By the time Brutal Planet came out in 2000, most people figured Alice Cooper had hung up his guillotine for good. He’d done the glam, the theatrics, the golf. But then he dropped this record and reminded everyone he wasn’t done yet…Not by a long shot.
While this is his 22nd studio album, you could tell how far he has come. This wasn’t your dad’s Alice Cooper. It wasn’t School’s Out, and it sure as hell wasn’t Welcome to My Nightmare. Brutal Planet was heavier, darker, and dead serious. The gothic eyeliner was still there, but now it looked like it’d been smeared on in a bunker. This Alice was looking at the world through bloodshot eyes—and he didn’t like what he saw.
The album dives headfirst into themes like domestic violence, suicide, depression, and prejudice. This time, the monster was real and living among us. It’s not for the faint of heart.
The title track kicks in like a steel-toed boot to the gut. “Brutal Planet” isn’t subtle. War, greed, hate, abuse—no smoke and mirrors, just fire and brimstone. It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t catchy (though it had a great riff). It was brutal, just like the name said.
And with the state of the world today, it still holds up. Maybe too well.
Check out his live performance that proves why he will always be the one and only true God of Shock Rock.
“Wicked Young Man” sounded like something Marilyn Manson would’ve cranked in his basement—ironic, since Alice did shock rock before Manson ever picked up a mic. “Sanctuary” and “Blow Me a Kiss” kept the industrial grind going, mixing metal with menace in a way that left some longtime fans scratching their heads.
Sure, not everyone loved it. Plenty of old-school fans didn’t know what to make of Alice turning down the theatrics and turning up the heaviness. This was a big shift from the campy horror-rock of the ’70s. But I’d argue this was Alice evolving. Not trying to stay relevant, but standing toe-to-toe with a new generation of hard rock.
Some called it a comeback. Others said it was a midlife crisis in leather pants. Personally, I don’t think this is his best album, but it is his bravest work at that time. Brutal Planet was never meant to ask for approval.
So if that CD’s been collecting dust since 2000, it’s time to wipe it off and give it another spin. You might be surprised how much this album still hits—maybe even harder now than it did back then.
Rock on,
Sam
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