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Motorhead: Inferno

You can always call on the grizzly veterans Motorhead to deliver kick ass bluesy metal time and time again, year in and year out. These guys have a discography that is bordering on prolific, yet there's hardly a stinker in the catalog. The latest, Inferno, is certainly no exception, and much of the album even harkens back to their classic early 80's sound on albums like Bomber, Overkill, and Ace of Spades. This deluxe version contains the CD with its 12 killer tracks, plus a bonus DVD with interviews, making of the album documentary, and video clips. And come on, who can resist that wonderful cover image?
Lemmy, drummer Mikkey Dee, and guitarist Philip Campbell deliver the goods with twelve sweaty, meaty riff monsters, some of the highlights being "Killers", the chunky "Suicide", the heavy anthem "In the Year of the Wolf", and the slow grind of "Keys to the Kingdom". Lemmy's voice hasn't changed much over the years, and he even gets the same gritty growl that he used to snarl on songs like "Overkill" or "Iron Fist" on the rampaging opener here called "Terminal Show". Dee pounds the skins like a psychotic maniac, while Campbell delivers lethal shards of speedy riffs and flashy blues rock solos, a style that is very similar to original Motorhead guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke.
Essential stuff? Well, if you are a Motorhead fan yes, if you are new to the band try picking up their early 80's material first, then maybe jump to Inferno and work your way back from their. Keep on rockin' guys!

Track Listing
1. Terminal Show
2. Killers
3. In the Name of Tragedy
4. Suicide
5. Life's a Bitch
6. Down on Me
7. In the Black
8. Fight
9. In the Year of the Wolf
10. Keys to the Kingdom
11. Smiling Like a Killer
12. Whorehouse Blues

Added: July 7th 2005
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Motorhead Website
Hits: 4437
Language: english

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Motorhead: Inferno
Posted by Ken Pierce, SoT Staff Writer on 2006-01-25 17:34:31
My Score:

Motorhead is the one band that never seems to lose that driving hard rock/metal sound. Their latest release Inferno carries on the bands tradition in the usual manner and will blow you away from the first track "Terminal Show". I grew up on the classic lineup of the group with "Phil "Animal" Taylor and "Fast" Eddie Clark but after careful review of this release I feel that the lineup present for the longest is perhaps the tightest and most powerful for the kind of material that Lemmy has been churning out. The guitar work of Philip Campbell is ripping and a perfect compliment to Lemmy's thundering bass lines. The three piece group is kept in check by the animalistic powerhouse that is Mikkey Dee. Dee is a heavy hitter and while he does not play as technically as he did under King Diamond's direction he truly knocks your teeth out with the pounding he gives the kit as Motorhead's resident basher. The lineup has been as such for about 10 years and for most concert goers has proven to be the only line that they need. There is so much of the classic feel to this album, and of course there are potential greats on this going forward. Only time will tell if they stand up to tracks like "Iron Fist" and "Killed By Death". I had some favorites very early in my listening and stopped the CD to return to them a few times before I finished. "Killers" and "In The Name Of Tragedy" are great and really prove themselves in the live sense (I had witnessed a show very shortly after the release). The song-writing seems strong for this one with a lot of the expected Motorhead feel however in the case of "Keys To The Kingdom" there is a slower pounding tempo while "Whorehouse Blues" is just that, a bluesy acoustic number. Guitar God Steve Vai joins the band for some solos in "Terminal Show" and "Down On Me". Their overall appeal shows in having Vai's assistance as it shows you the level of impact the band has had over the years.

Lyrics and photos are included with the booklet which is great to find. The photos are more part of the lyric pages than standalone which is ok since they are not really a visual band. This is a good enough album for those that are unfamiliar with the band to enjoy. It also does not lose much momentum from what existing fans might be expecting them to do. With 30 years under his belt, Lemmy certainly does show signs of stopping anytime soon. Give this a spin and remember that "they are Motorhead and they play Rock and Roll".

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