World on Fire

World on Fire is the third album, on which Slash unfolded thick guitar riffs, bluesy leads and sturdy rock 'n' roll on a large scale. Released in 2014 and produced by Michael Baskette. At seventeen tracks and 77 minutes it's a big record — longer than many double albums. Slash played all the guitars himself here. It's a bracing listen, as if the confidence of the previous record had been pushed straight into sheer volume. The relationship with Baskette would continue from here. The line-up is unchanged from the last album. The guitar doesn't stop at being a showcase for solos; it works as the center that sets each song's scenery and speed. The range runs from straight hard rock to shadowed numbers, but the player's personality is clearly stamped on every track. From the drive of the title track and “Shadow Life,” the shading of “Bent to Fly,” to the late-album richness of “Avalon,” “Battleground” and “Dirty Girl,” there's no shortage of highlights. The sheer number of songs makes a single sitting hard work, but there's that much more to discover. A record where riff and melody come forward as equals — guitar rock at its most enjoyable.