#neil smith

Killer Heat (2024)

Directed by Philippe Lacôte

Song Review: Alice Cooper feat. Robby Krieger - “Black Mamba”

Alice Cooper - the band and its namesake frontman - tried too hard on “Black Mamba.”

The first single from what’s billed as the Original Alice Cooper Group’s first album in more than a half-century finds Cooper, guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neil Smith swinging like early Black Sabbath only to undermine their efforts with spoken-word bits that steer the track toward novelty status.

And that’s a real shame because the band - with Robby Krieger in tow - is solid, delivering a muscular track that has no business being as good as it is and would’ve been better if Cooper, the dude, had just sung the lines.

I’m crawling up your leg now baby/to hiss-per in your ear/a little poison lie now baby/you got nothin’ to fear, Cooper says in a spooky voice before a sung, wordless refrain gets things back on track.

This unintentionally silly aside notwithstanding, “Black Mamba” suggests the Revenge of Alice Cooper (July 25) has some goods to deliver. Late AC guitarist Glen Buxton appears on a couple of tracks to boot.

Grade card: Alice Cooper feat. Robby Krieger - “Black Mamba” - B-