Released in July 2025, The Revenge of Alice Cooper isn’t just an album—it’s a resurrection. A dark, theatrical, and full-throttle return of the original Alice Cooper Group, reunited for the first full studio effort in decades. The surviving architects of American shock rock are back—and they haven’t mellowed with age. They’ve sharpened.
This is no nostalgia grab. No half-hearted reunion cash-in. The Revenge is a gritty, swaggering mission statement. A bold reaffirmation of everything that made Alice Cooper so dangerous—and so essential—in the first place. In a landscape oversaturated with autopilot rock and aging icons fading quietly into legacy tours, this album sounds like a band with something to prove. And they prove it with venom in their veins.
Old Bones, New Blood: Classic Sound, Sharper Teeth
The Revenge feels like a band kicking the casket lid open with both boots. The chemistry is still there—raw, weird, and wonderful. The sound is unmistakably classic Cooper: riff-driven rock and roll infused with macabre storytelling, biting satire, and theatrical flair. But there's nothing dusty or derivative here.
Michael Bruce's guitar work is punchy and melodic, channeling the dirty glam of Killer while exploring some surprisingly weighty blues and proto-punk moments.
Dennis Dunaway remains one of rock’s most inventive bassists—his parts don’t just support the songs, they animate them.
Neal Smith’s drumming swings and stomps with bombastic groove, bringing back the big, cinematic feel that made tracks like “Halo of Flies” legendary.
And then there's Alice—not just a frontman, but a force. He’s not trying to sing like it’s 1972. Instead, he leans into the gravel, the grit, and the gory grin. His performance is all personality, menace, and perfectly timed sneers.
Lyrical Fangs: Satire, Rage, and Reflection
True to form, The Revenge doesn’t hold back on themes. Alice is still the villainous narrator, but this time he’s older, wiser, and more dangerous. He’s pointing fingers, throwing shade, and writing eulogies for everything from the cult of celebrity to the death of common sense.
Tracks like “Famous Face” take a scalpel to influencer culture with darkly comic precision, while “Money Screams” resurrects the band’s anti-capitalist venom with swaggering, blues-drenched riffs and biting sarcasm. “Crap That Gets in the Way of Your Dreams” is pure punk attitude, firing off shots at social media addiction and cultural entropy in under three minutes.
But the album isn’t all sneers and smirks. “What Happened to You” and “See You on the Other Side” offer rare glimpses into vulnerability and mortality—songs that peel back the mask just long enough to let real emotion bleed through. It’s not melodramatic—it’s human. And that’s what makes it land.
Album Highlights: Fangs, Fire, and Farewells
- “Black Mamba” opens the album like a coiled serpent—slithering, explosive, and locked into a groove that feels like a lost gem from the Killer sessions. It sets the tone immediately: you’re not safe here, and Alice is just getting started.
- “One Night Stand” is a sleazy, riff-heavy throwback to the band’s garage roots. Think Easy Action with twice the swagger and none of the brakes.
- “Blood on the Sun” is a moody, six-minute standout—equal parts horror movie theme and classic Cooper epic. Haunting, heavy, and oddly beautiful, it’s the closest thing to a spiritual successor to “Halo of Flies” this band has produced in decades.
- “Intergalactic Vagabond Blues” is pure campy genius—equal parts Bowie, Zappa, and ‘70s Cooper excess. It’s a reminder that theatrical rock is supposed to be fun—and no one’s better at balancing weird and wonderful than Alice.
Production and Power: Ezrin’s Theatrical Touch
Produced once again by longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin, The Revenge benefits from someone who understands the band’s DNA inside and out. The sound is dense but breathable. Guitars crunch, drums thunder, and Alice’s vocals sit front and center with a vintage snarl. There’s space when it’s needed, chaos when it’s called for, and no wasted notes.
Ezrin knows this band isn’t just about music—it’s about mood. And every second of this album feels like a scene from the final act of a rock ‘n’ roll horror opera.
Final Verdict: 9/10
The Revenge of Alice Cooper is everything a legacy rock album should be—and almost never is. It’s bold, weird, wickedly fun, and actually vital. The fact that it comes from a reunited band of 70-something-year-old rockers makes it even more astonishing. But this isn't about age. It's about attitude.
This is a band that doesn’t just remember where they came from—they’re ready to fight for it. And Alice, ever the villainous showman, proves that his creative heart is still beating—and still black as ever.
A late-career masterstroke. A celebration of chaos. A reminder that the nightmare never really ended.
If Love It to Death was the birth of the Alice Cooper monster, The Revenge is the resurrection—and it’s louder, smarter, and more alive than anyone had any right to expect.
