important, but manifesting itself again, repeating itself so that what humanity thought was lost appears as if ordained by the gods to return fully formed and with all the necessary adulation and praise in hand.
It is that ordination that The Revenge Of Alice Cooper fills the void as the surviving members of the original Alice Cooper band reunite under the banner of rock excess and extraordinary theatrical pushing of boundaries as the drama and cool of a half century missed opportunities regales the listener to the point of ecstatic belief, that Time can heal, can repair, and be more than just the hype.
For Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith, as well as Alice Cooper and Producer Bob Ezrin, the opportunity to reconnect in the studio is one taken with pride, an enormous slice of gratification and demonstrable skill, and one to which the memory and name of their fallen friend and former bandmate Glen Buxton are honoured with the upmost respect.
The Revenge Of Alice Cooper is one perhaps that might be seen as a bookend, a strangely fitting way in which to bring the original group back together, and for a few it will smack of a nostalgic cash grab, what is plainly to be felt is the enjoyment of working together once again, the theatrics in the music and the lyrics…this is more than nostalgia, it is far more than a melancholy witness, it is a longing of reconnection to bring the sound and the pulse of what lay before the split and give it a 21st Century update, whilst, and most importantly, not losing a measure of groove in between those times.
With Bob Ezrin at the helm, tracks such as the opener, and first single, Black Mamba, Up All Night, the excellent Kill The Flies, Crap That Gets In The Way Of Your Dreams, Famous Face, What A Syd, Inter Galactic Vagabond Blues, and What Happened To You all combine to be the reunion album the fans not only wanted, but never knew they were likely to ever see.
With additional support from the legendary Robby Krieger, Gyasi Heus, Rick Toledo, and the physical addition of the late Glen Buxton who the group were able to place a previously unreleased guitar part on to the aforementioned What Happened To You is the cherry on the delicious serving that is revenge served polished and with delight.
A tremendous reunion, nothing has been lost, only experience gained, and yet the four remaining members of a group that bought theatrical terror to the studio and stage in albums such as Billion Dollar Babies and School’s Out strut with sublime alley cat cool as they dance once more with history and style in attendance.
Ian D. Hall