Two conflicting opinions about the latest release of the band led by Axl Rose and Slash.
Guns N ‘Roses has just started a new US tour after 16 months of inactivity due to the pandemic. Beyond that “return” to the stage, this is another chapter of almost the only thing the band has done since the meeting between Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff Mckagan in 2016: play and continue playing their classics.
However, this time there is a detail that does not go unnoticed. Unexpectedly, the group performed Absurd, their first original song in 13 years, and the reunion in the recorded format of singer, guitarist, and bassist after almost three decades.
First of all, the initial surprise. And then a new confirmation: Guns N ‘Roses is still synonymous with rock even when that label seems out of date. Although it is a song rescued from the Chinese Democracy sessions, in little more than three minutes the track shakes the drowsiness with force and highlights the fundamental contribution of Slash both in touch and sound.
Beyond the power of the song – an updated version of Silkworms, composed by the original keyboardist Dizzy Reed with Chris Pittman, who is no longer part of the band – what caught the attention of many fans is how strange the song sounds.
Rose’s voice. Between layers of effects and the evident passage of time, the singer does not resemble that record that was immortalized on albums such as Appetite for Destruction or the double Use Your Illusion.
That and other details caused the song to be looked down upon by many fans, who understand that there is little of Guns N ‘Roses in this new release. However, the theme also confirms the vitality of a group that a decade ago was virtually dismembered.
Although Absurd will not enter the great history of Guns N ‘Roses, its arrival carries a strong message in these times. Faced with the empire of fingering strategies, the Californian band asserted its desire to continue making music beyond “what will they say”. They will probably not match the level of their great classics again, but it is clear that they continue to find reasons to renew their legacy as a group.
Well, all that range of options was reduced to nothing with the timid launch of Absurd, which in fact is not even new. This is a reversion of Silkworms, a song that was left out of Chinese Democracy, a practically solo album, and a megalomaniac by Axl from 2008. There we had the first indication: if it was a discard, it is likely that it was not so powerful.
Listen to the GN’R’s new song Absurd below: