Sixx:A.M. – ‘Prayers For The Damned’ [Review]
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Prayers For The Damned is an album aimed at the underdogs of the world.
Nikki Sixx is a truly rare rock star, one willing to stand up for the downtrodden – whether they be up-and-coming musicians or, as made plain on Sixx:A.M.’s sophomore record, victims of abuse. Those of you in need of some rock ‘n’ roll-style motivation will find plenty of comfort and courage in Prayers For The Damned’s opening tracks Rise and You Have Come To The Right Place. Those songs get to the point immediately: If you’re going through some seriously harsh shit, you’re not alone.
Prayers For The Damned feels not just like a hard-rock/glam-metal showcase – although it definitively is that – but more akin to an ass-kicking act of community service. Through the likes of I’m Sick, Prayers For The Damned, Better Man, and Can’t Stop, Nikki Sixx and Sixx:A.M. dig deep into frequently brutal and always heartfelt emotional territory. We’re not talking about a band made famous purely by means of clever marketing or even their obvious connections to immortality; Prayers For The Damned drips with hard-earned authenticity.
You can pay and bargain for some things, but you can only pay your dues with time. Sixx:A.M. have done that, and more.
When We Were Gods lumbers like a seasick giant and sounds like a respectful salute in the direction of Mötley Crüe’s globe-straddling career – and then we’re back into gut-wrenching territory again. Belly Of The Beast features some of Prayers For The Damned’s darkest lyrics, punctuated with briefly searing guitar leads; Everything Went To Hell addresses backstabbing and betrayal in inimitable style, charging into the breach with filthy riffs and perfectly concise word choices; The Last Time (My Heart Will Ever Hit The Ground) takes a defiantly ruminative tack; and Rise Of The Melancholy Empire brings us to this album’s end, an instant classic rock ballad for the ages.
Overall: Mötley Crüe may have played their final tour, but with Prayers For The Damned, Nikki Sixx and Sixx:A.M. are continuing to keep the fire burning. Long may they continue.
TMMP RATING: 100% (Essential Listening!)
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Also, if you are going through some shit right now, check out The Body Keeps The Score via Amazon. It’s worth a read.