The Rockpit has been around for 16 years this year, and over that time we were amongst the very first to review each of Michael Monroe’s releases, starting with the live record Another Night in the Sun: Live in Helsinki (2010) and then the wonderful run that took in Sensory Overdrive (2011), Horns and Halos (2013), Blackout States (2015), One Man Gang (2019) and I Live Too Fast to Die Young! (2022). More often than not we were one of the first reviews online—usually in the first five worldwide—and I’ve loved every interview we’ve done together over those years too.
This time things were different.
Despite asking repeatedly for a review copy (for every prior release one had been sent well in advance), we were ignored. Seven requests later we finally received an official listening link… that came on the Tuesday after the album release. Ironically the vinyl I’d ordered from the label direct had already landed on my doorstep in Australia two days before, while weeks beforehand the album had leaked across multiple pirate sites courtesy of people who’d obviously been trusted with advance copies.
That’s disappointing. Not because we somehow deserve special treatment, but because independent sites like The Rockpit have spent years championing artists like Michael Monroe. We support the records, buy the records, promote the tours and celebrate the music because we genuinely love it.
Thankfully, once Outersteller started spinning, every bit of that frustration disappeared.
I go way back. At thirteen years old I snuck out of the house, climbed down a drainpipe, jumped on a train into the city and saw Hanoi Rocks live. I still remember that smile, that swagger, the voice that could melt steel and the sheer chaotic joy pouring off the stage. Forty years later Michael Monroe has never once let me down.
And here we are again.
Outersteller lands like a comet straight into the heart of everything that has made Michael Monroe one of Rock and Roll’s most enduring performers. From the first note the album radiates confidence, joy and swagger. His voice has lost none of its character, while Steve Conte and Rich Jones trade riffs with effortless chemistry. Sami Yaffa and Karl Rockfist provide the perfect engine room, locking everything together with that unmistakable Monroe groove.
Opening track “Rockin’ Horse” does exactly what an opener should—it kicks the doors open with swagger, hooks and enough attitude to remind you immediately why this band is one of the tightest in modern rock.
“Shinola” follows with one of those irresistible choruses Monroe seems to conjure so effortlessly, all wrapped around crunchy guitars and infectious energy. Then comes “Black Cadillac,” one of the coolest songs on the record, dripping with sleazy glamour, melody and enough groove to make it impossible not to move.
“When the Apocalypse Comes” raises the stakes beautifully, balancing big melodies against darker lyrical themes without ever losing its sense of fun. It’s classic Monroe—finding hope and excitement even when the world appears to be falling apart. The wonderfully titled “Painless” is anything but forgettable, delivering one of the album’s biggest hooks while proving once again that Monroe can still write choruses that refuse to leave your head.
“Newtro Bombs” explodes exactly as its title promises—a glorious collision of punk energy, glam attitude and razor-sharp musicianship that feels both nostalgic and completely fresh. “Disconnected” slows the pace just enough to let the emotion shine through. It’s reflective without becoming sentimental and highlights just how expressive Monroe’s voice has become over the years.
That emotion continues into “Precious,” one of the album’s genuine highlights. Beautifully understated, it’s a reminder that Monroe has always been far more than simply volume and velocity. The tempo ramps straight back up with “Pushin’ Me Back,” another punchy slice of high-octane rock and roll where the entire band sounds like they’re having the absolute time of their lives.
“Glitter & Dust” captures everything that has always made Monroe special—the glamour, the grit, the beauty and the scars—all wrapped inside another effortlessly memorable melody. “Road To Ruin” delivers one final blast of swaggering rock before the record reaches its conclusion, sounding like the soundtrack to a late-night drive through every great rock and roll memory you’ve ever had.
Finally, “One More Sunrise” closes the album perfectly. Rather than ending with an explosion, it leaves you smiling, reflective and immediately wanting to start the journey all over again.
Listening to Outersteller transported me back through every era of Michael Monroe’s career. I could see myself back in Helsinki in 2010 during Another Night in the Sun, back singing along to Sensory Overdrive, remembering the brilliance of Horns and Halos, the relentless power of Blackout States, the hooks of One Man Gang and the adrenaline rush of I Live Too Fast to Die Young!.
Yet somehow this album never feels like it’s looking backwards.
It celebrates everything that’s come before while sounding completely alive in the present. Monroe’s grin is audible throughout every track. You can hear a band enjoying themselves, challenging themselves and reminding everyone listening exactly why rock and roll is supposed to be fun.
Weeks later I’m still playing it constantly. Every listen reveals another guitar flourish, another vocal nuance or another little moment between the band members that makes me grin. That’s the thing about Michael Monroe. Four decades after I first climbed out that bedroom window to see Hanoi Rocks, he can still make me feel exactly the same excitement.
Outersteller reconnects you with everything that makes rock and roll magical. The chaos. The melodies. The danger. The laughter. The heart.
The promotional campaign may have left me wondering whether loyalty still counts for much in today’s music industry.
The album itself reminded me why it always will.
In a year already packed with outstanding releases, none have made me feel this alive. Outersteller isn’t simply another excellent Michael Monroe album—it’s one of the very finest records of his remarkable career and another reminder that he remains one of rock and roll’s greatest living frontmen.
I could have written twelve paragraphs analysing every song, every riff and every lyric. Instead I wanted to tell you how Outersteller made me feel.
After all, that’s what great music is supposed to do.
10/10
Track Listing:
1. Rockin’ Horse | 2. Shinola | 3. Black Cadillac | 4. When the Apocalypse Comes | 5. Painless | 6. Newtro Bombs | 7. Disconnected | 8. Precious | 9. Pushin’ Me Back | 10. Glitter & Dust | 11. Rode To Ruin | 12. One More Sunrise
Band Line-Up:
Michael Monroe – Lead vocals, Harmonica | Steve Conte – Guitars, Vocals | Rich Jones – Guitars, Vocals | Karl Rockfist – Drums | Sami Yaffa – Bass, Vocals
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