Guns N’ Roses’ Newest Song “The General” is a Moody Track That’s Not About Car Insurance

Three months after the release of their previous single “Perhaps” and weeks after frontman Axl Rose was slapped with a sex assault lawsuit, Guns N’ Roses dropped a new single called “The General.” And while the previous song was more of a rocker, this new one feels like it’s Guns N’ Roses by way of Korn or something.

As the B-side to the limited edition seven-inch vinyl single for “Perhaps,” this song was first performed live back in November in Los Angeles. At the time, Rose said it “could be very interesting” and honestly, he’s not wrong. It sure is “interesting,” but maybe in the way you say that word when you’re eating someone’s cooking and you’re trying to not hurt their feelings. It’s… interesting.

Seriously, maybe I just have to get over the fact that Guns N’ Roses isn’t the balls-to-the-wall act they used to be so many decades ago. Chinese Democracy should have highlighted that fact, but here we are in 2023 and “The General” is just… here.

And looking at the track’s info, the fact that it feels like a Chinese Democracy joint makes sense, since it was written during those sessions. According to a 2008 Rolling Stone interview, ex-Skid Row frontman and Masked Singer loser Sebastian Bach told the magazine that he learned from Axl that “The General” was the sequel to “Estranged” off of Use Your Illusion II. One year earlier, Bach told Metal Edge that this song was “by far the heaviest metal tune I think I’ve ever heard Axl do.” Did the dude not listen to “You Could Be Mine” or “My Michelle” or any G’N’R’ song other than “The General”?

Anyways, the song’s out and you can hear it for yourself below. Let us know what you think below.