Review Summary: There’s a notable amount of melody, but not enough to outweigh the usual sleaze.
Confessions has two album covers. There’s an outer cover that resembles an old bible that once opened, reveals the “true” album artwork: a shoddy tattoo design of a cross drenched in blood streaming down from the crown of thorns that tops it. If the name “Confessions” wasn’t enough of a hint, then both of the album artworks should indicate that
Confessions is a heavily Christian themed album for Buckcherry, something that the L.A. hard rock band has yet to embrace.
That’s not to say that Buckcherry have cleaned up their act in an attempt to trade in their sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ outlook for a Christian lifestyle.
Confessions isn’t lacking in the gratuitous amounts of raunchy themes that Buckcherry are best known for bluntly displaying. Half of the thirteen songs on
Confessions may be named after the seven deadly sins, but most likely for ironic intentions, Buckcherry glorifies each of these sins throughout the album, churning out the same knuckleheaded GNR impersonations they’ve been doing for years, except this time around the songs feel a little bit more conceptual, and slightly more like self-parody.
It’s good that Buckcherry are now just consistently trying to write songs for the sake of good racy fun, and not attempting to be taken seriously when tackling serious issues like they did with child abuse on their 2008 album
Black Butterfly. However, this is yet another Buckcherry album where there really isn’t much of anything to recommend to anyone who isn’t already a fan of Buckcherry. Those who are fans of Mötley Crüe, KISS, AC/DC and the general sound of classic glam metal and simple hard rock will certainly be enticed by
Confessions, but that’s a dwindling demographic as it is.
Longtime fans will know what to expect.
Confessions is 80% uninspired hard rock that can sound pretty desperate at times, but has enough meat on its bones and blood coursing through its veins to, in the very least, put the band on a level above the one-dimensional likes of Hinder. The other 20% is comprised of an increased dosage of melodies from frontman Josh Todd, which are a welcome departure from the hoarse wailing he exhibits on the washed up strip club background tunes, but while it helps make
Confessions no worse than the typical Buckcherry album, it’s really not enough to make it any better.
