The heading comes from a November 1995 article in Metal Hammer. Sadly, it seems it hasn't lost its significance much in the past 13 years. After much anguish and disappointments, the album is finally coming out in less than 10 days.

It's a year and a half late from the infamous 03/06/07 'tentative' release date.

It's two years late from the promises made for November '06.

It's five years late from the final Geffen deadline of 12/31/03.

It's six years late from 09/02/02 and the aftermath of the VMA's, which went out in a whimper instead of the promised bang.

It's seven years late from June '01 and the ill-fated summer tour.

It's nine years late from the original Geffen deadline of 03/01/99.

And most of us have heard it by now, anyway.

The new management team, Azoff and Gould, have promised a 'monumental campaign', which would give the album what it deserves. Aside from some sneaky licensing deals with Rock Band 2 and Body of Lies (which bring money to, first and foremost, Universal, as they acquired the publishing rights to the songs in their buy-out of Sanctuary Group) and the odd choice for a single, I fail to see anything barely resembling a promotional campaign, let alone a monumental one.

The matter of fact is, the mythical album is coming out in a shape that is forced, asset-stripped and by all means, a shadow of what it would've gotten nine, six, or even two years ago. All involved are now left with a sensation of being underwhelmed, as there is no trilogy, no double album, not even that many tracks that've went unheard until now. Talks about a reunion with Slash & co have never gained as much ground, as most (including Slash himself in some occasions) considered Axl wants to release CD and be done with it before he'll commit to anything else.

Now the album's coming out and even Axl himself, with his prolonged silence on the eve of the supposed triumph, is ominously silent, refusing to do any press or public appearances. Most agree that the music's good enough for a Guns N' Roses album, but the Guns N' Roses that - by far and large - made this album no longer exist.

Even the title track alone is a testament to the insane process of creation; originally written by the first drummer, his follower re-recorded everything in attempt to sound like Dave Grohl. Neither are featured in the final recording, as Ax decided to toss up one of his so-called 'grand gestures' on the way of the touring drummer, obliterating two sets of perfectly serviceable drum tracks for no other reason that mere indulgence.

The Real Guns N' Roses of the 21st Century have, unfortunately, ran their course. Buckethead will not be coming back, and Robin's future with the band is looking bleaker by the moment. Has time finally caught up with Axl - has he realized now that he had everything going for himself if only he'd stepped up and delivered? His years as a frontman are still to be numbered, yet he can never hope to take the musical world by storm with a lineup worthy of the name in every sense imaginable.

Not that the said lineup ever really had a chance to come to age. After so many missteps and what-not, Axl overcame numerous self-imposed obstacles (incl. a ridiculous appearance with king-sized jerseys and sweat pants) and offered a glimpse of the real thing in Madison Squre Garden, 12/05/02. Looking back for a historical counterpart, I might recommend Wembley Stadium, London, 08/31/91; Izzy's last show.

The old band proved they could survive the dismissal of Adler and still come out strong. This lineup was no different. While there were a few shows in store for Paul Huge beyond Rock in Rio 3, the Brazilian crowds were his Farm Aid, the first and last piece of limelight the mystery man, previously known only from unflattering mentions in various articles, ever received alongside his fellow Hoosier.

The UYI lineup still made a wonderful pair of albums and managed to soldier on in life support despite losing much of what'd originally made them tick. In retrospect, it was a smart decision for the band to go on the road before the album release and the inevitable meltdown; the momentum gained was strong enough to carry them around the world for two and a half years, even though those remaining had by then turned into emotional wrecks or substance abusers, mechanically wandering through their motions on a nightly basis; the King Kong who'd now reached the top.

Now, there is no momentum. An album exists, but there's no recording lineup to hit the road, arouse controversy and go down in flying colors due to internal disputes. There's merely the shadow of that band, which now faces the same old problem; the need to tour behind something you did not create in the first place.

Axl wasted his definitive 'new era' lineup on AFD tributes. They were overpowering, glitchy, a strange eight-piece Frankenstein shoehorned into a five-piece of the hair-metal heyday. They looked and sounded peculiar because they had nothing to fall back into. There was no album to provide reference, no There Was A Time soloing under Axl's wails to demonstrate the audiences with the capabilities of that lineup. They knew they had a great album under their belts, but they had next to nothing to show for it.

And now they are no more. All that remains is Axl Rose and his mythical album, which, in less than 10 days, is subjected to fierce scrutiny worldwide.

Has the day finally come when Axl has found himself very alone with himself, as his album is now coming with next to no promotion? Or has he found the inner peace he's craved in the past and no longer gives a damn about what happens next, leaving the album to stand trial as a monument of his abilities and retreating to his mansion now that no-one can ask him to deliver anything more?

Or will he stand up and face the same music which he perfected by sacrificing everything?