Predictably, “On the Prowl” changes virtually nothing from the five records that precede it. There’s an obvious love for that era of hair spray and spandex without which I doubt Steel Panther would have been able to endure for as long as it has. (Satchel, in particular, continues to stand out, deserving of mention with the best modern guitar heroes.) Go back and take a close listen to many of those ‘80s bands, and you’ll find that what Steel Panther does barely even qualifies as parody it’s more of an homage with a greater degree of self-awareness.
The key, of course, is that Steel Panther always has been more than a gimmick band, which continues to show on its sixth studio album, “On the Prowl.” Vocalist Michael Starr, guitarist Satchel, drummer Stix Zadinia and new bassist Spyder play their brand of crass, decidedly non-PC glam metal better than many of those who originated it-certainly better than the vast majority of those classic acts can today. That’s staying power that I doubt anyone, band members included, would have predicted back in the early-or even late-2000s. Something to consider: This ‘80s hair metal-inspired act now has existed more than twice as long as the decade it parodies/celebrates. Two decades is a long time to run on what essentially is a single joke, yet here stands Steel Panther 23 years after its founding.
