Guns N' Roses Single Reviewed

"Chinese Democracy"

Geffen/Universal

Josh Visser (CHARTattack)

10/22/2008 2:06pm

Since Jesus Christ and Satan didn't get together to jam on the title track of Guns N' Roses' decade-plus-in-the-making Chinese Democracy, expectations won't be met for this song. But that aside, "Chinese Democracy," which hit radio today, is a pretty rad track. Once Axl Rose's patented banshee scream kicks in over a thunderous guitar riff, all the hype and bullshit go out the window. The song features dueling Axl vocals (the high-pitched one and the low growling one from "It's So Easy"), and the redheaded one goes on angrily about something vaguely political in the verses ("Blame it on the Falun Gong/They've see the end and you can't hold on now"). The song's soaring guitars seem to build towards a killer chorus that never quite happens. Instead, there's a ripping guitar solo (some combo of Robin Finck, Buckethead and Ron Thal) that almost makes up for having nothing to sing along to. The outro is classic GN'R, but on steroids — guitars blazing, multiple Axls screaming — and there's just a bit too much going on. This song ain't no "Paradise City" or "Welcome To The Jungle," but it stands tall against any other GN'R rocker, and that's not something rock radio can say very often these days.