Sixx Am - This Is Gonna Hurt (2011)

Nikki Sixx is my hero, and Sixx Am seems to be a very popular project with music fans in general. I, sadly, can take it or leave it, because whilst I can acknowledge Nikki's songwriting talent and DJ Ashba's guitar wizardry, I'm continuously left cold by the vocals of James Michael. The band's debut was very good in parts but I always struggled to get my ears around Michael's all too subtle - weak, anyone ? - tones. So many times a tune would kick in with killer guitars, a heavy drum, a crushing melody, and then it would be flattened by Michael's almost 'nu metal' croon, and this time around the vocals have just destroyed my faith in Sixx Am. Sure, this is an emotional trip, and Mr Sixx would probably say, well, if you don't like it then fuck you...so fuck me it is, because put another vocalist on this and Sixx Am rocks, but as it stands Michael is a watery mess that brings to mind a cliche of emo bands, his emotional subtle tones just killing every killer riff, grating on my nerves as he soars to the top of the charts...put James Michael in front of My Chemical Romance and his vocals probably work, but not here...not for me. There's no doubting the strength of the songs, 'Lies Of The Beautiful people', 'Live Forever' et al, are good, solid rock n roll tracks, but it's oh so pristine, the edge blunted by the predictable holier then thou vocals from a man that has a voice which suits only some mediocre middle of the road band, and I never wanted Sixx Am to be that type of band, and musically they aren't, but vocally it irritates so much that I just can't sit through another listen. This probably won't be the last we hear of Sixx Am but all the while James Michael is at the helm, I'll have to pass....this really does hurt, and there's nothing more painful than a band whose vocalist sucks. Sorry.

5/10