Los Angeles, California's masters of sleeze L.A. GUNS are back with a new album in 2017, and another reunion of Lewis and Guns, with Phillip now fronting Tracii's verion of the band. In case you live under a rock and need a little history on the band, Tracii formed the band in 1983, originally with Axl Rose on vocals. With Phillip the band enjoyed some success from 1985 to 1993, before the Grunge movement and line-up changes plagued the band for years to come. I always thought they should have been more commercially successful than they were during their heyday, as they had an edge about them that was missing in many of the Glam bands at that time. Fast forward to 2016-Phillip and Tracii announced a reunion and we now have a new album, titled "The Missing Peace," which contains twelve new tracks.

Frontiers Music SRL is heading up the revival of the 80's sound, with many bands reforming and releasing new material. Let's get to some of the highlights here on this album. "It's All the Same to Me" is a loose rocker, with harmonized vocals and a charged riff leading the sound. Phillip still has his signature snarl and the upper ranges are negotiated nicely, while Tracii provides the power in the riffs. It's really unlike their older material in many ways but very enjoyable. "Speed" has all the makings of a good single-a fast moving song with a easy-listening riff and a chorus to sing along with. "Christine" is the acoustical ballad that you knew would be coming. It has a bluesy sound and tender lyrics and reminds me of the track "Crystal Eyes" from the "Hollywood Vampires" days though not quite as dark.

"Baby Got Fever" has some old school sound to it; though more loose and flowing than the aggressiveness of let's say the "Cocked and Loaded" days. A feel-good riff and playful sound go along nicely with the title. "Kill it or Die" has a groovy rhythm with chugging bass guitar notes and some earnest vocals from Phillip that remind you his voice is every bit as sharp as it ever was. "The Flood's the Fault of the Rain" has a slow acoustical opening with the sounds of distant thunder in the background. It's a sad song, an audible depiction of the grey skies that keep you inside on a dreary day, alone with your thoughts, regrets and reflections. If you're looking for a bridge to the past, "The Devil made me Do it" might be the one. It has an aggressive edge to go along with a fast moving riff, and Tracii lays down a smoking guitar solo that burns up his pick-ups. The title track, "The Missing Peace," is one of the more interesting songs on the album for me. It's a mid-tempo track that has elements of positivity as well as anger and an ominous riff passage where the notes go down in succession with a foreboding sound.

Phillip's vocals are outstanding. The riffs...there are some hits and some misses in my opinion. I really wanted to like this album a lot, as the band has always held a special place in my musical past, more so than many of the other Glam bands of that era. But you can't expect (and why would you want to) the sounds of their past to be revived in the same manner as they were 30 years ago. The individual musicians have experienced a lot of growth during that time, with many new things that give haste to the music they are writing today. That being said, I believe fans will still expect that basic sound that made them like the band to begin with. Some of that sound is there, but not consistently. You know what though? Pick it up and listen to it for yourself and make up your own mind.