Motörhead, Inferno, Kiss of Death and Motörizer (Steamhammer 2004-2006-2008)
As you can see I have three Motorhead albums as albums you may have missed. Many people think this band started with Overkill and ended with Ace of Spades but the truth is they did have many more great albums.
I have chosen the three here as I really can't pick between them and I wanted to have one from the bands later career. Inferno was for the band a bit of a change in sound. Not so much a choice as the band switched producers and in came Cameron Webb.
Sound wise the albums are more direct and far sharper. These albums showcase how great a drummer Mikkey Dee is. Far more attention and time is given to the rhythm section here and that bass sound Lemmy has feels even more louder now than it has ever done. Old school noise recorded in a new school way, it really should not work but does. Mostly as the band are a great live unit and with Lemmy writing the lyrics you have three great albums.
Inferno was first up and with some changes that may have scared some older fans. "Terminal Show" and "Killers" really show what the change is about. The production is so crystal clear it feels real. "In the Name of Tragedy" is another classic and last track on the album "Whorehouse Blues" is the one that shocked people. More a mix of country and blues, out comes Lemmy and a harmonica with the drummer helping on second acoustic guitar. A great song and one that would go down well in any acoustic night.
The album says its produced, mixed and engineered by Cameron Webb and that seems to be the real key here.
Onto Kiss of Death and again the album sounds like where Inferno left off but they really cant have any more killer songs like before. But not only that but faster. "Sucker" and "One Night Stand" come blasting out and checking wikipedia you see Lemmy is in his 60s and still making bands about now sound slow and pathetic.
Both songs have the trademark sound but they just seem faster and that bass sound seems to have evolved a little. You don't feel like head banging but dancing. And that flows all throw the album. Even "God Was Never on Your Side" a tearjerker of a song could get you grabbing the first dancing partner available for a slow dance as it is a very slow ballad.
The whole album if again full of great guitar riffs and some amazing solos. The production is fantastic with everything sounding amazing again. So if the relationship between the band and Webb is working so well how about another album...
Motörizer again adds more fast and brutal rock and roll riffing with the opener "Runaround Man" showing that business is indeed back to usual. This album has some great song writing and a favorite of mine is "English Rose" a fantastic nod to the classic rock n roll of bands from the past, hearing Lemmy sing at the start of this song just gives me chills. His voice sounds superb. "Rock Out" keeps the pedal to the metal as always and "Teach You How To Sing The Blues" makes you dust off those dance shows from the last album.
Three albums in about four years that are well up there with the best of rock music in the 00s. Some people will always say they are not better than the first few albums back in 78-81. Technically these are better, faster, louder and more melodic than them. It is easy to say older music is always better but all who listen properly to music know that is bullshit. This is album number 17, 18 and 19 for this three piece and if they felt that there would never be a better album to make they would have gave up.
