ALBUM REVIEW
SIXX: A.M.
The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack
Release Date: 08-21-2007
Rating: 9/10

The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack by SIXX: A.M. was released a month prior to the Heroin Diaries book, giving listeners an opportunity to enjoy the tracks as a standalone musical compilation as opposed to solely a companion to the book. After reading the book, it's easy to see how well the songs fit alongside Sixx's own sordid story, painting more of an emotional picture of addiction as opposed to the book's straight-forward text.

Comprised of Nikki Sixx on bass, DJ Ashba on guitar, and James Michael on vocals, SIXX: A.M. delivers an album that sounds fresh. While there are trace elements of Motley Crue within the mix, the three-piece carves out a sound of their own. The drum tracks on the album were all programmed yet render the feel of a live drummer. While The Heroin Diaries undoubtedly features a lot of synthesized soundscapes, the orchestral imitations work astonishingly well in setting the mood for the album.

Nikki Sixx's spoken-word intro, outro, and intermission serve as marking points in the story, narrating the disc with excerpts from the Heroin Diaries book. Sixx's monotone voice, speaks over eerie, rock bastardizations of "Carol of The Bells" backed by a children's choir and variations on the twisted carnival music theme that echoes the dark circus motif on Motley Crue's latest tour. Sixx's monologues are tinged with a cynical, yet conversational tone, smirking at death while still marveling with genuine awe and wisdom at having come through the other side of addiction.

Previously only known more for his production and as a songwriter, James Michael has a surprisingly good voice, conveying all of Sixx's lyrically penned emotions in the songs. As far as his collaborative efforts, Michaels' musical compositions are among the more mellow tracks on the album, channeling The Beatles and sprinkled with a hint of R&B/soul (most notably on "Courtesy Call", whereas Sixx and Ashba's compositions favor more of a traditional, minor-scale, guitar-driven hard rock sound.

A solid guitarist in his own right, DJ Ashba's fret work echoes the playing style and tone of Mick Mars (particularly on the most straight-forward rock track on the disc, "Pray For Me,") and a little bit of Slash on "Accidents Can Happen." Something of a throwback to the heavy yet melodic style of guitar players who found their niche in the '80s, Ashba brings a lot to the table in the way of songwriting and musicianship.

The contrast in the members' writing styles meshes well given the album's concept, tying in well with the split personality of addiction, bouncing from moments of anger and mania before drifting off in a cloud of depression and hazy opiates.

Hands down one of the best discs to come out this year -- musically, lyrically, and thematically (then again, I'm a sucker for concept albums) -- The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack mixes a message of the perils of rock n' roll debauchery with hopeful inspiration, taking a look back while still sounding powerful and contemporary.