10 Recent Hard Rock Albums You Should Listen To Right Now

10. Checkered Past - L.A. Guns

L.A. Guns have been as good as they get, when it comes to keep their act fresh and enjoyable, despite being decades into their run as a band. Their 2021 raunch-driven thrill ride was another example of just that.

With the band’s two most famous members Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis running the show, as they have been for the band’s past three albums now, Checkered Past takes listeners on a rock 'n' roll rollercoaster, featuring plenty of shrieks, hard-hitting riffs, and everything else that has hooked fans since the late '80s.

It opens strong with "Cannonball". A song with a relentless pace and tempo, the perfect kind of groove, and an addictive chorus, it smashes into eardrums with just right impact. "Bad Luck Charm" carries on in the same heavy yet catchy vein. The ballads on the album also do an excellent job balancing out the heavier taste. "Get Along" and "Let You Down" both give listeners a breather, while letting them immerse in the sheer emotion and melancholy of the songs.