Rock and metal fans who love music from the 80s to today know Slash. Over the decades, he’s become one of the most popular and recognizable guitarists in the business. His leads combined with Izzy Stradlin’s riffs elevated Guns N’ Roses’ sound to something iconic. However, the English-born guitar god is more than a one-trick pony. He released several solo albums over the years and even struck out on his own after leaving GnR in the 90s. He also helped form the alt-rock supergroup Velvet Revolver. More recently, he has played with Myles Kennedy and Conspirators.
Today, Slash released a new single with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. The new single, “The River Is Rising,” is a shot of pure adrenaline. Sonically, the song is a flashback to old-school metal. One moment, Kennedy’s vocals harken back to the golden age of power metal. Then, he crosses over into an almost alt-rock feel. It’s a wonderful combination. Overall, the vocals are crystal-clear, soaring, and epic. The lyrics pack scathing social commentary. You can really hear that commentary in the first chorus. “Hang on./ The river is rising. / Hold strong. / The tide is high. / Will we drown in paradise?”
The instrumentation under the vocals is pure classic metal, though. Slash shines on lead guitar and the Conspirators lay a perfectly chaotic backdrop for the interplay of his guitar work and Kennedy’s vocals.
In short, if you need a rocking start to your weekend, check Slash’s new single. It’s exactly what you’re looking for.
More About Slash’s New Single “The River Is Rising”
Slash started teasing the release of “The River Is Rising” earlier this week. On Monday, he shared a short trailer for the song as well as some information about his upcoming album. The iconic guitarist is teaming up with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators to release 4 next year. This is our first look at their new music. Check out the video below.
In the teaser, Slash talks about how they recorded the new music.
“This is the first time we actually did all the guitars, bass, and drums live at the same time and kept all those tracks.” He added that they recorded the vocals live as well. About the sound of the record, he said it “…sounds like the band playing the songs that we came in with, but it’s just us playing in the moment.” That, he said, is the sound they’re going for.
Myles Kennedy spoke briefly about the upcoming release as well. About it, he said, “This one’s pretty much a live record, from my standpoint.”
Slash and the band’s next record will be the first release for Gibson Records. The luthier has been manufacturing top-quality instruments for decades. Now, they will release the music that they help to push forward with their innovations.