Well its different anyway! (Brutal Planet - Alice Cooper)

Member Name: Hudson

Product:	Brutal Planet - Alice Cooper
Date:	29/10/00 (50 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Loud and heavy

Disadvantages: Some loyal fans might be disappoionted

Some people really like this album while others hate it, but one thing you will agree on is that it is nothing like any other Alice Cooper album of the past. Gone is his glam rock style with catchy and quirky tunes which were a feature of his Trash and Hey Stoopid albums and instead Alice Coooper opts for a very heavy and loud metal sound in Brutal Planet. It should be taken into account that this is his first album on a new record label: Eagle Records. Incidently they are the record company of fellow rockers Dio. I think Alice has realised he's not going to have a big hit on his hands if he targets the mainstream audience with another pop/rock album so hes just gone for a complete heavy metal sound. Maybe this is Alice without chains and restrictions of bad producers etc and this is the sound he's always wanted but never had the chance to make. Eagle have also splashed out on eyecatching packaging. The albums comes in a brilliantly designed slip case complete with poster. The European version also has a PC screensaver on it

In the line up for this album is Ryan Roxie of Slash's Snakepit and former Kiss drummer Eric Singer who both do a great job throughout but the real genious behind Brutal Planet is Bob Marlette. He produces it as well as playing rhythm guitar, bass and keyboards. Marlette takes his experience and brings it to this album with great effect. (He also produced Guns n Roses Live Era album)

The albums begins with the title track which in another unusual occurance for an Alice Cooper album features a female vocalist. In past albums they have have only been to add backing vocals in small parts but Natalie Delaney has a great voice and helps liven up the first song when she sings at the end of every chorus. The two singles from this album are also two of the best on it. Blow Me a Kiss with its catchy chorus and violent drumming and Gimme whos video was banned from TV.
There are slow and numbers as well as fast ones too.
Wicked Young Man and Its All The Little Things are the fast ones and the slow ones which to be honest aren't anything brilliant are Pessi-Mystic and Eat Some More. Theres the usual ballad too called Take It Like Woman and even this has a heavy guitar in the chorus but thankfully this is almost drowned out by a piano, another instrument Cooper has rarely featured over the years. But what you'll be concentrating on is the lyrics. Every songs lyrics are beautifully sculpted to either tell a story or to make a point and all of them ryhm excellently. Gone are the cheesy, written in 5 minutes lyrics of Trash and in are some deep and meaningful ones.

I'd say this is one of those albums you should try before you buy. If your already an Alice Cooper fan than I think you'll be surprised by what you hear but if you have only discovered his music this might give you the wrong impression, you might think Alice is a headbanger and not the glam rock star that he was when at his most popular. Give it a go, you might like it, you might not but you'll agree that musically its a fine achievement. Don't be mistaken that because I've written a long review I really like this album, I'm just giving you all the facts so that you can make the choice for yourself. Its good but not sensational.

Summary: