MotÖrhead’s back!
Now into their third decade with their 26th release “Kiss Of Death,” MotÖrhead shows no signs of slowing down… nor should they. I have friends who lost track of MotÖrhead after their early heyday, but I swear some of their best work can be found on their more recent releases. “We Are Motörhead,” “Hammered,” and 2004’s “Inferno” are all vital listening. “Kiss Of Death” is no exception.
Somehow, the band always delivers with material that straddles the fence, being both reliable and yet still sounding fresh. I think sincerity has a lot to do with it. Most of their songs fall into one of two categories. First, we have the fun, tongue in cheek, sexual innuendo stompers, represented here by “One Night Stand,” “Devil I Know” and “Christine”:
“She moves like a rattlesnake made out of razorblades
That girl can’t help it, just the way she’s made”
Then we have the flipside; Lemmy in attack mode; taking on religious, social and political commentary. To me this is where he’s most proficient, with tracks such as “Sword Of Glory,” “Kingdom Of The Worm” and the album’s highlight, “God Was Never On Your Side”:
“If the skies turn to stone, it will matter not at all
For there is no heaven in the sky, Hell does not wait for our downfall…
Let the sword of reason shine, let us be free of prayer and shrine
God’s face is hidden - turned away. He never has a word to say
God was never on your side”
There is nothing more “metal” than Lemmy’s venomous sarcasm and lyrical provocation. His autobiography “White Line Fever” was a great read, but I’d love to see more examples of his compelling lyrics published someday.
Returning producer Cameron Webb keeps the record sonically crisp and timeless, never getting bogged down in any of today’s studio wizardry. This line-up has been together for over a dozen years and their tightness shows. Mikkey Dee is a monster! Taking nothing away from Phil Spector, but to me, a MotÖrhead album defines the term “Wall Of Sound.”
So, will “Kiss Of Death” sell in numbers reserved for Metallica? Only if there were justice in the world. Every metal fan worth his salt owes it to himself to rediscover what real heavy metal is about. Yes, MotÖrhead in its purest form is just a cross between Chuck Berry and well, err... Satan – but that’s the beautiful simplicity of it all. And in 2006, MotÖrhead proves they’re still as relevant as ever.
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Band Lineup:
- Lemmy Kilmister - Vocals & Bass
- Philip Campbell - Guitars
- Mikkey Dee - Drums
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Track Listing:
- Sucker
- One Night Stand
- Devil I Know
- Trigger
- Under the Gun
- God Was Never On Your Side
- Living in the Past
- Christine
- Sword of Glory
- Be My Baby
- Kingdom of the Worm
- Going Down
- R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
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