MOTORHEAD

Kiss Of Death

Sanctuary Records 2006

by Sully Payton

 

23 albums in 30 friggin years!!!

 

3 bludgeoning chords!!!

 

Unhealthy amounts of Jack Daniels and Marlboros ingested daily!!!

 

The ugliest and wartiest frontman still able to get the chicks like no one else!!!

 

It must be Lemmy Kilmeister and Motorhead back to give us the no-bullshit rock we expect from them. Kiss of Death (Sanctuary Records) delivers the goods and gives us a batch of songs that stand up to their catalog well.

Do you need that "Ace of Spades"-type blast of speed? "Sucker" and "Goin' Down" will scratch that itch. Need an "Eat the Rich" sex romp? Try "Devil I Know". Looking for an updated version of "No Class"? "One Night Stand" should be right up your alley.

While this is a solid record top to bottom, Lemmy, long-time guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mikkey Dee outdo themselves in the middle of the record. "Under the Gun" is a classic mid-tempo number carried on a dirty riff from Phil. "God Was Never On Your Side" starts off in a touching way with Lemmy backed by acoustic guitars, but soon works itself into dark tale of woe and includes a rarely heard guitar solo. This will be the song that will get the lighters flicking at their live shows. Once the darkness has fully descended you get pushed into "Living in the Past", featuring a particularly growly Lemmy croaking about a relationship gone bad. Fear not, though, as the upbeat Lemmy returns on "Christine".

Kiss of Death will not bring new fans into the Motorhead fold. Considering the up and down quality of their releases over the last 10 years, this platter will be well-regarded by the faithful as it deservedly should be.