Time Signature Looks that kill...

Genre: heavy metal

Mötley Crüe were the queens of glam and kings of sleaze in the 80s, to be sure, and the object of passionate hate from many who considered themselves to be true metalheads. Such was the state of affairs back then, but "Shout at the Devil" - the band's sophomore album - is a lesson in buttkicking heavy metal riffage. Although the band already sported their androgynous make-up and poodle hair glam metal image, strangely combined with satanic imagery, the music on this album is prime class 80s metal with very little sleaze and glam metal pop to it.

Tracks like the title track, "Looks that Kill", "Bastard", "Too Young to Fall in Love", and "Red Hot", "Knock 'em Dead, Kid" all contain killer guitar classic metal riffage, and, while not all track come across successfully (I'm not too big a fan of Crüe's version of "Helter Skelter" [I appear to constitute a minority in this respect... oh, well]) and some of them become a bit too monotonous, most of them certainly are headbanging-worthy. Even the ballady "Danger" is awesome (although it would have benefited from different vocals).

Most of the tracks on this album have quite a punch to them, and Mike Mars' guitar solos are blazing. The overall sound is perhaps a bit outdated and dirty, but that adds a certain authenticity to the production of this album. The most glammy/sleazy aspect of this album, musically, would be Vince Neil's vocals, which are annoying as always, but not to the same extent as on other releases by the Crüe.

This is a fine 80s metal release, and it is recommended to fans of the metal of that era - even glam-o-phobic fans might like the rifforama that is this album.

Stephen "Girls, Girls, Girls" is considered a pivotal point of Crue's career. After the fans condemned them for releasing the disappointing "Theater of Pain", Crue had to hold on and forced to write a better album otherwise this could be the end of their career. At that time, Nikki and the gang were at the height of their junk addiction and party-hard lifestyle. White dope, Harley, and naked women theme were basically all over the lyrics, while musically, they stripped down the heavy metal outfit and played with 60-70s rock and roll with an occasional bluesy bite, but still with Crue's glam signature arrangement.

"Wild Side" and "Girls, Girls, Girls" are two singles that saved Crue's ass and since then, those two songs almost never left out from their concert setlist. "You're All I Need" is another big ballad that enjoyed a small position in Billboard Hot 100, highly underrated compared to "Home Sweet Home", but both songs can be considered their all time greatest ballads ever made. Funny thing is that most people, including Jon Bon Jovi, is dizzied into thinking that this is a typical love song, but Nikki put a genius twist to this song about a psycho boyfriend instead.

"Dancing On Glass" and "All In The Name of.." are two other relatively unknown tracks that also made this album worth to have. "Bad Boy Boogie" has that Aerosmith 70s feel, "Five Years Dad" is also good but somehow too similar with "Girls, Girls, Girls". "Sumthin' For Nuthin'" is perhaps the only filler but not bad at all, and the Elvis cover of "Jailhouse Rock" is a fun live cover to emphasize the rock and roll theme of this album.

Crue's fourth album is a commercial success, racking up 4 platinums in USA alone, and was their best selling album until "Dr.Feelgood" came in 1989 to crack the record. Excellent release and I rank this as the Crue's third most fave album after "Shout" and "Feelgood".

Pekka A lot happened between Dr. Feelgood and the self-titled Mötley Crüe album that came out five years later. The single most important thing I guess was the breakthrough of Nirvana and rest of the Grunge scene - overnight the most popular and powerful Glam Metal act turned uncool, a ridiculous relic of the past. As if that wasn't enough, somewhere during the sessions for the follow up album Vince Neil departed, not amicably.

Usually referred to as a "hoarse shouter" or in other derogatory phrases, the new singer John Corabi is actually a big improvement in ways. Vince Neil has the instantly recognizable tone, but Corabi is far superior in power and versatility. A rather fantastic rock voice, only somewhat lacking in unique character, which combined with a new super heavy band sound makes the album altogether very very different from its predecessors. And so it's no wonder the old fanbase didn't exactly embrace the new Mötley incarnation.

By the time the album was released in 1994 Kurt Cobain was already loading his shotgun and grunge was losing ground to the new wave of punk rock, spearheaded by The Offspring and Green Day, but Mötley were riding the grunge train. The difference from Dr. Feelgood is indeed huge. In some songs, such as Uncle Jack and Droppin' Like Flies it's easy to imagine Jerry Cantrell harmonizing with Corabi on a Black Gives Way to Blue outtake, Corabi's voice sometimes being very close to William DuVall's. Corabi being a guitarist as well as a vocalist, the band was able to experiment more with guitar layering, and overall the riffing style is far heavier than on the earlier albums, but with traces from their past popping up here and there. And Bob Rock's massive production suits the new pounding music wonderfully.

But if the pencil isn't sharp, there's not much that a great performance and production can save. Apart from the somewhat catchy opener Power to the Music, some really ballsy parts in for example 'Til Death Do Us Part and Smoke the Sky and the lighter numbers Loveshine and Driftaway, there's very very little that I remember after many listens. And the endless adlibbing closing many of the songs makes the album drag on way too long. A classic case of an album that one listens to with relative enjoyment, but without a lasting impression.

A brave attempt at progressing as a band or a wimpy attempt at riding the mainstream, you decide. This album has many merits but just as many flaws. Not really bad, not really good, nothing you need to hear but something you might enjoy anyway.

Pekka It can safely be said that the last Mötley Crüe album that received any kind of respect and/or commercial success was 1989's Dr. Feelgood. After that they fired their vocalist, made a flop of an album, re-hired the old singer and made an album that flopped even more, and then lost their drummer and made an album that nobody noticed. And now 19 years after their last triumph Vince is there, Tommy is there and Nikki and Mick are obviously still where they always were. But are the songs?

Yes. Written mostly by Nikki Sixx with a group of helping hands including the newest Gunner DJ Ashba and producer James Michael the album includes many pieces that challenge their very best material from the 80s. Much like Shout at the Devil in 1983 the album begins with a short, atmospheric intro build up, though this time about the perils of Los Angeles rather than the children of the beast, which then kicks into an infectious rocker called Face Down in the Dirt. That chorus will stick in your head for a long time.

Down at the Whiskey, the title track, Animal in Me, Goin' Out Swingin'... Many more quality cuts to carry the album proudly to the finish line, but just like the Devil 25 years ago, this album has its share of weaker tracks, like What's It Gonna Take and This Ain't a Love Song. Not necessarily very weak, but weaker than the best of the selection. Anyway, after almost two decades of experimentation or just casually being lost at sea, the band is back with a vengeance, tackling the high energy glam metal of the glory days.

But in addition to the creepy nippleless chicks on the cover, one major flaw of the album is the very compressed sound, which can be pretty hard on the ears at least in headphone listening. In the louder parts, and I presume nobody is surprised by the fact that that's pretty much all this album has, it feels like everything is squeezed though a tiny tube and then blown on the eardrum. Somebody should have brought their 1994 self titled album to the studio to check how proper heaviness is achieved without sacrificing sound quality.

I believe many old time fans to be satisfied with this one, at least a newcomer like me spins it pretty much just as often as the early works. Recommended.

Pekka Following their debut Too Fast for Love Mötley Crüe were picked up by Elektra Records, which resulted in a proper budget to record their sophomore effort. Released as Shout at the Devil, the album definitely benefited from that, as it has a much punchier and fuller sound than its predecessor, the rawness of which I also appreciate, though.

After the short intro the album starts with a bang, as the title track and Looks that Kill were clearly their most powerful shout-alongs yet. To go with their new darker image the music has a somewhat more metallic edge, which is especially apparent in the next track, Bastard. Throw in the brief guitar instrumental God Bless the Children of the Beast and a totally banging rendition of Helter Skelter, few would've had the guts to cover that, and I find the entire first half of the album pure gold.

Red Hot's drum intro was good enough to be stolen to Guns n' Roses' Double Talkin' Jive eight years later, but after that the second half is considerably weaker than the first. The band performs with energy and feel, but the best riffs are already spent on the first half. But luckily the album ends on a high note with Danger, not their first and definitely not their last song about LA and Hollywood, but one of the best with a great ominous atmosphere.

Along with the fuller sound and the brilliant material of the first side, one big merit of this album is the improved voice of Vince Neil. The cat squeal comes through at times, but otherwise it's gained a lot of power since the debut. One five star side and one three star side, overall probably their best album.