Best of Motörhead

When entering this discography series of Motörhead, I was kind of expecting one album multiplied by 20, with only some small changes here and there to keep things relatively refreshing. Now that I am done, I can look back at this catalog and say the unspoken truth, that Motörhead is NOT a one trick pony. Close to all of the albums actually have a unique personality that makes it stand out. Obviously, we get several copies of several songs, but the band keeps on trucking, delivering fun stuff. Anyway, it has been a fun road trip down all of the band's 22 albums (not counting "No Remorse", it is basically a compilation album), but now it is time to look back and decide what is the best of the best, here is the best of Motörhead.

Best albums

3. Iron Fist

It was not easy to follow up "Ace of Spades", but Motörhead did a really good attempt in "Iron Fist", delivering more of that fist pumping rock 'n' roll/heavy metal that is so effective. "Iron Fist" is just balls to the wall fun, spitting out 12 songs in a short period of time, each faster and catchier than the next. It hits you hard, it hits you fast, it hits you right in the gut, that "Iron Fist" sure knows the spot to punch.

2. Orgasmatron

Man, I just love an album that has some meat in it, and "Orgasmatron" has a whole BBQ buffet of it. There is a lot going on in this record, displaying close to all of the styles that Motörhead has shown over the years in a song roster that is incredibly strong. Top it off with an ultra manly title track, and "Orgasmatron" rides the railway with tons of speed and power, not letting anything stop it. Choo choo!

1. Ace of Spades

I was hoping to be original here and not claim "Ace of Spades" as Motörhead's crowning achievement, but I could not do it, this album is just too damn good. The title track and "(We Are) The Roadcrew" are obvious reasons to why this record has become an all time classic, but there is much more to it than just two killer tracks. Every song in here helps making "Ace of Spades" a well rounded behemoth that is not afraid to maul down anyone. This is peak Motörhead at its finest, holding all the aces in its hand.

Worst album

Hammered

While none of the 22 Motörhead albums are technically bad, there are a couple of albums that are not too inspiring, with the 2002 album "Hammered" feeling the least inspired. It has a couple of neat songs like "Voices From The War" and "Red Raw", but overall, it is a pretty dull album that pales in comparison to the rest of the class. Certainly not a memorable one.

Best songs

10. Burner
9. Death Or Glory

Both songs comes from "Bastards", and while the album is far from the best the band has done, it contains a one two punch that is pretty hard to beat, with "Burner" scorching everyone with its blazing speed, and "Death Or Glory" sweeping up the remains with its more controlled, but still determined, self. A nice duo that works out of each other's strengths.

8. (Teach You How To) Sing The Blues

Definitely the grooviest song in the whole discography, this song out of "Motörizer" is sure to get you up on your feet and start moving wildly. Also, how can you not love a song that has the line "If you wanna get your hands on a beautiful girl, you gotta use a Mastercard".

7. Overkill

I still consider "Overkill" to be one of the ultimate live songs, because you can keep this song up for ages, with its multiple endings and enormous solos. I can only imagine what Angus Young could have done if AC/DC had made this song.

6. Ace of Spades

There is no debate that "Ace of Spades" is the band's most important song, because it launched their legendary career, and it is still amazing that it holds up so well today, with its awesome riffs and witty lyrics. It is as unforgettable as the joker.

5. Iron Fist

While "Ace of Spades" created the formula, it was "Iron Fist" who perfected the art of speedy Motörhead groove. A fist pumping runaway train that does not seem to have a brake, this song just goes full speed until it punches enough people in their face and eardrum. We certainly know you well, and we are glad we do.

4. Back At The Funny Farm

Despite its strange production, "Back At The Funny Farm" is simply just a great song about the mental institution. With that is surprisingly calm, a solo that takes unexpected turns, and an insane Lemmy at the helm, it just makes this road trip a fun one, giving out long sleeved jackets to everyone.

3. Killed By Death

Released on the compilation album "No Remorse", I feel bad that "Killed By Death" did not get a proper place among any of the main records, but it being out at all is a clear win for all of us. It is not the fastest song, nor the heaviest, but it is just smart, pulling out an unforgettable chorus and a well crafted structure to go out of. It is truly a gem hidden in the history of the band.

2. (We Are) The Roadcrew

Being a roadie for Motörhead must have been great. Not only do you work under Lemmy, the legend of legends, but you also get an amazing song dedicated for your hard work and effort. It is a fast and fun song that quite accurately describes all the happenings behind the show, and it is doing so with a comedic gleam in the eye. It is obvious that Lemmy is proud of all the men who makes the tour happen, and he shows it with one of the best song imaginable.

1. Orgasmatron

As soon as the opening words "I am the one, Orgasmatron" are blurred out, more or less everything on your body has risen up. This is truly a unique song that I am sure no other band can really match, searching all of the deepest and darkest corners the band has in its bag of tricks, and putting them together to a meaty 5+ minute songs. Still remember this song from when I saw the band live, with all the lights out except for one green spotlight that lit up Lemmy's face, making him even more terrifying. It is truly the one, THE "Orgasmatron".

Best album cover

Another Perfect Day

This one was hard, because Snaggletooth has looked so good in several different forms, but it is something with this surreal version that just speaks to me. Blending that light blue with those yellows, oranges, and reds makes this piece very interesting, and maybe even outright scary if you are on drugs. Nonetheless, it is a cool and creative cover, signed by Snaggletooths master himself, Joe Petagno

Total discography verdict

Quality: 9/10
You know what you get with the band, nice rock 'n' roll that will never let you down.

Creativity: 7/10
There is surprisingly a lot of variety in the music, so Lemmy do surely know how to still make it interesting.

Band Chemistry: 9/10
Some instability in the beginning of the career, but once Phil and Mikkey was added, Motörhead was set for life.

Musicality: 6/10
Never really flashy or anything, the band still plays off their strengths. Extreme technicality just does not fit them.

Lyrics: 8/10
From war and abuse, to sex and other fun shit, Lemmy sure knows how to write some smart stuff into the songs (and funny
stuff too).

Album rating summary

Motörhead: 7/10
Overkill: 8,5/10
Bomber: 8,5/10
Ace of Spades: 10/10
Iron Fist: 9/10
Another Perfect Day: 7,5/10
Orgasmatron: 9,5/10
Rock 'n' Roll: 6,5/10
1916: 6,5/10
March Ör Die: 6/10
Bastards: 8/10
Sacrifice: 7/10
Overnight Sensation: 7/10
Snake Bite Love: 6,5/10
We Are Motörhead: 9/10
Hammered: 5,5/10
Inferno: 8,5/10
Kiss of Death: 7/10
Motörizer: 8/10
The Wörld Is Yours: 7,5/10
Aftershock: 6/10
Bad Magic: 7/10

Average rating: 7,545454545454545/10

Tune in next week to see which band is next on the chopping block, getting its discography the review treatment.

Stay Metal!
Robert "Sharkruisher" Andersson

Motörhead - The Wörld Is Yours (2010)

For any other band, reaching the milestone of 20 full length records is quite an impressive feat, but for Motörhead, it was kind of expected. With a front man that only seems to stop when he drops dead (which he did, RIP), there was no surprise at all to see this band present their 20th release in only 35 years, while still maintaining the quality of course. And with a title like "The Wörld Is Yours", it is evident that their self esteem is as high as ever.

This is one of the band's albums that I am most familiar with, mostly thanks to the fact that it was released when my interest for metal started to rev up towards full speed, so I am gonna try to see this beyond my nostalgia goggles, but it is hard to look past it. Even though, I can still see that this album has some weaknesses, that the drop from top to bottom is a little steep and that the instrumentation is not the best that we have seen from the band, but to me, the strong points of the album sticks out even more.

The biggest strength of this record is without a doubt that more than half of these songs are really memorable, just containing their own special groove that makes you remember them for quite some time. Sure, we get tons of familiar songs that are just typical Motörhead products, but they are not simply "Ace of Spades" clones, they have personalities to really make this album a varied experience.

It is especially at the later half of the album where Motörhead start to flex their muscles, especially with the "Orgasmatron" oozing "Brotherhood of Man", a slow and heavy stead fast tune with a Lemmy who summons his darkest of vocals, creating this mysterious mood that hits just right in the gut. That one is followed up by the speedier "Outlaw" where Mikkey Dee and his drums takes the charge, dominating the verse with some fine technical work and blasts on through in both chorus and solo, creating a simple burner. We also get the really fun side of the band in the finisher "Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye". The title itself is just fantastic, but it is the ultra rapid rock n roll swing that sells the cake, making every listener rock their head in a frenetic manor, screaming those infectious words.

The first half has its gems to, even if they are more of the standard that we have come to expect from the band. The first single "Get Back In Line" is about waiting, but somehow, Lemmy just turns it into a groovy and simple song that is easy to like, even with an underwhelming chorus. Opening track "Born To Lose" is a little more complex in its riffs and beat, and it is a nice start to the album, also displaying one of the best build ups to a chorus I have heard from the band. These two tracks are not super special or anything, but they do their work just how you would want it, so you cannot really complain.

But as stated before, the drop from the best songs to the worst are a tad bit too high. Songs like "Rock 'N' Roll Music" and "Waiting For The Snake" have some charm, but does not hold up for multiple listens. So this makes "The Wörld Is Yours" a little divided, coming off as half great, half meh. Still, I do enjoy this album a hell of a lot, and it has a flow that just works really well throughout its run time, mostly thanks to the really strong finish. It is far from the finest work the band has done, but it deserves more credit, it delivers some great metal that builds the Motörhead legacy even stronger, and while it might not be enough to take over the world, it is enough to conquer the Wörld.

Songs worthy of recognition: Brotherhood of Man, Born To Lose, Outlaw, Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye

Rating: 7,5/10 Devils In My Head

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Motörhead - Motörizer (2008)

After so many albums of more or less the same style of music, there comes a time when you just ask yourself when Motörhead is just gonna run out of ideas and start putting out pure gibberish. Well, "Motörizer" might have been the start of that, especially when you take a look at the lyrics for the opening track "Runaround Man" (hey, Lemmy himself said it is "nonsense set to an infectious beat"). It got some clever lines like "We're out of cokes, clean out of smokes/It's not funny 'cos we run out of jokes", but this song is just dumb fun with no sense what so ever.

Then again, that can work in small doses as long as the humour is there, and you can be sure that Motörhead is not clogging up this album with their high jinks. The only other song that is simply silly is, coincidentally, one of the best songs in "Rock Out", a fast paced 2 minute steam roller that goes by way too fast, but gives us all an important tip to end our measly singles lives with the line "Rock out, rock out, with your cock out/Impress your lady friends". Doing the double helicopter never fails.

Jokes aside, "Motörizer" is still serious business most of the time, with "Motörizer" being more of a groovy record than its closest predecessors. Sure, we got some more stead fast songs in here that does not make you swing your head, but it is pretty obvious what songs are the stars in this album. "(Teach You How To) Sing The Blues" is probably the grooviest song in the whole Motörhead discography (and that is saying something), with its fast tempo and frantic yet smooth riffing it captures your attention and gives it Stockholm Syndrome. And yes, we get yet another great one liner here ("If you wanna get your hands on a beautiful girl, you gotta use a Mastercard"), something this album is certainly not lacking of. And the grooves keeps on coming in several other songs here and there.

This definitely makes "Motörizer" one of the funnest albums the band has made, this despite some songs that drags the mood down a notch or two. "One Short Life" and "English Rose" are just two of these songs, and while they are decent, they just does not seem to fit in all that well. I could say the same about "Heroes", but this one is more well structured and just better all around. Besides, cannot blame it all too much, because the lyrics here are really nice and emotional. So yeah, this album sure has variety, even if it is for both better and worse.

Otherwise, there is not really much more to say about "Motörizer. The performances are spot on, production is sleek, and the album art is really nice too, with each part of the shield representing a band member (including Snaggletooth). It is a very enjoyable record that has several memorable and strong songs, but maybe it would have benefited with a more clear direction in its personality. Oh well, "Motörizer" delivers a lot of goods that are really good, Motörhead is once again Motörizing your life with rock 'n' roll.

Songs worthy of recognition: (Teach You How To) Sing The Blues, Rock Out, Buried Alive, Heroes

Rating: 8/10 Runaround Men

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Motörhead - Kiss of Death (2006)

So we are into album number 18 out of 22, and I gotta be honest, I am struggling to find things to say in the beginning of these reviews now, simply because it is Motörhead, what you hear is what you get. It might also be because the albums are starting to blend into each other, missing some distinct personalities. It is something I expected going into this band's discography, but I gotta say, there are surprisingly a lot of variety still in these albums, even if these later records are more... faceless (or in other words, as grey as that poster).

Not to say that "Kiss of Death" lacks any personality or distinct feature, it just does its job and continues on the slightly heavier path that "Inferno" started. The only difference between them is the quality of the songs, a department where "Inferno" really shined. "Kiss of Death" definitely have some quality songs in here, but they are not as great or memorable, which does confirm a statement I made in a previous review, that the quality of a Motörhead album ultimately rests on the impact of the songs.

That obviously does not mean that the songs on "Kiss of Death" are pure trash, most of them are just not too memorable. But there are several really enjoyable songs in here that entertain in classic Motörhead manner. "Sucker" is just another great opening track by the band, a ripper that gets things going quickly, while "Devil I Know" is pretty standard, but has some fantastic one liners that are so typical Lemmy in its humour, like "I might be a dog/but honey, you're a bitch". Lemmy's serious side gets to shine too in the song "God Was Never On Your Side", a well paced ballad that is a nice change of pace in the middle of the record. Definitely one of their stronger ballads. We also get a return of Doctor Rock, who first appeared in "Orgasmatron", in the adrenaline filled "Going Down", a strong finisher (unless you listen to the version that has a remade cover of "R.A.M.O.N.E.S").

But as said before, there are not too many songs in here that are too memorable, being lesser versions of other Motörhead songs. They are all enjoyable songs, for sure, but it is not easy to remember them, even after several listens. I think the most memorable of the bunch is "Kingdom of The Worm", just because of its strange lyrics and very, very heavy style. It is an interesting tune, but it is kind of confusing as well. I am also confused on how one song from one of the Tony Hawk games sneaked its way into the setlist, and called itself "Trigger". It is fun and all, but Motörhead playing skate punk? Just weird.

So this album does have a lot of stuff going for it, several different songs that contribute different things, from speed and heaviness to fragile ballads, but it does not really come together in the end. It is a bunch of songs that are fairly decent, but the inconsistent quality is hurting the album pretty bad. Still, I like "Kiss of Death", and even if none of the songs might be worthy of any top ratings or so, they are still fine. A harmless album that fills the silent void in your soul for a little while, until you find a record with a little more meat.

Songs worthy of recognition: Going Down, God Was Never On Your Side, Kingdom of The Worm

Rating: 7/10 Suckers

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Motörhead - Inferno (2004)

Many of us probably consider Motörhead as a heavy metal band, being one of the founders and main forces of the British heavy metal movement. However, the band itself (especially Lemmy) only saw Motörhead as a straight up rock 'n' roll band, not being any heavy in particular. Judging by their music, they do have some points. Most of it is after all based on country, blues, and definitely rock 'n' roll, but there is no denying that Motörhead has created a lot of heavy stuff over the years that sets itself apart from the influences, and stands on its own legs.

"Inferno" is to me a pretty good example of that Motörhead is not simply a rock 'n' roll band. This album is arguably one of the band's heaviest in their whole discography, while still maintaining a lot of different elements from different genres. Once again, the album was made just like any Motörhead album, quickly and efficiently, with the ideas and emotions running hot from thought to recording. So why is this record heavier than the average Motörhead record? Could be because the producer Cameron Webb wanted to make a really heavy record with them, and pushed them a little further than usual. Nonetheless, the final product is certainly exquisite.

We get a really blazing start with "Terminal Show", with a beat that is certainly familiar and welcome, but the fury that the band presents in riffs and attitude is almost unheard of. Together with the calmer, but still high flying "Killers" and the ultra groovy "In The Name of Tragedy", "Inferno" has an impressive starting trio that just kills anything in its path. It is possibly one of the strongest starts on any Motörhead record

And the strong songs keeps on coming, time and time again. "Life's A Bitch" is just as the title suggest, it is a fun fast paced song that tells the hard truth, that life is hard and it is gonna screw you over sooner or later. Then we have "Smiling Like A Killer", the soundtrack to Freddy Krueger, The Joker, and every other psychotic killer out there, a straight up roller with that nice old school vibe. I will also mention "Fight" that just mows everything down with its speed and turned up bass.

While the heavy pieces of "Inferno" steals the show, the album is a lot more diverse than you might expect. There are a lot of different moods and tempos here to really make this album dynamic and intriguing. And to top it off, each band member grabs a chair, picks up an acoustic guitar, and delivers a true blues track (with harmonica and all) called "Whorehouse Blues". It is not my type of music, but I think it works well because it stands out, being a big contrast against the rest of the tracks. A soft little tune that ends "Inferno" nicely.

Ultimately, "Inferno" is a heavy album with way more to it than meets the ear. It is a diverse album that shows Motörhead at their best state, delivering great music from different corners of the musical spectre, and bringing it all together in a surprisingly cohesive album. It comes in blazing hot and does not really cool down until the bitter end, making you all warm inside that cold heart of yours. It may be a heavy album, but the band is not heavy, they are way more than that.

Songs worthy of recognition: Life's A Bitch, Terminal Show, In The Name of Tragedy, Fight

Rating: 8,5/10 Keys To The Kingdom

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Motörhead - Hammered (2002)

There is no real secret that Motörhead is at their best when they just go full on caveman mode when it comes to emotions. Sure, they can write emotional stuff, but it is the songs about booze, sex, and drugs that we know them by, and that we love them for. The same goes for their musical approach, when it is at its simplest, it is usually at its best. We are ultimately quite lucky that this band was not too much into experimenting with their formula.

However, there are albums that they have done that are more moody, that either tries something different or simply reflects what the band is going through at the moment. While I cannot really pin point what was going on with the band during the time they recorded "Hammered" (maybe they were, as the title suggests, drunker than usual?), the music tells a story that something was a little off, something was not quite right.

Not to say that "Hammered" is a bad album, but it is one of the stranger ones in the band's discography. A lot of songs in here are really underwhelming, either trying to be more groovy than heavy, or not going on full speed. It almost feels like the band is trying to hold back, like they might even be a little tired after the steam roller they created previously, and that they took this opportunity to relax a little more.

Now, this is ultimately a Motörhead record, so we obviously do get some true heavy metal here, it just is not in the quantity that we are used to. "Brave New World", "Voices From The War", and "Kill The World" all bring some intensity, and they all are fairly enjoyable songs, but once again, they feel like they are holding back a little, not going full throttle. Actually, we do not get a true mauler until the very end of the album, with the dark "No Remorse" and the crazy "Red Raw". The latter one is definitely much needed, but why is it back here? Please put it earlier in the album so that raw anger can be released before it becomes too much to handle.

It certainly feels like "Hammered" is more of a standard hard rock record, with all of the PG decisions that have been made here and there, and a lot of these tunes are questionable. Like, why does "Down The Line" has such a dull chorus that do not make we want to sing it? Why do we have keyboards in "Mine All Mine" that make it sound like a dated Van Halen song? Why is there a close to two minute spoken word part called "Serial Killer" inserted in this album? And why, oh why, is such a cool title as "Shut Your Mouth" given such a boring structure, one that not even a nice Phil Campbell solo can save?

Speaking of the performance, I cannot tell if the band phoned this one in or not, because they are not given any real chances to shine. There are times in this record where Lemmy cannot hit the right notes with his vocals, something that I have not heard so obviously in a Motörhead record before. And Mikkey Dee, who usually is killing it, does more or less a great job here, but he is not given the material to let out his talents. It feels like Phil is the only one who tries to spice it up with some cool solos, but unfortunately the riffs drown it out, hiding his performances too.

So yeah, this is a very, VERY underwhelming record. It has some nice songs here and there, but close to everything in this record is simply forgettable. I do not really hate any of the music here, but I cannot find it in me to care about it either, because there are so much better material from this band out there. Ultimately, it is a pretty harmless record that clocks in just under 46 minutes, a reasonable length. Fans of the band should give it a shot, maybe there are some songs you can get out from it, but in the grand scheme of things, "Hammered" does not drop the hammer, it could not even pick it up from the start.

Songs worthy of recognition: Voices From The War, Walk A Crooked Mile, Red Raw

Rating: 5,5/10 Serial Killers

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Motörhead - We Are Motörhead (2000)

When Motörhead entered the 21st century, it definitely felt like they thought that Y2K had happened, and rebooted the entire mankind, because the band apparently felt like they should remind everybody who they were, with naming their 15th effort "We Are Motörhead", and filling said album with songs that brings you back to the good old days, when Motörhead was freaking awesome... oh wait, they never stopped being awesome.

Nonetheless, "We Are Motörhead" does remind me a lot of the early era of the band, with straight up rock 'n' roll/metal hybrids that simply kick ass, and while the band has technically never stopped making those kinds of songs, they filled this album to the brim with them. As soon as you start the album, you get hit in the face with one of the fastest motherfuckers you have ever heard in "See Me Burning", where Mikkey Dee just goes fully bananas on the drums, while both Lemmy and Phil tries to keep up with some frenetic riffing. A great kick start to an album, just like in the band's early days.

The album continues with some good variety in the groovy "Stay Out of Jail" and the slow and heavy "Slow Dance". Then, out of seemingly nowhere, Motörhead throws out a cover of "God Save The Queen" by The Sex Pistols. I got so many questions thanks to this song. Why this song? Why in this part of the album? Just... WHY? This is a song that has been covered multiple times, both before and after, and this version does not offer anything new or exciting, it is just a stale cover that kills the momentum of the album. It just does not make any sense to put it in here.

Fortunately, the band gets back to business after that, and just puts out more kick ass tunes. Both "Out To Lunch" and "Wake The Dead" are cool songs, but then we get a curve ball in the shape of the ballad "One More Fucking Time", that surprisingly works well with the rest of the album. It slows things down to a pretty cozy mood, and definitely makes the album more dynamic. It is still one of the weaker songs though, which do say something about the high standard of the record.

The final three songs are also great fun, bringing the album home in the same way it started, with pure speed on the title track. I absolutely love this song because it more or less summarizes the band perfectly, what they are about and what their mission is. I know, this song is more or less a pure carbon copy of "Ace of Spades", both in riffs and in structure, but it is still so god damn intoxicating, and the lyrics are just simply brilliant, stating that the band brings both rock 'n' roll and UFOs, that they are born to kick ass and that they have no class, that they save our souls and mend all broken hearts. Jesus Christ, this is just brilliant.

More or less everything with "We Are Motörhead" is awesome. The tracklist (besides the Sex Pistols cover) is fantastic, the performance is marvelous, the length is just right, and the cover art is so bad ass, might even be my favourite from the band. There is no secret here, the band has always been like this, it is more or less all about the songs that makes or breaks a Motörhead album. The last one, "Snake Bite Love", did not really hit, but this one does, and it rocks the house to the very core. They are Motörhead, and they kick fucking ass.

Songs worthy of recognition: We Are Motörhead, See Me Burning, Stay Out of Jail, (Wearing Your) Heart On Your Sleeve

Rating: 9/10 Slow Dances

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Motörhead - Snake Bite Love (1998)

Motörhead is a band that is well known for not fuzzing around when it comes to recording a new album. It is in to the studio, write the songs, record the songs, and out, all in a time span of only a small bunch of weeks. While the band has been really effective with this strategy, it was only a matter of time before they would make an album too quickly, regretting some decisions. That album is named "Snake Bite Love", and while it is not a complete wreck, it is most certainly an album that could have used some more time.

Lemmy, Mikkey, and Phil have all openly expressed their disappointment of how this album turned out, and I can absolutely see why. A couple of songs in here are just pure head scratches, fillers that should have stayed at the studio, or even better, the sketch paper. One of these songs are "Night Side", a song with a pretty decent beat, but with an extremely sluggish and boring chorus. With a little more work behind, it might have been a cool track, instead it stands as a clear example that this record was not truly finished.

With that said, there is still a lot to like about this album. The performance is nice, and it does sound like Motörhead from start to finish, with more of their heavier side in it. To be completely honest, it does sound just like any other Motörhead album, just that it has some more inconsistencies than what we might be used to, so it is clear that time was the issue, not the chemistry of the band.

And while some songs are pure filler, we got some really fun tracks here that are both familiar, but also highly interesting, especially in that brilliant first half. The title track is all about the love for snakes (a topic that would be more fitting for Slash to be honest), and expresses it so with some good groovy rhythms, more hypnotizing than Kaa's stare. Then we have "Assassin", a fine song indeed with a really awkward, but also kind of cool, hook, where Lemmy pronounces the title as "Ass-ass-in", making it also sound like he is saying "That's a sin". Not my favourite, but fun none the less.

The best one do comes straight after though, and it is named "Take The Blame". It is one of the fastest songs the band has ever made, so it will certainly get you into a swing within an instant, and the lyrics of the uselessness of politicians is so god damn hilarious. It also slows down two times, but it never loses its edge, not even when Lemmy goes "Blah blah blah blah blah" (literally). As said, the first five songs of this album are pure awesomeness, and just what we want to see from the band.

It is just such a shame that the quality dips quite a lot when "Dead And Gone" enters the stage, sending the album down the gutter. I guess it would have been a little dull if the band had kept going in the same pace throughout the entire record, but if you are gonna change things up a bit, do not temper with the quality of the craft. We get some nice swing in "Don't Lie To Me", and "Better Off Dead" ends the album on an upside, but it is such a drop from the first half that it hurts the album quite a lot, especially when songs like "Night Side" and "Joy of Labour" are so mind boggling, being contenders for the running of worst Motörhead song ever.

"Snake Bite Love" might end up as one of the most inconsistent Motörhead records to date, with very high peaks, and very low valleys. The time might be the cause of this, but I know the band can pull one better out of their ass, or simply just take it easy and take some more time on it. Still, I do enjoy this album, the first half kicks a lot of ass, and the album cover is pretty dope, so it can skate by pretty easily. It attacks like a cobra, but tries to smother you like a really old and weak python.

Songs worthy of recognition: Take The Blame, Dogs of War, Snake Bite Love

Rating: 6,5/10 Assassins

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Motörhead - Overnight Sensation (1996)

Take a good look at that boring cover art, what does it tell you? Besides from the obvious parts, that it is boring, unimaginative, colorless, and boring, there is something, or rather someone, missing. You guessed it, we are missing the beloved mascot Snaggletooth, who for the first and only time is not in a Motörhead album cover (and for those who say that he is not present on "Ace of Spades", look closer please). While all of the band members tries to evoke the same furious attitude that the untamed beast possesses, Phil, Mikkey, and Lemmy (minus the mutton chops) just are not good enough replacements.

Fortunately, these guys do not work as models, their job is delivering some kick ass heavy metal, and "Overnight Sensation" is not much different from any other Motörhead album. The only real difference is that the band at this point in time has reverted back to a three piece band, after Würzel left between this album and "Sacrifice", so they did not replace him, and just went on with it like this until the very end. To be honest, I do not notice any major difference, but that could be because the band is still as even as always, that one less cog does not stop the machinery from rolling on.

The sound does sound a little heavier than usual though, displaying some really tough songs here and there. Starting with "Civil War", this song sets the tone instantly with its loud drums and ultra heavy guitar riffs, showing that these guys are not getting softer with age. And it is not the only really heavy song in here, it is in good company with "Shake The World", "Eat The Gun", and especially the excellent "Them Not Me", a song that blends both speed and heaviness with great success, but thanks to Lemmy's characteristic vocals, it sounds like he is singing "Enemy" instead of "Them Not Me", which ultimately sounded kind of weird, but still cool in some odd way.

Don't fear though old time Motörhead fans, this song still contains a good amount of classic Motörhead, with both speed and catchy choruses, just like it should be. "Crazy Like A Fox" is standard stuff all around, it is just a groovy ass song with a kick ass chorus, and a really nice delivery. Oh, and it does have a harmonica solo too! "Broken" is another one that has more of the classic sound in it, a nice rhythmic song that is easy to like, and so is "Murder Show" with its groovy groove.

"Overnight Sensation" is certainly not an overnight sensation, it is a really stable album that may be a little bit heavier than the average Motörhead record. It got a good pack of enjoyable songs, and the performance is nice as well, but we are reaching the point in our discography review series in which we almost expect these sort of things from the band. This is nothing new, it is quality work that does not really add anything different to the legacy. So at the end of the day, I am a little split, because this is a good album, but it might be one that I will not remember further down the road. Oh well, it does its job, and it does it real good, it is the least you can expect.

Songs worthy of recognition: Crazy Like A Fox, Broken, Them Not Me

Rating: 7/10 Murder Shows

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Motörhead - Sacrifice (1995)

We are on the 12th album in the Motörhead discography review series, and so far I have felt that it has been fairly easy to classify albums into a specific mood, or a certain personality trait that just makes sense. "Sacrifice" however, is a different story. It is not that this album lacks personality, it is just that it confuses me of what that personality really is. My best guess (judging by the cover), is that it is an album that reeks death over any nation, collecting souls while blazing fast, heavy, and loud metal as the sound of the apocalypse... while also doing some oral necrophilia (WITH THAT MAGNIFICENT TONGUE!).

There really is only one thing we need to know about "Sacrifice" though, and that is if it sounds like a Motörhead album, which not surprisingly, it does. It is actually more of the older Motörhead, the more care free and less serious band that we got to know in the beginning. You will not find any emotional ballads here, only good old fashioned fun, which means sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, something that is perfectly displayed in the 2 minute song "Sex & Death", which the band apparently just threw together in a short time at the end of recording.

"Sacrifice" was a little hard to truly take to my heart in the beginning though, for various reasons, one being that I think the songs just does not stick with me all that easily. The album certainly has a good pack of songs, and the opening title track is a stellar song with some fantastic instrumentation (especially Mikkey Dee's drumming is mesmerizing), but they just did not stick with me for very long. They were fine and all, but left me with little impressions. Another problem I have with this record is that it is so short, only 36 minutes long, despite containing 11 songs. It really flies by if you are not paying attention, and is over before you know it.

It does give me more chances to listen to it though, and after a while, it did grow on me, even if it did not become a giant or so. And as stated before, there are some neat little songs in here that does not go to history as some of the finest Motörhead songs, but they do their job really well. They help making "Sacrifice" a really smooth experience all the way through, either with some fine tuned groove ("Over Your Shoulder" and "All Gone To Hell"), some good old 50's swing ("Don't Waste Your Time"), or pure brute force ("War For War" and "Order/Fade To Black"). And while the lyrics do not leave all too many impressions, there is still some laughs to be had as always, like in "Dog-Face Boy", a song about Phil Cambpell (wonder if he knows that...).

I ultimately think that it is the instrumentation in "Sacrifice" that deserves the most credit, another example on that the band has stepped up their game since the arrival of Dee. Some riffs in here are just extremely memorable, like in "Over Your Shoulder" and "All Gone To Hell", driving the songs just the right way to make them better, a good effort from both Campbell and Würzel (who makes his last appearance). Mikkey himself does another great performance as well, pummeling on in his own pace.

So in the end, while "Sacrifice" was kind of hard to get into from the start, I eventually budged to its pressure and felt its heavy glory all over me. It is still too short and it is missing a true stand out song, but the collection of good reliable songs more than make up for it. Basically, this is a Motörhead album. It is even, fast, loud, heavy, and witty, just the way you would want it.

Songs worthy of recognition: Sacrifice, Over Your Shoulder, Dog-Face Boy

Rating: 7/10 Orders

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Motörhead - Bastards (1993)

After being only a guest drummer in the predecessor "March Ör Die", Swedish juggernaut Michael Kiriakos Delaouglou (or as he is more commonly known as, Mikkey Dee) joined Motörhead and was one of the main reasons to the band's return to form. Mikkey himself is a guy who likes to do things thoroughly, so when he found out that the rest of the band did not rehearse, like at all, he instantly booked a time to do so. Initially, that plan failed (Mikkey was the only one to show up in their first "meeting"), but Mikkey eventually got his wish, and Lemmy himself stated "We have never sounded this good!". Do not believe me? Go to a Scorpions concert, meet up with Mikkey and find out yourself (and give him a thanks for all his hard work too while you are at it).

So with some nagging and practicing, "Bastards" came out sounding like good old Motörhead. It is fast, loud, and simply kick ass. It still got some of the more mature themes that we saw from the last two releases, represented mostly in the dark ballad "Don't Let Daddy Kiss me", a song about child abuse. Even with that down moment (feeling wise, the song is great), "Bastards is definitely an album that is gonna lift your spirit, especially if you have not been too high on the last couple of efforts.

The power in this record is simply astounding, and there is lots of it, plenty for all listeners. "Burner" is pure fury, very fit for Mad Max and Furiosa to blast while they are riding away from The Immortan Joe (worst dictator name ever). Or maybe they would prefer "Death Or Glory", because it is classic Motörhead at its best, with punk influences and killer riffs and all. While no other song can match those two, we still get some groovy ass rock 'n' roll in "We Bring The Shake", "Bad Woman", and "On Your Feet Or On Your Knees", making sure that "Bastards" keeps its momentum from start to finish.

Do not believe though that the band has made a full 180 back to their roots, because we still got some retro rock in this album, and not surprisingly, it is some of the weaker stuff in this record. It is also unfortunate that most of them lies in the middle of the record, giving "Bastards" a fairly chewy part that is not hard to get over, but drags down the tempo a bit. "Born To Raise Hell" is just a poor AC/DC rip off (even the title sounds like it was stolen from the Australians), "Liar" is extremely simple and dull, and while "Lost In The Ozone" is kind of interesting, I think it would have made more sense if Black Sabbath would have made it. No offense Lemmy, but that song does not suit you all too well.

But even with some miss steps here and there, I love the performance that the band brings to the table. It is powerful and passionate, filled with an energy I have not seen in some albums. They are really giving it their all, which makes the lesser songs really enjoyable too. The riffs of Phil Campbell and Michael "Würzel" Burston are fantastic, Lemmy's bass is pounding harder than ever, and Mikkey brings a whole new level of madness to the table, making this one of the better band performances from Motörhead.

So looking back at the discography, "Bastards" is truly a sleeper album, one that is mixed in with a lot of underwhelming brethren, making it fairly easy to miss. But bland cover art and bad surroundings aside, "Bastards" is just balls to the wall great, showing an attitude that is easy to admire with all its tenacity. A new born band is here, ready to take over everything once again with its loud aggressive style, taking down every bastard they see.

Songs worthy of recognition: Death Or Glory, Burner, Don't Let Daddy Kiss Me, Bad Woman

Rating: 8/10 Devils

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Motörhead - March Ör Die (1992)

While Motörhead has never been a band that have constantly occupied the mainstream radio stations, but it did seem like they tried to make a run for it during the mid 90's, just when they were getting some momentum again in the sales department. "March Ör Die" is certainly an album that has some of those thoughts in the back of its head, scaling off most of the band's heavy repertoire and adding a more broader sound, a recipe for boredom in most cases.

But we are after all talking about Motörhead, and Lemmy & co. still finds way to implement their classic attitude in songs that may not have the usual strength that we are used to. With a fairly slow song like "Bad Religion", the band makes it fantastic with some dark, but not too heavy, riffs, and a steady tempo that works like a charm. The lyrics of Lemmy not giving a flying fuck about religion is fantastic as well, including the phrase "Evangelistic Nazis", one that I will most likely use from now on.

Besides from "Bad Religion", there are not a lot of standouts in this record, at least not for quality. "I Ain't No Nice Guy" do stand out for being a fine tuned ballad, but it is the addition of Ozzy Osbourne that makes you raise an eyebrow or two. A duet with two of the most recognizable metal singers out there, it is weird as hell, especially since the song is slow, definitely not in my taste. This is no coincidence however, because Lemmy was asked to write a couple of songs for Ozzy's upcoming album "No More Tears", including the hit "Mama, I'm Coming Home". And like that was not enough, guitarist Slash is also in on a corner with a solo on the song, and some additional guitar on "You Better Run".

As previously stated though, this is an album with few high points, and few speed points for that matter. It feels like the band is holding back for some reason, not giving their all here. It is a classic side effect of trying to hit the mainstream wall, but it could also be because Motörhead had to work with three different drumming during recording after the problems with Phil Taylor.

Even with these problems, the song material is, at best, decent. We got some nice tunes here and there, but there is a lot of fillers here, more than usual, including two covers! Okay, "You Better Run" is technically not a cover, but it uses that classic blues riff that has been used a ton of times, most notably in "Bad To The Bone" (a phrase that is even used in this song). No, the real cover is "Cat Scratch Fever", originally made by Ted Nugent, a great song that unfortunately is not made with any original touch by Motörhead. Also, why is it song number 2 in the song list? A weird spot to place a cover.

Yeah, "March Ör Die" is truly a "hit or miss" record, with some songs tingling the right nerves, while others are just baffling. Something had to have hindered the band from performing at 100%, because I see small glimpses of greatness, but they are barely enough to save the album. "March Ör Die" is definitely not a train wreck, far from it actually, but it has little to no life, idling around for some time before trying to kick start itself to no avail. But hey, at least we got a couple of neat songs, and a cool title that can also be used when you go to a live show. Merch or die!

Songs worthy of recognition: Bad Religion, Asylum Choir, March Or Die

Rating: 6/10 Hellraisers

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Motörhead - 1916 (1991)

Besides being a competent singer and bassist for Motörhead, Lemmy Kilmister is also a vivid collector of war memorabilia, especially stuff from the two world wars, so there is no surprise that he would eventually take his hobby into his occupation. Do not really know why he chose "1916" as the title though, because while World War I was on full go in that year, it is not a year that has any real significance. Maybe it has to do with something about the title track, but I will return to that later.

Another reason for the title might be that "1916" has a lot of retro feel to it. Motörhead has really put on their thinking caps for this one, offering us a wide spectre of different songs. We of course get some classic Motörhead heavy metal, especially in the beginning "1-2 punch" "The One To Sing The Blues" and "I'm So Bad (Baby I Don't Care)", but there is a lot of new stuff in here that we have not heard from the band before, making "1916" their most experimental album ever. I do not know about you, but the words Motörhead and experimental does not make a very good pairing to me.

Most of these newer songs are simply evidence of Lemmy's early influences of early rock and roll, being fast in tempo, but not really that heavy in sound. It can easily be considered as Motörhead light, but when a song is as groovy and fun as "Going To Brazil", then the light version ain't so bad, especially with lines like "Watching all the roadcrew attacking little girls/Joined the mile high club, goin' round the world/All the booze is free, airline going broke/Here come the lady with another Jack and coke". We also get a tribute to the legendary punk band The Ramones in the song "R.A.M.O.N.E.S", a more punk like song in the right spirit.

It is when the band drags down the tempo where we are going to stranger terretories, starting with the oddly named "Nightmare/The Dreamtime", a very slow and dark song that tries to do what "Orgasmatron" did, but it just does not have the same effect without the riffs. "Love Me Forever" is slightly less original in its approach, both in lyrics and in sound, but that song do at least have some neat guitar playing. Both of those songs comes right after each other, so it creates a middle part that is really tough for the average Motörhead fan to handle.

The title track is also something new from the band, a song without guitars and bass, but with added church organs. The song tells the story of a young 16 year old boy joining the army for World War I, thinking he will end up as a hero for his country. I see what Lemmy is trying to express with this song, and he does so very well, but I just cannot help but feeling extremely bored by this song. It has emotions for sure, but it is so slow and boring, it just does not work for me, giving the album a really sad ending in more ways than one.

So the biggest problem with "1916" is without a doubt the inconsistency in both sounds and quality. There are several interesting ideas from the band, but most of them do not work because of one simple fact, Motörhead was built for heavy metal. Yes, Lemmy and his crew can do other styles, but it is when they let loose and just do their thing that they are in the zone, schooling everyone in the art of metal. "1916" is at the very least an interesting album that definitely stands out, but as far as quality goes, it has a couple of really nice songs, and a bunch of strange ones. As said, an inconsistent effort.

Songs worthy of recognition: Going To Brazil, The One To Sing The Blues, Make My Day

Rating: 6,5/10 Angel Cities

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Motörhead - Rock 'n' Roll (1987)

It is pretty easy to see that "Rock 'n' Roll" is far from the most impressive work that Motörhead has ever done. The title is kinda meh, and while the artwork is cool as always, it just does not say very much, it is just a dark blue Snaggletooth doing his best Gene Simmons impression. Oh well, it is still Motörhead at least, so you know what you will get, and that is only the purest of heavy metal.

The first single from this album was actually written for a movie called "Eat The Rich" (which is also the name for the song), a British black comedy starring cast members of the then popular tv show "The Comic Strip Presents...". I have personally never heard of this movie before, but after taking a look at the plot, it seems pretty dark to say the least. The whole band did an appearance in the movie too, and so did also Paul McCartney, Bill Wyman, and a bunch of different fairly famous people at that time. The song itself is okay, but really safe, so I do not have much to say about it.

I got more to say about track number 4 instead, and that is "Stone Deaf In The USA", an extremely fun song with a great groove, a hooky chorus, and some fun lyrics. I also love the solo that borrows some from fellow NWoBHM guys Judas Priest. The song ends on a really weird note though, with a sermon wishing that the man above takes care of this band, it feels like it is taken straight out from Monty Python. Actually, it is taken straight out from Monty Python, because the guy doing the sermon is none other than Michael Palin. A fun, but really weird ending to the song.

It is definitely the rock 'n' roll groove that is the strength of this album, being the driving force to a lot of the songs in here, like "Traitor", "Boogeyman", and "Stone Deaf In The USA". However, there is not much of the classic Motörhead styled metal that we all have gotten used to. Ironically, the track of this album is the only one that even resembles that sound, and that is the first song right off the bat. I am not saying that this does not sound like Motörhead (it definitely does), it just is not enough to fulfill my hunger at least.

Looking at the whole picture, it just feels like the band had to rush things. This album did only take one year to make, so that might be a good reason to why the overall song and production quality is not at its peak. I just do not get the purpose of some songs, like the really bland "All For You", or the over simplified "Dogs". It all comes back to the bland album title and the non spectacular cover art, this album in its entirety is what we in Sweden call "lagom", which means that it is perfectly fine, not bad at all, but not great either. I do not dislike "Rock 'n' Roll" at all, I kind of enjoy it, but if I had to chose a Motörhead album to listen to right now, this album would be pretty far back on my list.

Songs worthy of recognition: Stone Deaf In The USA, Rock 'n' Roll, The Wolf

Rating: 6,5/10 Blackhearts

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