Rock legend Alice Cooper has stunned fans worldwide with the release of The Revenge of Alice Cooper, a full-length album that reunites the original Alice Cooper Group for the first time in more than five decades. Dropping in July 2025, the record is the band’s eighth studio effort and the first since 1973’s Muscle of Love to feature Cooper alongside guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway, and drummer Neal Smith. For longtime fans, the album feels like a time capsule cracked open, merging the raw theatrical energy of the 1970s with fresh production and new material.
The reunion itself is as historic as it is emotional. The group, which pioneered shock rock in the late ’60s and early ’70s, has long been celebrated for anthems like School’s Out and I’m Eighteen. While Alice Cooper carried on as a solo artist after the band’s split in 1975, the original lineup’s chemistry has always held a mythical place in rock lore. Reassembling these musicians for a studio project, under the guidance of legendary producer Bob Ezrin, was a long-anticipated dream for both the band and its fans. Ezrin’s return was equally significant, as he had helped define their classic sound on some of their most enduring records.
Despite the 52-year gap between collaborative albums, Cooper has said that the group slipped back into its old rhythm as if no time had passed. Recording sessions blended nostalgia with renewed energy, showing that the chemistry responsible for defining an era of rock music still burns brightly. The album leans heavily into the band’s signature blend of theatrical storytelling, sinister humor, and gritty rock, reminding listeners of why the Alice Cooper Group became one of the most influential acts of their generation.
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Adding an especially poignant touch, the late guitarist Glen Buxton, who passed away in 1997, makes a posthumous appearance on the track What Happened to You, thanks to unreleased recordings preserved from the band’s early years. Buxton’s guitar work also features in a deluxe edition bonus track titled Return of the Spiders 2025, a remix and reimagining of one of the group’s earliest songs. His inclusion transforms the project from just a reunion into a full-circle moment, honoring the legacy of every member who built the Alice Cooper name.
The album’s lead single, Black Mamba, offered fans their first taste of the new project back in April 2025 when it premiered on Cooper’s own radio show, Alice’s Attic. The track features a guest solo from Robbie Krieger of The Doors, an intergenerational collaboration that bridges classic rock giants. Early critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with reviewers noting that the single captures the snarling intensity of the original lineup while showcasing a maturity that comes only with decades of experience.
The Revenge of Alice Cooper is not simply a nostalgic victory lap but an authentic addition to the band’s catalog. Critics have emphasized that while the album carries plenty of callbacks to the group’s heyday, it also feels timely, pushing forward rather than dwelling exclusively on the past. Songs on the record deal with themes of aging, mortality, and legacy while still carrying the dark humor and camp theatrics that made Alice Cooper a household name in the 1970s. The effect is a project that feels like both a continuation and an evolution, proving that the original group’s relevance has not diminished.
For fans who have followed Alice Cooper through his decades as a solo artist, this reunion underscores the difference between Cooper as a performer and the Alice Cooper Group as a band. While his solo career cemented him as a theatrical shock-rock icon, the collective energy of the original members brings a rawness and camaraderie that cannot be replicated alone. Together, they shaped not only rock music but also stage performance itself, influencing countless acts from Kiss to Marilyn Manson. Their return in 2025 feels like a reaffirmation of that influence, delivered in the form of brand-new music rather than merely a retrospective tour.
The record’s release has been accompanied by live performances featuring the reunited band, another historic development that has thrilled audiences who never thought they would witness the original lineup again. On stage, the group has reportedly performed a mix of classic hits and new tracks, demonstrating that their dynamic stagecraft remains as compelling as ever.
In many ways, The Revenge of Alice Cooper is both a bookend and a fresh beginning. It ties together loose ends from a band that changed the face of rock half a century ago, while proving that its members still have something vital to say. More than a reunion, it is a reaffirmation of legacy—an album that honors the past, acknowledges the present, and dares to look toward the future.