Known for their raunchy style of music – taking hair metal and getting rid of all innuendos – Steel Panther has made their return to the studio, concocting their fourth studio record titled All You Can Eat. The song titles are bolder, the musicianship is tighter and heavier, and Steel Panther remains the epicenter of modern hair metal, making it almost cool again.
Hair metal was known for being pop-sounding metal music, combining good looks with a dirty attitude. Many of the great hair metal songs were about girls and sex, and Steel Panther is no exception. However, they get rid of the lyrical wall of innuendos: instead of hiding the meaning underneath the words, they come right at you with what they are trying to say. It’s both hilarious and disgusting, and yet it works.
The musicianship behind Steel Panther is impressive. You have Michael Starr on vocals, emulating front man David Lee Roth almost perfectly at times, and reaching his own vocal prowess at others. Satchel is blazing fast on the guitar and his riffs are very memorable. Lexxi Foxx is a great bassist in his own right, keeping the backbone of the band in tempo. And Stix Zadinia is a damn good drummer, holding down the fort.
Now, onto the album itself. the song titles are all pretty explicit (as is the majority of the album), and thus will be censored. Plus, each song title does give way to what the song is about: these guys don’t play around. “P***ywhipped” begins with a slow acoustical piece with a little pinch of flute included before blasting right into a hard rocker. The riffs for this song are magnificent and open the album in the best way. The vocals of course are epic and high pitched, the bass and drums provide the best backing possible. the song itself is about a guy who is “whipped” by his girlfriend, with the lyrics explicitly explaining this phenomenon to the audience. Again, while these guys are a parody of 80s bands, you can instantly hear the excellent musicianship displayed by each member.
Next is the first single: “Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World,” a song about just that. Banging as many chicks, doing as many drugs as possible, throwing the most awesome party. It’s a very anthemic party song, with the backing vocals consisting of “Yeah!” You’ll be singing along and head banging appropriately as you listen. The guitar solo here from Satchel is one of his best, and it really shows off his skills.
“Gloryhole” is self-explanatory. The drumming here is excellent, with a bass drum riff that I love, the guitar and bass are heavy and kicking, and Michael’s vocals are on point. The bridge of the song had an amazing contrast to the main song. The lyrics are, in my opinion, hilarious and crude, and this might be one of Steel Panther’s best songs yet. “Buk**** Tears” is also quite self-explanatory. It’s a power ballad in every sense of the word, combining slow acoustics with heavy guitars, making for an interesting song. Again, the lyrics are crude and… well, very crude.
“Gang**** At the Old Folks Home” has a great guitar riff combined with excellent solos from Satchel and guest Vivian Campbell, and Michael’s Roth-like screams are pinpoint. The bass is heavy and provides quite a punch to this slow tempo song. “Ten Strikes You’re Out” contains a bluesy guitar riff that’s pumping, driving the song to metal perfection. Yet another Steel Panther classic, featuring everything that makes the band awesome: riffs, solos, heavy bass/drum backbone, and over the top vocals.
“The Burden of Being Wonderful” is a slow, and also anthemic song featuring a cello/keyboard in the main riff and bridge and great musicianship throughout. The lead and backing vocals are perfectly driving the song, and the lyrical content is hilarious. This may be my favorite off the album. “F*****g My Heart in the Ass” brings back the heavy, although it’s a weaker song compared to the previous rockers. It’s more repetitive lyrically than other songs, and brings nothing new to the table.
“B.V.S” has lyrics that are unexpected and funny, through maybe a little over the top. Still, it’s a great song regardless. The chorus is rocking and something you’ll head bang to every time. “You’re Beautiful When You Don’t Talk” is another more ballad-like song, with a powerful bass line driving the song along, and lyrics that can potentially ring true for some listeners, funny enough.
“If I Was The King” has yet another amazing Satchel riff and even more Michael vocals that are out of this world. The lyrics are some of the best yet, being very realistic compared to others, and still funny. The bridge, driven by more Lexxi Foxx bass, is rocking, and the Satchel solo is great. Finally, you have “She’s On the Rag” a more keyboard driven song that almost juxtaposes the rest of the album in the best way possible. It’s easily the perfect song they could have used to end the album.
Overall, this album is one of the best new albums I’ve heard in a long time. Besides one or two weaker spots, this album is tight and rocking throughout. The production is great, the musicianship is excellent, the lyrics are just as crude as ever, and everything about it just rocks. For a parody band, these guys have a load of talent, and it’s on full display here.
I rate this album a 4/5. Great album in my opinion.
Monahan's Mind 