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Metal/Prog Metal CD Reviews

Motörhead

Better Motörhead Than Dead

Review by Gary Hill

Motörhead are really an amazing band. Very few outfits can take a sound and essentially beat it into the ground and pull it off. Motörhead really only has a few tricks in their musical bag and they repeat them over and over again. The truth is, though, it always works. These guys rock out like just about no one else can. Don’t ask me how they pull it off, but they do. This live set shows that even when they restrict themselves to just one or two of their trademarked sounds, it still works. If you like your metal ferocious and raw, you just can’t do much better than Motörhead and this set includes all the classics captured in the live venue. What’s not to like?

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2008  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Disc 1
Dr. Rock
This is classic Motörhead – gritty and mean. There’s nothing fancy here, just some pounding metal.
Stay Clean
Always one of my favorite Motörhead tunes, this one is frantically fast and forceful. It’s another killer.
Shoot You In The Back
This starts off like it’s going to be slower and more bluesy, but we get an uptempo grind that’s heavy as heck. It’s also very catchy and another personal Motörhead fave. The guitar solo on this one is especially tasty.
Love Me Like A Reptile
The first album I ever heard from Motörhead was Ace of Spades, so there will always be a special place in my heart for anything from that disc, this song included. It’s a smoking grind and still holds up every bit as well as it always has.
Killers
By this point we’ve still seen nothing but fast and heavy from Motörhead in this set. They do have other modes, but this song continues that tradition.
Metropolis
A long, slower grind starts this off, but once they launch into the song proper we’re back into the faster motif. This one is another classic, but this whole show is packed with classics. This includes some more exceptional guitar soloing.
Love For Sale
A little punky, this is another fast and furious slab of Motörhead’s brand of heavy metal.
Over The Top
Dedicated to The Hells Angels, this starts off with a rock and roll approach and is a frantic thrasher. It’s yet another strong track on set that has no weak points.

No Class
This one has a bit more of a retro rock texture to it at times. Don’t get me wrong, Motörhead never really breaks the mold from one piece to another, but this one shows some signs that the others haven’t.
I Got Mine
We get more of the full-speed ahead approach on this stomper. It’s another killer cut, but perhaps a bit lackluster compared to some of the other material here.
In The Name of Tragedy
I love the bass driven texture of this song. It reminds me in some ways of the work Lemmy did on the early Hawkwind albums.
Dancing On Your Grave
Here’s another classic Motörhead stomper.  This is another place where there is some of that early raw Hawkwind sound.
Disc 2
R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
Motörhead’s tribute to The Ramones, this rocker has always worked quite well. It still does.
Sacrifice
Everything louder and faster than everything else is Motörhead’s motto – OK, I threw the “faster” part into the mix, but this song holds it out. We get a drum solo here.
Just ‘Cos You Got The Power
This is a slower grind and a real powerhouse. It’s good to have a bit of a change thrown into the works.
(We Are) The Road Crew
Another track from Ace Of Spades, this one just stomps. I’ve always loved the way this seems to just grind on and on.
Going to Brazil
Here we get a more old time rock and roll based tune. This is sort of like Chuck Berry on steroids.
Killed By Death
I’ve always liked this piece a lot. It’s slow grind intro serves as a nice change up. The guitar soloing here is exceptional and overall this is a standout.

Iron Fist
Lemmy’s bass just fires out with the opening of this one and they are off, faster and rawer than most can ever pull off. It’s another classic and another strong tune.
Whorehouse Blues
Looking for a change? Well, here we get a full blues treatment, on acoustic guitar and all. They even include some blues harp on this number. What a twisted web they weave!
Bomber
Starting with air raid sirens, this is vintage old school Motörhead. It’s another smoking grind that still works every bit as well as the day it was originally recorded.
Ace of Spades
The flag ship of Motörhead’s fleet, this frantic rocker is a crowd pleaser. The “ace of spades,” indeed.

Overkill
They turn their attention to more true old school Motörhead here. The guitar solo is another that’s worth special mention and this serves as a great way to end the disc.
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