The Black Saints

Don’t blame Milwaukee’s The Black Saints for having a band member wearing a Jack Daniel’s shirt and drinking Jack Daniel’s in their press photo; it was probably (hopefully) someone else’s idea. Or do, but the band does plenty to diffuse this unfortunate cliché bomb by ripping off lots of ragged chunks of shrieking vocals, nasty solos, and unintentionally comical ’tude. No one’s game will be changed by chugging rockers like “Cocked N’ Loaded” and “Rock It Away” from the 2010 EP All Sinners Welcome—or by the recent single “Capone”—but the Saints’ emulation of classic L.A. sleaze metal is nice enough and beats the shit out of the Buckcherry tribute band the Saints could have easily become.

Updated 12/21/2011