When I was 15 years old, I remember how excited I was to get Use Your Illusion 1 and 2 on the day they were released back in 1991.  My favorite band, Guns N' Roses, had released a highly anticipated album, and I was one of the first people to buy it.  Appetite For Destruction sold more copies, but Use Your Illusion 1 and 2 were my favorite.  How could you not love songs like Coma, Dead Horse, Estranged, Live and Let Die, Knockin' On Heaven's Door,  You Could Be Mine, Don't Cry, November Rain, Garden of Eden, Civil War, and The Garden?  Each CD was strong from beginning to end.

     In 1994, the band released The Spaghetti incident, which was a collection of covers, followed by Live Era, a 2 CD live album.  Due to band members leaving, and what I think is Axl Rose's tendency to be a perfectionist, there hasn't been a complete release of new music since 1991.  There's been a song here or there, such as a cover of "Sympathy For the Devil" or "Oh My God" which was released for a movie soundtrack.  Despite these sporadic releases, all we really heard were rumors of an upcoming album and songs that were leaked on occasion.

     Well, after all the speculation and rumors, it's official.  Guns N' Roses will be releasing Chinese Democracy on November 23rd, 2008, and the first single, "Chinese Democracy" was just released a few days ago.  I had already heard live versions of "Chinese Democracy", "IRS", and "Madagascar", and I thought all three songs were terrific.  What I was looking forward to was hearing the finished product.  I imagine that Axl Rose was meticulous while putting this album together, and I had also read that there were some industrial influences in the music.  I was intrigued to say the least.

     There are 14 songs on Chinese Democracy, and I heard the first single today.  The song "Chinese Democracy" is a very good one, and I like it, but I think it will take long-time GNR fans a while to get used to the new sound.  At times, it feels over-produced, and it almost sounds like a Marilyn Manson song.  I like Marilyn Manson, so I didn't mind this much, but after hearing the live version of Chinese Democracy, without all the bells and whistles, you're kind of left wondering why there's so much going on production wise.  It's a great, driving rock song, and I think it would have benefited more from a stripped-down approach than the over-production.  With that said, I still like i, and I'm looking forward to hearing the other 13 tracks.