Sixx A.M. - The Heroin Diaries

Eleven Seven Music

Nikki Sixx has achieved notoriety more for his drug use and sexual exploits than his music in the last few years. While his newest project, Sixx A.M., might not change that completely, it is certainly a (12) step in the right direction. The veteran Motley Crue songwriter joined up with former Beautiful Creatures guitarist DJ Ashba and singer/songwriter James Michael to form this new venture and the results will actually surprise many of the critics who have written the band off as another rock star's self indulgent side project. The Heroin Diaries is an album that packs musical punch but doesn't sacrifice any of the material's melody in the process. From the brooding march of "Van Nuys" to the pleading strains of "Life Is Beautiful," the album gets off to a fine and attention grabbing start.

What really grabbed this writer's attention were the left of center hooks like the ones found on "Pray for Me." Just when you get settled into the sugary chorus the second half of the song hits you with another earworm! If anything, it proved the team of Sixx and Michael, who's written for Meat Loaf and Filter among many others, are a force to reckon with. I could easily see them being a successful production team for outside projects. This album is supposed to accompany the book of the same name but the best compliment I can give it is that it could stand on it's own as a truly great rock record. There is always room for one of those.

Carlos Ramirez