A Great Review of Nikki Sixx's "The Heroin Diaries" Album

I'm not sure I've ever heard a concept album like this before. Sixx: A.M. is a group founded by former Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx for the sole purpose of releasing this album as a soundtrack to the book, The Heroin Diaries, which is an autobiography by Sixx. It delves deep into his addiction, is incredibly blunt, often harsh at times, and is also absolutely brilliant.

This album was the collaborative effort of Nikki Sixx, vocalist James Michael, and guitarist DJ Ashba. Each song is a reference to a different chapter in the book, which is something I don't think has been done before. I might add that you do NOT have to buy the book to enjoy this album, but I'm sure it's a nice compliment.

The Heroin Diaries begins with X-Mas in Hell, a brutally honest and shocking diary entry spoken by Sixx himself as he is backed by soft acoustic guitars:

I didn't speak to a single person today.
I thought, "Why should I ruin their f***ing Christmas?"

A rock rendition of Carol of the Bells accompanies the spoken words and somehow gives it an even more somber atmosphere. You can practically see Sixx's loneliness and desperation oozing from your headphones.

A soft piano opens Van Nuys where vocalist James Michael makes his first appearance. The lyrics here are so brutally honest that despite the fact that very few of the listeners have experienced anything even close to as awful as a heroin addiction, the listener can still somehow relate. The song keeps a simple rhythmic beat, but it is the chorus where a high pitched choir backs Michael joyously singing Everybody gets high / Everybody gets low where this song triumphs most.

Lead single Life is Beautiful is a masterpiece. It begins with some nifty acoustic guitar picking before a typical catchy guitar riff and it is the huge soaring chorus which will grab the listener's attention. Michael's wails in the chorus are almost reminiscent of Jared Leto from 30 Seconds to Mars.

While Pray for Me begins with a slight 80's sound, Michael shows he can be a true chameleon as the verses sound very similar to Mr. Brightside by The Killers. This song showcases many influences blending 80's and modern rock into something new altogether. This is a very moving song about Sixx rejecting the help of people who cared about him:

She wants to save me, but I'm barely alive.
My soul is thirsty. I just wanna get high.

Tomorrow is probably the closest this album gets to modern rock cliche, with its soaring chorus and simplistic drum beat. I wouldn't be surprised if they released it as their second single however. The pain returns with Accidents Can Happen, which appears to be a comforting letter written to Sixx by a friend in a time of need. This song is beautiful, and when Michael gets a few seconds to himself, he really shines with an amazing falsetto. He does a great job of channeling the pain Sixx went through into each and every word he sings.

Intermission is another spoken word section, this time with a circus feel to it. It is almost entirely instrumental, there are bells, whistles, chimes and a kooky little guitar solo tossed in for added effect.

Dead Man's Ballet showcases Sixx's incredible songwriting ability. At first only backed by soft piano keys and Michael's soft crooning of Oh no / how could this happen to me?, it picks up considerably with some heavier electric and bass guitar strumming all while Michael never changes his tone and the chorus has a gospel choir feel to it.

Helicopter blades begin Heart Failure which starts with some more of Sixx's spoken lyrics before shifting styles into a bouncy/funky groove. The chorus shifts gears again with an almost power metal vibe as Michael screeches:

I'm face down on the tracks
The train is coming fast
And it's not derailing
It's not the first time
And this won't be the last
That my heart is failing

This song mixes Michael's superb vocals excellently with Sixx's tortured diary excerpts. Sixx also provides some inspired gloomy bass to help this song along even more.

Quite possibly the least blunt of any song on the album, Girl with Golden Eyes, which is a metaphor for heroin, is a touching ballad about addiction. The line I wish I'd never kissed her / now I can't resist her is harrowing indeed. The backup vocals in the chorus give the song an even more desperate feel to it. That is not the end of the song however, at the 3/4 mark, Sixx chimes in with his best diary entry yet. It chronicles the first ten days after he quit heroin for good. Simply pasting the entry here would never do it justice. You need to hear it for yourself.

The styles switch again in Courtesy Call, where Michael's vocals sound like Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge. The chorus catches the listener by surprise with its power after they'd nearly been lulled to sleep by the verses. Permission switches styles once again adding some country to the mix as Michael croons

All of my devils are free at last
And all my secrets revealed
Your permission is all I need to heal

This song has a much more upbeat feel to it, the back end of it you can literally feel Sixx's happiness with his new-found freedom from addiction. They toss in a gospel choir to back up the final chorus for good measure.

The final track Life After Death begins with a full minute instrumental. Sixx comes in with his concluding words from his diaries, you can actually feel the difference in his demeanor despite the fact that his tone never changes throughout the album. The guitar almost has a Tom Morello vibe to it and a childrens choir hops in to close this album as upbeat as possible.

I would first like to say this is not the type of album you put on shuffle, is can not be fully appreciated unless listened to in the order the band carefully placed each song. Sixx says it best in his concluding diary when he states, "But you know addicts, we think everything's about us, don't we?" I came in fully expecting a pity party which would have a rehash of recycled Motley Crue guitar licks and song stylings. I came away bedazzled, blown off my feet literally. This album is all over the place with so many different styles and moods, all tracing the life of a drug addict searching for salvation. Each style stands for some particular point in Nikki's life where he felt vulnerable and wanted to relay it to the listener, and nothing was ever the same.

This album is the product of a true artistic vision. Its open-wound honesty is the paintbrush and we are the mural. It is an experimental rock confessional unlike anything Nikki Sixx, or anyone else for that matter, has ever done before. I'm flabbergasted to say the least, and hopefully, my words here are enough for you to take this baby for a spin. A word of warning however, don't come in expecting a new rendition of Motley Crue, this is something completely different, and much, much more powerful. If you ever feel overwhelmed, this story of living on both ends of the spectrum might pick you right up off the ground.

Tracks in Order: (A+) = Excellent

1. X-Mas in Hell
2. Van Nuys
3. Life Is Beautiful (A+)
4. Pray for Me
5. Tomorrow
6. Accidents Can Happen (A+)
7. Intermission
8. Dead Man's Ballet
9. Heart Failure (A+)
10. Girl with Golden Eyes (A+)
11. Courtesy Call
12. Permission
13. Life After Death

Final Grade: 5 stars

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