Guns ‘N Roses is learning. With its much-delayed album (still under the auspices of frontman Axl Rose) set to launch several hours from now in the US, it is giving people a taste of its music online. Based on what has been posted on MySpace, it is clear that the American hard rock band that gave us “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Paradise City,” and “Mr. Brownstone” is a different band.

Streaming some of its songs on its official MySpace account, Guns ‘N Roses music is less edgy but is more refined than “Appetite for Destruction.” Of course, there are still traces of the old GNR sound in the “Street of Dreams,” a definite love song that brings back memories of “November Rain.” Rose’s signature growl remains present, as well as the “oohs” and distinctive high-note wails that you can pick out even if he’s singing cover songs.

“Chinese Democracy,” however, is clearly a departure from the shadows of the original GNR sound.

Considering this album was reportedly started in 1999, the Slash and Izzy Stradlin’s signature guitar riffs and nasty rock and roll ad-libs are gone. Yes, the guitar work in this album is still impressive, but it just feels too manicured.

GNR’s appeal back then was, as Rolling Stone’s writes, its “audacious, unhinged and uncompromising hard-rock” music that emerged from the scores of hard-rocking bands in the 80s. The first album was loaded with blood, sweat and tears.

And, what about Axl’s angst, where did it go? Chinese Democracy comes more like a “happy rock” music produced for a generation of radio-friendly rock music listeners. Considering the album will be sold through Best Buy, GNR is perhaps trying to open up to a bigger market of teens and younger listeners who have only heard about GNR in Guitar Hero.

As Rolling Stone’s puts it: “[But] here compressed into a convulsive single disc of supershred guitars, orchestral fanfares, hip-hop electronics, metallic tabernacle choirs and Axl Rose’s still-virile, rusted-siren singing” is GNR’s Chinese Democracy.

If you slap Bon Jovi’s voice in Chinese Democracy, this album can be mistaken as the New Jersey-born band. It’s that different.

Perhaps one of the flaws of bands whose time has ended is trying to carry on an aging name that we fans have worshiped and loved. Perhaps it’s about time Axl lets go of the GNR and reinvent himself.

To be fair, Chinese Democracy is not bad at all. In fact, if I discovered this band today, I would give it a second listen. But to those who have been head-banging to “Rocket Queen” and “Paradise City,” they would find themselves in a quandary.

Where have the “Used to Love Her” and “Civil War” songs gone? Again, I refer to Rolling Stone’s conclusion. For all its worth, Chinese Democracy is not exactly a music produced by a band. It’s Axl Rose all over the place with different supporting characters.