Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad CD review

It’s almost like an epidemic, most '80s era bands cashing in on nostalgia, touring, playing the same set list over and over again, releasing multiple ‘best of’ compilations, and treating us to stale new material that thankfully never gets heard. Unfortunately, a lot of these bands somehow eclipse the new blood of AOR and melodic rock outfits that work along the lines of what would be today’s "hair metal" or "'80s rock," if you must.

Nevertheless, Whitesnake has literally shunned any connotation of weakness or kitsch factor with their latest, Good To Be Bad, which is a record of serious hard rock proportions. Having played some of the strongest hard rock and metal to ever grace the turntable, David Cloverdale and Co. have returned with a kick-ass, balls-to-the-wall metal record that is just as strong as anything that the band has released, and is as strong, if not stronger, than anything that you will hear.

Armed with the lineup of guitarists Reb Beach and Doug Aldrich, bassist Uriah Duffy, keyboardist Timothy Drury, and drummer Chris Frazier, a real no-bullshit approach to making a rock and roll record is in play. One thing's for sure: this ain’t no record that was recorded in any basement for that matter, for the sound is big and fat – real production people, real fucking production (in a real studio)!! And the music, it can only be described as Whitesnake, where there is real substance here, not the substance of dancing on the hood of the car (although...it’s always something how we run to the TV during those old videos), it’s full-on aggressive guitars, catchy hooks, and the bombastic power that kicks you in the fucking nuts every time you listen to it, and you want more!

Anthems are in tow here, the lead off single "All For Love" is one hell of a hard-driving tune that ups the ante for the crankage factor. Cuts such as "Best Years," "Call On Me," and the title track follow suit, axe solo after axe solo, with Coverdale’s raspy vocals holding up with ease, singing out with commanding power and authority. He touches his blues roots with the Howlin’ Wolf call of "Lay Down Your Love" and "Got What You Need;" of course, he still has his flare for sentiment where there are ballads, and you have them here, but it’s not overloaded on the record. "Summer Rain," "Till the End of Time," and "All I Want, All I Need" offer up perfect backseat fodder without any cheesy factor involved.

Like Dokken and Great White, who both have recent releases out that pose strong tunesmith and hard rock gusto (although the same cannot be said about another ‘white’ band’s ‘return’), Whitesnake still has it. Yes, this might be a new lineup, but you have to hand it to Coverdale for keeping it together all these years, thirty to be exact…and let’s face it, with an album like this from the band long overdue, Good To Be Bad proves that the wait was worth it. Fucking brilliant hard rock, metal, melodic metal, or whatever you want to call it; so not only is it good to be bad, it’s good to be back! (SPV/Steamhammer) - Review by Tommy "Hashman" Hash

(Click on the CD cover to buy Good To Be Bad from Amazon.com)