Space Walk

Ace Frehley Tribute (Triage/Shrapnel)
by Chaz Thorndike

Catching a bit of Kissmania? Does it have you leaping into the streets or retching into the toilet? Whichever, this salute to Ace accomplishes many things: It’s nice to hear a guitarist play the right notes, seeing as how Gravelface Space Ace can’t even fucking stand, much less play worth a damn anymore, and Spacewalk is probably the first gainful employment most of these rock ‘n’ roll has-beens have had, aside from fast-food and quick cash reunions for retarded, stuck-in-the-’80s suburban saps. Some people will do anything for a few million bucks, huh? I’m not familiar with every name affiliated with this tribute, as my knowledge of guitar heroes and roaring rock lungsters is a bit hazy. And I like it that way, thank you.

Varied in execution and production, Space Walk is worthy of seeking out in the cut-out bins. The “Cold Gin” vocals are so horrid, they alone are reason enough to shell out a couple bucks. Bruce Bouillet and company’s slaughter of “New York Groove” might actually discourage tourism in the Big Apple; Scott Ian, Frank Bello, and Charlie Benante win the award for having the shittiest-sounding guitar; Dimebag Darrell is credited with taking an amazingly long song like “Fractured Mirror” and making Ace sound like Randy Rhoads on a very bad day (except for that one gorgeous squealing solo); and it’s nice to see Tracii Guns hacking sloppily away again. Sebastian Bach, Gilby Clarke and other iron-lunged rock stars deserve mention for taking the cheesy vocals of the kings of cheese themselves and out-cheesing them. Rock on!