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By RYAN MAVITY
Benjamin Franklin once said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. However, I think we can add to the list the band that is “louder than everyone else,” Motorhead, who have been active in the music business for 30 years now. Other acts (Ozzy, AC/DC come to mind) have been around just as long, but whereas those artists have taken either a long hiatus (AC/DC) or only do one tour a year (Ozzy), Motorhead has kept busy, still writing, recording and—especially—touring.
The driving force behind the band, of course, is bassist and singer Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, a man who resides in the pantheon of legendary rock stars. Disagree? Well, think of it this way: How many rock stars have reached such a status where you only have to say one name and everybody knows who your talking about? How many people even know Lemmy has a last name? Despite pushing 60, Lemmy, along with guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mikkey Dee, have not only kept Motorhead rolling after all these years but have actually kept working to improve the Motorhead formula that has been so successful for so long. This isn’t some nostalgia act, living off past hits, these guys have actually IMPROVED in the studio (where they have always had trouble capturing the energy of their live show). Witness 2004’s Inferno, probably their best album since 1985’s Orgasmatron. With that, comes their newest album Kiss of Death, which picks up where Inferno left off. It’s not quite as good as Inferno, but it’s still a solid offering that continues Motorhead’s improvement in the consistency of their studio albums.
The album opens with “Sucker,” yet another in a long line of great Motorhead album openers (a list that includes “Ace of Spades” and “Overkill”). The song is Exhibit A of Motorhead’s blend of punk and metal and gets things off to a strong start. That’s followed by “One Night Stand,” a bluesy rocker that would seem to be right at home in the band’s live set. The real shockers here are “God Was Never on Your Side” in which Motorhead does—get this—a ballad (and shockingly they pull it off), and “Christine,” which is—dare I say it—a love song from Lemmy (no, really). Other standout tracks are “Trigger” and the album’s closer, “Going Down,” in which Lemmy references some of his other songs like “Dr. Rock” and “All the Aces.”
If there is a complaint about the album, it is that a few of the tracks sound exactly like other Motorhead songs. I know one complaint of the band is that a lot of their songs sound alike (which is true), but they have rarely cribbed from themselves like they do here. “Devil I Know” and “Christine” are both eerily similar to 1996’s “Overnight Sensation.” “Kingdom of the Worm,” with its double-time drumming from Mikkey Dee, is a bit too similar to the better and earlier “Sacrifice.” And finally, the last bonus track, “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.,” initially appeared on the band’s 1916 album and its inclusion here is curious.
Motorhead is who they are because they have found a formula that works and they do it better than anyone else can. Though a few of the tracks are reminiscent of other Motorhead songs, they show more range with their lyrics and song ideas this time around. Of course, for most hardcore Motorhead fans, Lemmy and company could sing from the phone book and they will still eagerly pick it up. Kiss of Death is yet another strong entry in the Motorhead catalog.
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