This Is Gonna Hurt Cd Review

Sixx:A.M. come bolting out of the traps on this their second album, like a bat out of hell. “This Is Gonna Hurt”, the title track, is a sharply crafted stomper of a rock 'n' roll classic. And it’s not surprising in the least. Nikki Sixx, the erstwhile bassist and chief songwriter for everyone’s favourite bad boys Mötley Crüe, is at the helm. He is responsible not only for coming up with the majority of the material that influenced a million bands and literally inspired an entire genre, but for creating a sound that has stood the test of time and is as relevant today as it was then, albeit on a slightly more commercial scale.

Along with the incredible Nikki Sixx, song writing is mainly shared with singer/guitarist James Michael. Together they seem to have an almost uncanny knack of delivering the perfect hook in the perfect timing. This entire album oozes and drips with an astounding pop sensibility all the way through and has a great variety of suitably stunning songs – everything from powerhouse rock metal pomp and preen, to subtle, sultry and sometimes socially sympathetic ballads.

“This Is Gonna Hurt” kicks off the album with a blast and has every classic element of robust rock n roll rampage. It quite simply, in the parlance of Sixx himself, kicks your ass!

The second track, and first single off the album, “Lies Of The Beautiful People” is a slightly less bombastic affair, commenting on the dangers of being too trusting. There are a number of social themes on the album revealing that Sixx and company are finally growing up and feeling somewhat responsible for things around them.

This is particularly evident on the tracks “Oh My God” and “Skin”, the former being a plaintive plea to our humanitarian side, whilst the latter explores the fact that all too often we are judged by what we look like rather than how we are as people.

Other stand out tracks are “Are You with Me” – a nostalgic nod to the good times of the past, and similarly, but with a latent sense of loss and love, is the absolutely undisputed gem on the album, “Live Forever.” This is a sensational track and belongs alongside some of the best ever written in this genre. It gives way to a lazy Sunday afternoon drive track that sounds exactly like its name “Sure Feels Right.”

Surprisingly the lack of a live drummer on the recording does not detract too much from the emphatically explosive sound woven into this album. The drums are programmed by the third member, and lead guitarist, DJ Ashba, and are a perfect foil for the tuned in and turned out vocal of James Michael, who delivers a refreshing – if altogether nostalgic – reference to a time before autotune.

If the music on offer here is simply sublime in its sonic awareness, then by comparison the lyrical content can at times be a bit more pedestrian than poetic, using hackneyed clichés and clumsy, cloying prose.

That aside, this is a fantastic collection of superbly crafted songs by a supremely talented rock band.

Reviewed by Malcolm Burger

This Is Gonna Hurt Tracklist

01. This Is Gonna Hurt
02. Lies Of The Beautiful People
03. Are You With Me
04. Live Forever
05. Sure Feels Right
06. Deadlihood
07. Smile
08. Help Is on the Way
09. Oh My God
10. Goodbye My Friends
11. Skin

Sixx:A.M. Line-up

Nikki Sixx – bass, backing vocals
James Michael – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, drum programming
DJ Ashba – lead guitar, backing vocals

Sixx:A.M. Weblinks

Buy/Downloads