Guns N' Roses [ tickets ]' "Chinese Democracy" is probably the most anticipated album of 2008--as well as one of the most-delayed and expensive albums ever (13 years in the making, with production costs reportedly at $13 million in 2005). If all that seems excessive, well, that's just a prelude for the music itself.

While fans may not agree on the worth of such epic production elements, endless and complex guitar solos and obvious throwbacks to expected GN'R sound, the excitement of the release is one of the music industry's biggest publicity successes in quite a while. The album's pre-release stream on MySpace garnered around 65 million listens within a matter of four days. Dr. Pepper offered a free soda to everyone in America on the album's release date, and comedian Steven Colbert snidely complained that the debut of his Christmas Special would be overshadowed by "Chinese Democracy."

The talk surrounding the release is massive, but then so, too, is the elaborate industrial rock and extravagant orchestral effects within these 14 tracks. None of the sounds are surprising. In fact, most of them are familiar--dramatic "November Rain" symphonic climaxes, unapologetic "Welcome to the Jungle" rock drive and hints of "Civil War" political mindfulness. While the references to the band's preexisting catalog can be easily traced, the majority of the work on this release favors the "Use Your Illusion (I and II)" era. "Shackler's Revenge," "Better" and "Scraped" are some of the best tracks when it comes to experiencing the quintessential, over-the-top GN'R style.

Although much of "Chinese Democracy" finds Axl Rose wailing with his distinct falsetto cries and the music raging in multiple directions of rebellious, grandiose rock, the album takes a few breathers with reflective, slower tunes. "Sorry," a bluesy rock downer, is something that Staind and Kid Rock listeners are likely to covet. "Street of Dreams" showcases Rose's diverse vocal abilities amongst a love-tinged pop-metal ballad. "This Is Love" is a softer symphony- and piano-driven selection during which a brokenhearted Rose makes a powerful plea to his lost love. If the recklessly energetic songs are effective, these intimate contemplations are equally potent.

Every aspect of "Chinese Democracy" is done to the extreme, but in many ways it would be disappointing if it wasn't. Rose proved a long time ago that he favors decadent, drawn-out musical experiences; with "Chinese Democracy" he again makes his point and lives up to the media hoopla. Listeners may continue to argue about the necessity of such major costs and delays, but they can all agree that "Chinese Democracy" is putting some thrill back into the music world.