Death By Rock And Roll - 2021 European Century Media label 12-track 2LP Set - Incl. Etching & CD

Rock 'n' roll is a religion. It's a commitment to an ideal, a belief system. The lifestyle and trappings may appear to be glamorous and romantic, but the road isn't easy. It requires staying power and an enormous amount of faith. The Pretty Reckless-Taylor Momsen [Vocals], Ben Phillips [Guitar], Jamie Perkins [drums], and Mark Damon [bass]-are truly a rock and roll band.

However, 2017 set off a series of events that shook the group to its very core, yet ultimately cast their fourth full-length album and their Fearless Records and Century Media Records debut, in the kind of fire, tears and blood that doesn't ever wash off…
"There was no way to hide from this," exclaims Taylor. There was no running from what happened. I didn't have to 'write' it; it was just infused into what we're doing.
As the story goes, The Pretty Reckless landed a prestigious tour in 2017, opening for Soundgarden in packed amphitheaters across the country.  Then, following a rapturous gig in Detroit, Chris Cornell tragically took his life. The aftershocks reverberated throughout popular culture and left a scar on The Pretty Reckless. They retreated, cancelling most of their touring and disappeared from the public eye. It got even worse eleven months later, when The Pretty Reckless' muse, friend and longtime producer Kato, had died in a motorcycle crash.
"It sent us into a downward spiral." Ben reflects, "We fell apart. It turned into a world of depression and substance abuse.  At that point, we had to try and figure out how to continue making music. It was either death or go forward."

So Taylor and Ben turned to writing songs to channel the emotional toll, and in late 2018, The Pretty Reckless returned to the studio to record. For the first time, Taylor and Ben coproduced with longtime friend Jonathan Wyman. And the results are inspiring on so many levels.  The sessions took well over a year in the studio, and now, the band introduce the album with the track 'Death By Rock and Roll'. The song starts hauntingly with a recording of Kato's footsteps leading to a bold bluesy riff that snakes through the distortion. The din subsides on a solo vocal as the frontwoman croons, "On my tombstone when I go, just put, 'Death By Rock and Roll'." Her howl takes hold in between the massive beat and fiery fretwork.

The song quickly ascended to No. 1 on the rock charts, marking the band's fifth chart-topper to date. It's a feat that has not been achieved by any female-fronted rock act in the chart's history, turning 'Death By Rock and Roll' into a true 'moment' for The Pretty Reckless. The band and the song have been praised by CNN, Paper, Forbes, Consequence of Sound, MXDWN, Alternative Press, Revolver, Loudwire, and more.

"It has our whole mentality in the lyrics," she goes on. "It's not a morbid song. It's, 'I'm going to live my way; I'm going out my way'. That's the rock and roll ethic. It's empowering."
Bringing the trip full circle, The Pretty Reckless joined forces with Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil for 'Only Love Can Save Me Now'. Tracked at the legendary London Bridge Studio in Seattle, it marked the first time Matt and Kim recorded at the space since Soundgarden's Louder Than Love. Nearing the six-minute mark, it trudges through detuned bliss and an offkilter time signature before Kim conjures a slippery psychedelic solo as Taylor admits, "I want to be saved from the sound," over Matt's percussive wizardry. "Lyrically, it goes with the world now," Taylor adds. "It references what we're all going through."

Elsewhere, Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello lends his axe to the rambunctious and raucous 'And So It Went'. Then, there's '25'. Her gravelly timbre quakes above an ominous funereal march and echoes of strings. She screams, "At 25, all hope has died and the glass of my intentions turns to sand…shatters in my hand." Meanwhile, 'Got So High' bleeds into a heavenly stoned refrain as an acoustic guitar rings out. After the nostalgic 'Rock and Roll Heaven', the record sails off to Valhalla on 'Harley Darling' ushered along by harmonica, the sound of an engine revving and a devilish dedication as she sings, "Oh, Harley darling, you took my friend, you took everything and now I'm alone again."
The Pretty Reckless sound more alive than ever…
"We lived this" Ben leaves off. "Rock and roll means everything to us. Taylor sacrificed everything for this record. I think it shows."
"We stuck to our ethics," she concludes. "We built this up over time. Either you throw it all away or go for it. It's cliché, but rock and roll saved our lives."

The Pretty Reckless’s unbelievable twelve-year journey has quietly brought them from sweaty small gigs to successive number one hits, gold plaques, and some of the biggest stages in the world and now they are finally back with another true masterpiece – Death By Rock And Roll!

The album is pressed as a 3-sided LP leaving space for an etching on Side 4 - includes full album CD and 4-page booklet - gatefold picture cover.

Tracklisting:

Side 1:
1    Death By Rock And Roll    
2    Only Love Can Save Me Now    
3    And So It Went    
4    25    

Side 2:
1    My Bones    
2    Got So High    
3    Broomsticks    
4    Witches Burn    

Side 3:
1    Standing At The Wall    
2    Turning Gold    
3    Rock And Roll Heaven    
4    Harley Darling    

Side 4:
Etching

CD:
1    Death By Rock And Roll    3:55
2    Only Love Can Save Me Now    5:12
3    And So It Went    4:30
4    25    5:27
5    My Bones    4:47
6    Got So High    3:20
7    Broomsticks    0:39
8    Witches Burn    4:54
9    Standing At The Wall    3:58
10    Turning Gold    4:10
11    Rock And Roll Heaven    5:12
12    Harley Darling    4:19