Was anyone really waiting for another album from Alice Cooper's original drummer? Sure, Neal Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year with the band he helped found, but so what? Granted, Smith also appears on Alice Cooper's latest album, Welcome 2 My Nightmare, but that's an Alice Cooper record. KillSmith Two, on the other hand, is a vain solo project (the sequel to 2008's Sexual Savior) boasting heavy industrial guitars, some slammin' drummin' and obnoxious lyrics — plus the vocals to go with them!
Smith sings and plays rhythm guitar, synthesizers, drums and percussion, and he's backed by eight other musicians and some cheerleaders who chant "I got your DNA all over me!" on "Crimes of High Passion." Problem is, Smith can't really sing; he more or less growls lyrics and tries to stretch out a few lines here and there. Think Lemmy, but not as good. Song titles include "Cemetery of the Damned," "Death by the Numbers," "Die for the Night" and "Suicide Highway." See a theme here? And if Smith isn't singing about death, he's obsessed with sex: "Squeeze Like a Python," Kiss My Rock," "Strip Down."
That said, "Evil Voodoo Moon" could be a ZZ Top b-side, and some of this stuff is catchy enough (namely "Legend of Viper Company," which also features the best guitar solo on the album). But unless you're a hardcore fan of early Alice Cooper or a Neal Smith devotee, there's no need to seek out this one.
Track Listing:
1) 2000 Miles From Detroit
2) Suicide Highway
3) Cemetery of the Damned (23)
4) Evil Voodoo Moon
5) Death by the Numbers
6) Crimes of High Passion
7) Legend of Viper Company
8) Die for the Night
9) Strip Down
10) Kiss My Rock
11) Anything
12) Squeeze Like a Python
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