THE GENERAL - MONSTERS - Official Discussion Thread. NO LINKS OR ASKING FOR LINKS

[AxlRoseCDII]

2 minutes ago, DeadSlash said:

 I know we have a range of opinions on how "good" the "new" songs, but I think we can agree, no commercial appeal.

Agree. I think these are extremely good but no way in hell would the casuals care about this. 

[Arnuld]

3 minutes ago, DeadSlash said:

 I know we have a range of opinions on how "good" the "new" songs, but I think we can agree, no commercial appeal.

The General definitely not. Monsters I could see being played on hard rock radio 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Arnuld

[Lethalis]

3 minutes ago, Arnuld said:

The General definitely not. Monsters I could see be playing on hard rock radio 

Yep. Monsters should be a single.

Slash is great on it as well. And it's not overly dark. Even a bit poppy at times.

[Silence]

3 hours ago, Eric Cantona said:

Monsters may be top three GN'R songs for me. How did this not make it to ChiDem??? Holy fucking shit fucking fuck fucking hell fucking beat my skull into shattered pieces what a piercing god damn bad ass tune.

GUNS N FUCKING ROSES

Ditto.

[Lethalis]

The General has Wolfmother and Marilyn Manson vibes. Really confusing and crazy

The funky sounds, the "can anybody help me" => Manson

The high pierced vocals => Wolfmother

Edited October 28, 2023 by Lethalis

[Towelie]

People keep talking about them like they're two different songs, but I think it's obvious Axl views them as one composition with two parts.

Edited October 28, 2023 by Towelie

[blackmore]

The General is absolutely amazing, both parts! I get goosebumps when I hear it!

One of the best and most interesting songs GNR have ever done in my opinion. 
 

[BillConnor_1982]

1 minute ago, Towelie said:

People keep talking about them like they're two different songs, but I think it's obvious Axl views them as one composition with two parts.

I didnt think that at first, but after listening to them back to back a few times I see it more now.  But I def don't think this was a needle drop of the vinyl single.  I think these are the final mastered versions.

[SeBaZ]

49 minutes ago, GNR 1991 said:

Has anyone done A/B comparison with the cell phone clip? The guitars gotta be different if this is Slash. Or is it?
 

listening to cell clip now I can very clearly hear “I was there for you/it’s all I could do/oh but it’s over now” lol

I did it. It's not the same guitar track

[Matt07]

The guitars on those tracks have slash’s fingerprints all over them ; sounds great. I hope they did different arrangements on the verse from the General because the synth melody does not work at all. 

[Silence]

9 minutes ago, Towelie said:

People keep talking about them like they're two different songs, but I think it's obvious Axl views them as one composition with two parts.

I agree. 

[Lethalis]

1 minute ago, Matt07 said:

The guitars on those tracks have slash’s fingerprints all over them ; sounds great. I hope they did different arrangements on the verse from the General because the synth melody does not work at all. 

The more I listen to it, the more I hear Slash all over it. Monsters was obvious, but I also hear it on The General now.

[prairieboy]

I’ve been absorbing and processing Monsters on repeat all evening. I’m a little speechless. This was everything I expected for the Chinese Democracy album, in one song.

Beautiful. Tragic. Amazing. Fuck!?!?

“oh but it’s over now”

[EvanG]

The General is starting to grow on me after a few more listens and I think I will end up liking it a lot. Monsters sounded great at first hear.

[pbj_jam]

good or bad, song requires your full attention, more of that I say yes daddy

[Lelex95]

Just now, EvanG said:

The General is starting to grow on me after a few more listens and I think I will end up liking it a lot. Monsters sounded great at first hear.

Same here. Monsters gives me a weird vibes, the ooh oohs remind me of sympathy for the devil and the verse the way Axl sings almost reminds me of Johnathan David from korn. 
the general wasn’t love at fifth sight but I have to admit is growing on me each time I hear it. 

[vloors]

Seems to be a much better rip on youtube of the combined songs. Run time 9.02

Edited October 28, 2023 by vloors

[superloconoriega]

great 2 songs with very interesting arrangements and vibes, wish the band is moving into this direction. Really, really cool.

[Free Bird]

Miles ahead of Hard Skool and Perhaps! I think Absurd mashes better with both musically. Would have been a cool little EP.

At first listen I was like wtf!? But both songs were grower and I listened to them on repeat for quite some time now  Something I wouldn't even consider doing with their previous releases.

How some have pointed out, it's interesting and it's dark, I like it a lot. Songwriting reflects the CD Era but with Slash and Duff adding their input to it, there are definitely important GNR elements back in the sound, which lead it more into the right direction.

Holy Shit that's the best thing I've heard from Axl since the CD era. That nasty vocals full of anger on Monsters. Awesome.

Slash's work on both songs is incredible. His outro on The General is mean. Very bad ass. I hope it’s a little bit more prominent in the final mix. If someone still has doubts it's him should check out his outro solo and overall work on Alice Coopers Vengeance Is Mine

I felt the main solo on Monsters was a bit underwhelming at first listen but then Axl kicks in phenomenal. There's a lot cool and groovy riffing going on during the verses and a truly beautiful guitar outro by a guy who was criticized many times by some guys on this forum and whose abilities were questioned within the fanbase during the last few years.

That right here was the answer to all that.

Edited October 28, 2023 by Free Bird

[megaguns1982]

Imo Monsters is probably the best GnR song I’ve heard since UYI, it’s the perfect blend of classic bluesy GnR with the modern touch of the CD era stuff. 

[jacdaniel]

I do hope that this is the last of the reworks. These songs ain't my cup of tea at all. 

However, I can hear the potential of Axls voice and Slash's guitar. Hopefully one day they'll strip it back a lot and do some rock songs. 

[metalavenger99]

I like The General better. 

I know Monsters sounds "more GNR" but i love how The General it's so overly dramatic and obscure, i'm biased because i like heavier stuff, when it comes to the classics, i would take good old Death (the band) over the Stones or Floyd without question. I don't care.

I don't know if this happens to anyone else but since i've initially heard them as separate songs, now i can't piece them together even though they clearly come from the same idea lol.

I guess it's because i can't hear a proper seamless transition on the 9+ min Youtube version 

And... we can finally clearly hear Fortus on one of the new songs! (4:00 onwards on Monsters) if you have any doubts listen to that outro and then listen to one of his live solos on KOHD, that personally settles it for me, Buckethead is out there buried on Absurd and HardSkool. Now this, this is Fortus, he is an active member of the band and logically, this is how he should be featured, doing his own thing while being clearly audible, not replicating 23 year old killswitch licks and lightning-fast tapping phrases note by note, and then have all that work mostly hidden on the final versions, that never made any sense imo. I'm confident that this is him at least on Monsters, and he does a very good job along Slash of course.

[jacdaniel]

3 minutes ago, Free Bird said:

Myles above Hard Skool and Perhaps! I think Absurd mashes better with both musically. At first listen I was like wtf!? Butboth songs were grower and I listened them on repeat fora long time now  Something I wouldn't even consider doing with their previous releases.

How some have pointed out, it's interesting and it's dark, I like it a lot. Songwriting reflects the CD Era but with Slash and Duff adding their input to it, there are definitely important GNR elements back in the sound, which lead it more into the right direction.

Holy Shit that's the best thing I've heard from Axl since the CD era. That nasty vocals full of anger on Monsters. Awesome.

Slash's work on both songs is incredible. His outro on The General is mean. Very bad ass. I hope it’s a little bit more prominent in the final mix. If someone still has doubts it's him should check out his outro solo and overall work on Alice Coopers Vengeance Is Mine

I felt the main solo on Monsters was a bit underwhelming at first listen but then Axl kicks in phenomenal. There's a lot cool and groovy riffing going on during the verses and a truly beautiful guitar outro by a guy who was criticized many times by some guys on this forum and whose abilities were questioned within the fanbase during the last few years.

That right here was the answer to all that.

I usually agree with you so maybe I need a few more listens 

[AxlisOld]

1 hour ago, Jakey Styley said:

What makes you say that?

It's def not "epic" in the way everyone thought it'd be.

What makes me say it's terrible or what makes me say people think it's better. I'd use Occam's razor for both. People are saying it's better than they thought it would be, and the song blow goats harder than Noah Vanderhoff.

Edited October 28, 2023 by AxlisOld

[Panda2]

1 hour ago, metalavenger99 said:

Hahaha what a fucking day right? 

It had to happen. I hoped for it, it seemed impossible.

But GNR diehards without leaks are exactly the same as fish without water. Big thanks to the hero at GnrEvo. 

I fucking loved both songs! downloaded them quick and then went upstairs to the roof of the building i was at, and it rained while i first heard them. Fucking magical...

Hero at GnrEvo=Axl Rose