While I consider Slash to be one of the least bluesy guitarists to come out of the Los Angeles rock ‘n’ roll scene of the late eighties, the influence was undeniably there. Releasing a blues tribute in the shape of ‘Orgy of the Damned’ isn’t without precedent either. He toured with Slash’s Blues Ball playing blues covers after leaving Guns N’ Roses in the mid-nineties, and this album’s song selection was partially based on Blues Ball setlists. Affairs like these, with a cornucopia of high-profile guest singers, often end up incredibly messy, but ‘Orgy of the Damned’ is on the better side of the spectrum.

Having the same core group of musicians for (nearly) every song definitely helps the consistency of ‘Orgy of the Damned’. Slash’s Blues Ball mates Johnny Griparic (bass) and Teddy Andreadis (keyboards) return, while drummer Michael Jerome and rhythm guitarist Tash Neal – more on him later – are excellent additions to he band. What also helps is that the musicians don’t slavishly follow the original arrangements or sonic choices. This is clearly Slash playing a bunch of blues songs, as evidenced by his signature treble-heavy, almost metallic guitar sound. Some of the arrangements are genuinely surprising, breathing new life into well-known blues standards.

As so often with these types of releases, the most unexpected song choices turn out to be the best. ‘Papa Was a Rolling Stone’ and Stevie Wonder’s ‘Living for the City’ aren’t blues songs and don’t feature prominent guitars in their original versions – in fact, the latter originally doesn’t feature any. But the musicians make them work surprisingly well in guitar-heavy arrangements. Tash Neal’s excellent lead vocals on ‘Living for the City’, which are reminiscent of Lenny Kravitz at times, certainly don’t hurt either. Opening track ‘The Pusher’, with Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson on vocals, is another inspired choice that just works.

In terms of lead vocals, the women blow the men out of the water. Beth Hart is her usual intense, incredible self in a refreshing minor key arrangement of ‘Stormy Monday’, while Demi Lovato delivers a particularly powerful and memorable performance on the aforementioned ‘Papa Was a Rolling Stone’. Dorothy Martin also elevates ‘Key to the Highway’ to a higher level. Not that the men do a bad job; I’ll gladly listen to a full album of Tash Neal singing soulful rock stuff. And Paul Rodgers is always great, though I slightly prefer his own version of Albert King’s ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’.

Ultimately, whether or not you should own ‘Orgy of the Damned’ depends on how much you like blues, soul and Slash’s guitar playing. It is admirable how he manages to largely avoid the pitfalls of an album with lots of guest artists. Some singers play guitar along with the band as well, but if they sound as inspired as Gary Clark Jr. does on ‘Crossroads’, that should not be an issue. ‘Orgy of the Damned’ is clearly one of those albums that was primarily made for the fun of the musicians involved. And it shows, which is exactly what makes it so much fun to listen to.

Recommended tracks: ‘Livin’ for the City’, ‘Papa Was a Rolling Stone’, ‘Stormy Monday’