Apocalyptic Love
studio
ArtistSlash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators
CoverApocalyptic Love.jpg
ReleasedMay 22, 2012
RecordedOctober 8, 2011 – February 6, 2012
StudioBarefoot Recording Studio
GenreHard rock, heavy metal
Length54:20
LabelDik Hayd International
ProducerEric Valentine
ChronologySlash
Prev year2011
Next year2014

Apocalyptic Love is the second solo studio album by guitarist Slash. However, it is also the first studio album billed to Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators. The band features vocalist Myles Kennedy, bassist Todd Kerns and drummer Brent Fitz in addition to Slash on guitar. Produced by Eric Valentine, it was released on May 22, 2012.[1]

History and recording

During his first solo world tour, Slash announced his second studio album. Unlike his self-titled debut solo album, which featured a variety of singers including Chris Cornell, Ozzy Osbourne, M. Shadows, and Kid Rock, he said his second album would feature Alter Bridge vocalist Myles Kennedy as the sole singer. Kennedy had previously appeared on two songs from Slash's first album, and was later the vocalist of Slash's band on tour.[2] Slash later said that his second album would be more of a collaboration album with Kennedy, and said he was unsure whether it would be released under his own name or a new name entirely.[3]

Slash began working on his second solo album in June 2011,[4] and that December, three songs—"Halo", "Standing in the Sun" and "Bad Rain"—had been recorded. Slash described the new material as "very heavy".[5] The album was finished in February 2012 and was given a May 22, 2012, release date.[6] The first single, "You're a Lie", was released to rock radio on February 27, 2012; a 30-second preview of the song was released online with this announcement.[7] Slash released the track listing for the album on March 5, 2012.[8] Kennedy, who wrote the lyrics, has said that some of the lyrics on the album are about his past negative experiences with drugs.[9]

On March 26, 30 second samples from "Apocalyptic Love" were made available on Amazon.com.[10] It is an "internet rumor" according to Slash[11] that the lead intro riff for "Anastasia" takes inspiration from Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, which Slash interpolates live in his version of "Speak Softly Love".

Release and reception

The album debuted at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 7,500 copies. The number one album for the week was John Mayer's Born and Raised, with 17,800 copies.[12]

The album received mixed reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 62 out of 100, based on 13 reviews.[13] Writing for Artistdirect, Rick Florino gave an enthusiastic review, awarding the album 5 out of 5 stars and stating that it "embodies every side of Slash", featuring "some of the man's most incendiary and infectious playing yet". He also praises Myles Kennedy's vocals and cites "Anastastia" and "Far and Away" as standout tracks, praising their orchestral and cinematic elements.[14]

Brandon Geist of Revolver also gave a positive review of the album, giving it a 4 out of 5 rating. Geist compares the album to Slash's solo début, which he criticised for sometimes seeming "strained under the weight of its creator’s own grand ambition", whereas on Apocalyptic Love, Slash's band "let the riffs and hooks fly freely". He concludes that the album is "a collection of lean, high-octane rock-and-roll tunes".[15]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave a more mixed opinion of the album in his review for AllMusic, awarding it 3 out of 5 stars. He observes that performing with Kennedy "clearly is easier on Slash's soul" compared to the vocalists in Slash's previous bands, and that the music on the album "reflects this ease". He criticises the album for containing "absolutely no surprises" but adds that it "never tries too hard, so it winds up satisfying on its own limited scale."[16]

Another 3/5 rating came from Johan Wippsson, writing for Melodic.net, who wrote that the album "is far better" than Slash's debut, praising the decision to have Kennedy perform on all tracks, though admitting that he "had expected better songs".[17]

Personnel

  • Slash – lead guitar, acoustic guitar, talkbox on "Carolina"
  • Myles Kennedy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Todd Kerns – bass, backing vocals, screams on "You're a Lie"
  • Brent Fitz – drums, electric piano
  • Eric Valentine – producer, engineer, mixing
  • Cian Riordan – assistant engineer
  • Bradley Cook – second assistant engineer
  • Trevor Whatever – guitar technician, session coordinator
  • Travis Shinn – photography
  • Frank Maddocks – art direction, design
  • Casey Howard – cover illustration

Miscellaneous

  • The whole album was recorded live with analog equipment only.[18]
  • "Apocalyptic Love" is the first song that Slash and Myles Kennedy worked on together on this album.[1]
  • "Anastasia" was written from a riff Slash played on stage during the Slash 2010–11 World Tour.[19]
  • Myles Kennedy recorded some guitar blues licks for "Far and Away".[20]
  • Apocalyptic Love debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 38,000 copies in its first week of release.[21]
  • Tracks 6 and 7 on the Live at Guitar Center CD are mislabeled on the box and on the CD sleeve as being "Starlight" and "Not for Me" respectively. The tracks are in the opposite order on the CD itself.[citation needed]
  • The Album includes a 40-minute DVD titled "The Making of Apocalyptic Love" which explores a behind the scenes look at the Making of the Record.[22]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Apocalyptic Love
Chart (2012)Peak
position
Iceland Albums Chart[23]5
Russian Albums Chart[24]16

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for Apocalyptic Love
Chart (2012)Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[25]92
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[26]66

References

  1. ^ Baltin, Steve (2012-03-05). "Slash Talks 'You're A Lie,' Reveals Tracklist for New Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  2. ^ "SLASH's Next Album To Feature MYLES KENNEDY Handling All Vocals". Blabbermouth.net. November 21, 2010. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Bosso, Joe (December 23, 2010). "Interview: Slash talks Ozzy tour, Velvet Revolver and next solo album". MusicRadar
  4. ^ "New Slash Album Slated For March/April". Ultimate Guitar Archive. May 26, 2011.
  5. ^ "SLASH: More Details Of New Solo-Album Recording Sessions Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. November 30, 2011.
  6. ^ Wawzenek, Bryan (February 7, 2012). "Slash's New Album Due May 22". Gibson Guitars. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  7. ^ "Slash Previews New Song 'You're a Lie'". Loudwire.com. February 23, 2012.
  8. ^ "SLASH: 'Apocalyptic Love' Track Listing Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. March 5, 2012. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
  9. ^ "Myles Kennedy Took Drugs to Aid Songwriting Skills". Contactmusic. November 23, 2011.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  11. ^ Apocalyptic Love on YouTube
  12. ^ Canoe inc. "Mayer clobbers Lambert on charts". canoe.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  13. ^ "Apocalyptic Love - Slash". Metacritic. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  14. ^ "Slash "Apocalyptic Love" Review — 5 out of 5 stars". ARTISTdirect. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  15. ^ "Review: Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators – Apocalyptic Love". Revolvermag.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  16. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Apocalyptic Love - Slash - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  17. ^ "Melodic Net - Slash - Apocalyptic Love". Melodic.net. May 22, 2012. Archived from the original on February 24, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  18. ^ Sciarretto, Amy (2012-03-24). "Slash Reveals How 'Apocalyptic Love' Was Recorded". Loudwire. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  19. ^ McGreevy, Ronan (February 1, 2013). "'I had no idea it sounded like Bach'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  20. ^ "Apocalyptic Love on SlashParadise". www.slashparadise.com. November 10, 2012.
  21. ^ Maloney, Devon (2012-05-30). "Who Charted? The Top 200 Is John Mayer's Wonderland". SPIN. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  22. ^ Call, John J. Moser, Of The Morning (May 31, 2012). "Hangin' with Slash". MCall. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  23. ^ "German Music: Top German Albums Chart - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  24. ^ "Статьи: Lenta.ru: Культура: Бабушкин реванш". Lenta.ru. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  25. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums 2012". ARIA. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  26. ^ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2021.