Orgy of the Damned

2024 studio album by Slash

Orgy of the Damned is the second studio solo album^[a] by British-American musician Slash, released on May 17, 2024, through Gibson. The album is a collaborative blues cover project with a variety of musicians and singers, including Gary Clark Jr., Billy Gibbons, Chris Stapleton, Dorothy, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato, Brian Johnson, Chris Robinson, Tash Neal, and Beth Hart.

The album was preceded by the release of two singles; covers of the Howlin' Wolf song "Killing Floor" and the Fleetwood Mac song "Oh Well" were released on March 8 and April 12, 2024, respectively.

Background and release

Slash's first blues works date back to 1996, when he parted ways with band Guns N' Roses and experimented with the music genre in concert tours with the group Slash's Blues Ball.^[1] Three decades later, in 2023, he reunited with two of his former bandmates, Johnny Griparic on bass guitar and Teddy Andreadis on keys, as well as Michael Jermone on drums, to record the instrumentals of the album with producer Mike Clink at East West Studios and Snakepit Studio in Los Angeles.^[2][3]

On March 8, 2024, Slash released a cover of the song "Killing Floor" by Howlin' Wolf, which features vocals by Brian Johnson and harmonica by Steven Tyler.^[4] The album, Orgy of the Damned, was announced the same day, which was available to pre-order.^[5] In an interview with Rolling Stone, the musician stated: "'Killing Floor' was a song that I've always wanted to do [...] Brian was the only guy I thought of for that song, just because I know Brian's voice, and I know what it sounds like when he sings in a lower register".^[5]

Critical reception

In a positive review for Blues Rock Review, Meghan Roos dubbed the project as a whole a "fascinating listen", which is able "to explore different blues sounds and styles in accordance with how each of the chosen singers meshes with the material".^[7] The reviewer highlighted "Stormy Monday", "Born Under a Bad Sign", and "Living for the City" as standouts.^[7] Riff Magazine's Sam Richards wrote that although the songs on the album are "old warhorses that get minimal reworking, there's a reason they're standards".^[9] He added that Slash "recognizes this, and most of his guests keep things interesting around him".^[9]

Commercial performance

Orgy of the Damned debuted at number 98 on the US Billboard 200, including atop the Blues Albums and number 26 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums charts with 10,500 copies sold in its first week of release.^[11]

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians

• Slash – guitars, guitar solos (all tracks); acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar (track 6), talk box (track 8), pedal steel guitar (track 12)
• Johnny Griparic – bass (tracks 1–5, 7–12)
• Teddy Andreadis – keyboards (tracks 1–5, 7–12)
• Michael Jerome – drums, percussion (tracks 1–5, 7–11)
• Tash Neal – rhythm guitar (tracks 1, 3–5, 7–12), guitar solo (3, 10), vocals (10)
• Chris Robinson – harmonica, vocals (track 1)
• Gary Clark Jr. – guitar, guitar solo, vocals (track 2)
• Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals (track 3)
• Les Stroud – harmonica (3)
• Chris Stapleton – vocals (track 4)
• Dorothy – vocals (track 5)
• Iggy Pop – vocals (track 6)
• Paul Rodgers – vocals (track 7)
• Demi Lovato – vocals (track 8)
• Steven Tyler – harmonica (track 9)
• Brian Johnson – vocals (track 9)
• Jenna Bell – background vocals (track 10)
• Jessie Payo – background vocals (track 10)
• Beth Hart – vocals (track 11)
• Matt Chamberlain – drums (track 12)

Technical

• Mike Clink – production, recording
• Andrew Mendelson – mastering
• John Spiker – mixing, recording
• David Spreng – recording
• John Ewing – recording assistance
• Chad Shlosser – recording assistance (tracks 3, 7)
• Darrell Thorp – recording assistance (track 4)
• Oak Felder – recording assistance (track 8)
• Matt DeSear – recording assistance (track 9)

Charts

Notes

1. Sixth if counting his work with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators

References

1. "Slash Announces Star-Studded Blues Covers LP 'Orgy of the Damned'". UCR. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
2. Francis, Pete (March 8, 2024). "Slash announces blues album "Orgy of the Damned" featuring all-star lineup". Blues Rock Review. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
3. Hadusek, Jon (March 8, 2024). "Slash Announces New Blues Album Featuring Brian Johnson, Steven Tyler, Iggy Pop, and Demi Lovato". Consequence. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
4. Stickler, Jon (March 8, 2024). "Slash Announces Star-Studded Sixth Solo Album 'Orgy Of The Damned'". Stereoboard. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
5. Grow, Kory (March 8, 2024). "See Slash, AC/DC's Brian Johnson, and Steven Tyler Rip Through Howlin' Wolf's 'Killing Floor'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Orgy of the Damned – Slash". AllMusic. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
7. Roos, Meghan (May 13, 2024). "Slash: Orgy of the Damned Review". Blues Rock Review. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
8. Elliott, Michael (May 20, 2024). "Slash's Orgy of Destruction [or] Blues Your Illusion". PopMatters. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
9. Richards, Sam (May 10, 2024). "Slash and friends give blues, rock classics tough, reverential treatment on Orgy of the Damned". Blues Rock Review. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
10. Harris, Gerrod (May 17, 2024). "Spill Album Review: Slash – Orgy of the Damned". Spill. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
11. Caulfield, Keith (May 31, 2024). "Slash Debuts at No. 1 on Blues Albums Chart With All-Star Collabs Set 'Orgy of the Damned'". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
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