Appetite for Destruction Review: Sleaze, Swagger and Great Riffs
9/10 — Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (1987)
Pros
- Slash's guitar
- Great singles
- Real menace
Cons
- Crude, offensive lyrics
- Some formulaic tracks
Appetite for Destruction was recorded by a band of Los Angeles street kids and became one of the best-selling debut albums ever. It cut through the polish of 1980s hair metal.
What works
‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Paradise City’ and ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’ are classic, and Slash’s guitar tone is tremendous. Axl Rose’s shriek and Duff McKagan and Steven Adler’s rhythm section give the album real menace.
Where it falters
The lyrics are crude and sometimes offensive, and a few songs are formulaic.
Verdict
A raw, ferocious debut that still hits hard.
