The Last Temptation: 20th Anniversary Edition

ショックロックの帝王アリス・クーパーの通算20枚目のスタジオ・アルバムとしてエピック・レーベルから94年7月にリリースされた『The Last Temptation』の20周年記念豪華デジパック仕様リイシュー盤。臆病者のスティーヴン少年が奇妙な芸人に誘われた劇場から始まる恐怖の物語をテーマにしたコンセプト・アルバムで、人気作家ニール・ゲイマンとの共作という形でコミックと同時展開された作品。ギタリストのステフ・バーンズとベーシストのグレッグ・スミス、キーボーディストのデレク・シェリニアン、ドラムスのデイヴィッド・ウォシキネンのバンド・ラインナップのほか、サウンドガーデンのクリス・コーネルもゲスト参加する。16ページのブックレット付。

Though Alice Cooper's 1989 comeback gave him his first hit album in over a decade, the Trash record left some diehard fans disappointed, as did 1991's Hey Stoopid. Many listeners felt that Cooper had sold himself short, now completely focusing on sleazy sexual anthems, making him just another face in the heavy metal crowd. By the time The Last Temptation was released in 1994, the hair band fad that had fueled Cooper's return was dead, and Cooper was obviously aware of its downfall -- the album sounds almost nothing like its two predecessors. Instead of relating to such albums as Motley Crue's Dr. Feelgood, Last Temptation seems more similar to Ozzy Osbourne's No More Tears. Thematically, the record returns to mostly conceptual songs, such as "Nothing's Free," "You're My Temptation," and "Cleansed by Fire." Though the album still has a few goofy interruptions, such anthems as "Lost in America" nonetheless boast more originality than anything off of Hey Stoopid or Trash. Far surpassing anything Cooper recorded in almost 20 years, The Last Temptation is unquestionably some of his best work. ~ Barry Weber|