Motörhead Albums (30)
What The Critics Say
Even if Motörhead had broken up around 1983 or 1984, they still would have gone down in history as one of the most influential metal outfits of all time. Motörhead, after all, was the first metal band to seriously incorporate punk; they wrote the book on thrash metal and speed metal in the late '70s and early '80s, paving the way for Slayer, Metallica, Venom, Megadeth, Testament, Anthrax, Death, Exodus, and countless others. But Motörhead, of course, didn't break up in 1983 or 1984, and they were still cranking out quality albums in the late 2000s. Lemmy Kilmister (who turned 62 in 2007) shows no signs of slowing down on 2008's Motorizer, which Cameron Webb produced at Dave Grohl's 606 Studios in Los Angeles. Despite the fact that Webb has worked with a lot of alt rock and alt metal artists (including Limp Bizkit, Orgy, Godsmack, Buckcherry, Lit, Ben Folds, and Monster Magnet) and produced this 39-minute CD in a studio that is owned by a member of the Foo Fighters and ex-member of Nirvana, Motorizer makes no effort to be alternative-sounding. Instead, the classic Motörhead sound prevails, and forceful, in-your-face tracks such as "Buried Alive," "Runaround Man," "When the Eagle Screams," and "Time Is Right" sound like they could have been recorded 25 years earlier. Motorizer never pretends to be groundbreaking, but if the material is predictable, it is engagingly predictable; Kilmister sounds inspired and focused throughout the album, and at 62, he has yet to overstay his welcome. Motorizer falls short of essential and isn't quite in a class with Motörhead's best late-'70s/early-'80s output, but this album is definitely respectable -- and it is good to see this seminal thrash/speed trio still plugging away after so many years in metal's trenches. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In the metal community, there are two veteran/legendary bands that, whenever they release a new album, you know pretty much what you're going to get. We're talkin' 'bout AC/DC and Motörhead, of course. While the former band now takes several years between albums, the latter cranks them out on a much more frequent basis, as evidenced by the arrival of 2006's Kiss of Death (which arrived barely over two years since 2004's Inferno). The fact that the hard-living group is still at it is an astonishing feat unto itself, but when you realize they're still keeping pace with the younger acts -- when it comes to touring and recording -- it's even more impressive. As expected, Kiss of Death contains quite a few new numbers that will sound right at home in the set list, nuzzled between "Ace of Spades" and "Overkill," including the album-opening "Sucker," as well as "One Night Stand" and "Christine." And following in the footsteps of the surprise acoustic ditty on their previous album, "Whorehouse Blues," comes another similarly styled track, "God Was Never on Your Side." Yet, overall, there are too many songs that sound like run-of-the-mill modern-day metal (such as "Living in the Past" and "Sword of Glory"), rather than the classic Motörhead sound you'd expect. Still, a mostly good Motörhead album like Kiss of Death easily manages to slay most of the fly-by-night foolers that are currently being showcased on the airwaves. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Like AC/DC, Motörhead rarely stray from their niche, crafting reliable records from a punk metal template that began in 1977 with their self-titled debut. Inferno is no exception, as the sum of its parts does little to deviate from the formula. Opening with the blistering "Terminal Show" -- marking the first of two appearances by guitar legend Steve Vai -- Lemmy, Philip, and Mikkey burn through 12 raucous blues-rock fist-pumpers with the energy of a trio of wily twentysomethings. Lemmy's gruff vocal style is ageless; as "f*ck you" now as it was on "Ace of Spades." All of the classic Motörhead themes are present; there's sticking-it-to-the-man ("Life's a Bitch"), murder and death ("Smiling Like a Killer"), and sex (the surprise back porch acoustic jam "Whorehouse Blues"). For a band as seasoned as Motörhead, churning out the same record over and over again isn't that big of a deal, as their skillful execution is more than equal to the material, but it would be cool to introduce a dark horse now and then. Inferno won't win over any new fans, but the group's legions of supporters will happily pick out their four or five favorite tracks and wait for the next installment. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Bad record deals have plagued Motorhead's career, resulting in countless low-quality live recordings and pointless re-packagings, but 1994's Live at Brixton is one of the rare exceptions. Recorded during the band's 1987 tour, this set was originally chosen for release as their second official live album, No Sleep at All, but at the last minute, another, noticeably inferior concert recording was used. Combining classics from the band's early days ("Stay Clean," "Ace of Spades," "Metropolis") with more recent cuts ("Doctor Rock," "Orgasmatron," "Deaf Forever"), the album's only major downfall is the inclusion of too many mediocre tunes ("Dogs," "Traitor," "Stone Deaf in the USA") from the disappointing Rock'n'Roll album. Brand new track "Just 'Cos You got the Power" is one of the album's highlights; at over eight minutes, it shows a rarely seen, bluesier side of Motorhead. So if you haven't bought No Sleep at All yet, don't! Get this one instead. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
'Keep Us on the Road: Live 1977'
Release Date 5/7/2002
Tracks 22
Label Castle
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Few bands in the history of heavy metal are as road-tested as Motörhead. Since the mid-'70s, Lemmy Kilmister and whoever else was man enough to join the band's ranks have been tearing it up on the road, and are responsible for one of rock's greatest live albums of all time, 1981's No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith. As its title states, the double-disc set Keep Us on the Road: Live 1977 captures Motörhead early on -- including their classic lineup of singer/bassist Kilmister, guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke, and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. And while it's not as awe-inspiring as the aforementioned Hammersmith set, it does include quite a few down 'n' dirty treats ("Motörhead," "Iron Horse," "White Line Fever," and "I'll Be Your Sister"), as well as a handful of covers ("Leaving Here," "Train Kept A-Rollin'," and "Louie, Louie"). The sound quality is a bit rough and many of the songs are included twice, but for fans curious to hear what Motörhead sounded like on-stage early on, Keep Us on the Road: Live 1977 is a worthy document. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Unlike many of the band's contemporaries, Motörhead manages to still release lean and mean rock records, while keeping the songs simple rather than adding some electronic accompaniment or trying to be current or hip. Many of the other bands from Motörhead's era might still be worth checking out live (Iron Maiden, AC/DC), but each of those groups' new albums is almost always more forgettable than the last. In Hammered's "Walk a Crooked Mile," Motörhead has written at least one more classic to add to the band's large number of hits, which could easily fill a double CD. Epic in length and with a cool bassline courtesy of Motörhead main dude Lemmy Kilmister, "Walk a Crooked Mile" has a bit of a punk edge to it like a lot of Motörhead's tunes, but it also closes with a stylish '80s-style metal guitar solo. The rest of the material does not veer from the usual Motörhead formula, but it's all played dirty and in the gutter, and will undoubtedly appeal to Motörhead's dedicated fan base. ~ Adam Bregman, All Music Guide
'We Are Motörhead'
Release Date 5/16/2000
Tracks 10
Label CMC International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The '90s witnessed a surprising and somewhat overlooked renaissance for Lemmy Kilmister and Motörhead, starting with 1991's 1916. The follow-up, March or Die, was woefully subpar and overly commercial, and many dismissed 1916 as a fluke and gave the band up for dead. However, Motörhead then embarked on a run of quality albums for smaller, lower-profile labels; Bastards, Sacrifice, and Overnight Sensation were surprisingly consistent, written and performed with conviction in the classic Motörhead style. The band slipped a bit with 1998's Snake Bite Love, but have thankfully stormed into the new millennium in top form. We Are Motörhead maintains the generally high standard of the band's second decade, and while there aren't many speed-freak theatrics (exception: opener "See Me Burning"), the grimy attitude that's always driven their best work is fully intact. Pared back down to a trio, Kilmister and company deliver a tight, blistering set that's both well-executed and typical of Motörhead's long since established sound. There are no real revelations here, except perhaps that Kilmister still hasn't lost anything to age; of course, longtime fans will be happy to have yet another fine Motörhead record to add to the collection. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Everything Louder Than Everyone Else'
Release Date 3/9/1999
Tracks 25
Label CMC International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
"We are Motörhead, and we're gonna kick your ass," bellows the inimitable Lemmy Kilmister at the beginning of this relentless live performance, and he means it. Everything Louder Than Everyone Else, taken from a gig in Hamburg, Germany, circa 1998, is all its title promises to be and more. Mixed unbelievably loud and in-your-face, it captures Motörhead's overwhelming live power in all its toothy glory and reflects a veteran band working at the peak of its skill. While much nostalgic mythologizing is made of Motörhead's classic early lineup (featuring Lemmy, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and "Philthy Animal" Taylor), the fact is, the group has soldiered on since that incarnation and has gotten better along the way. This double-disc set focuses mainly on Motörhead's '90s output, which is astoundingly strong (much better than the band's spotty work in the '80s). One glance at the track listing proves that the group is far from resting on past glories; only a handful of songs from the band's early years -- like "Capricorn" and "Metropolis" -- appear. Instead, blistering versions of latter-day classics like "Burner," "I'm So Bad, Baby I Don't Care," and "Love for Sale" make up the bulk of this devastating set. Fans who were disappointed by Motörhead's last official live album, the flat-sounding No Sleep at All (which was virtually disowned by the band), will be overjoyed with the uncompromised intensity of this album's ferocious production. Additionally, Motörhead's lineup -- featuring the fast hands and feet of drummer Mikkey Dee and the pile-driving guitars of Phil Campbell -- has been intact for longer than any other version of Motörhead, and the group's cohesion and enthusiasm is more than evident here. What's perhaps most amazing of all is that Lemmy's voice hasn't lost any of its jet-engine roar after many years' worth of use and abuse. Great liner notes, including song-by-song comments by Lem himself, along with testimony by fans ranging from Joey Ramone to Tom Arnold, make this record even more entertaining and essential. No Motörhead-banger should be without. ~ Andy Hinds, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
No matter how many years the band toils on, Lemmy Kilmister refuses to change the basic hard and fast rules of Motörhead. Usually, that's a plus, since nothing quite compares to Motörhead roaring ahead at full blast, but occasionally it can result in an undistinguished album. Snake Bite Love is one of those. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with the record, as it offers a solid set of blistering, heavy rockers that race by at breakneck speed, but it doesn't add any new twists to the formula or have particularly memorable songs. Snake Bite Love sounds fine as it's playing, but very little of it leaves a lasting impression. Many members of the group's cult will probably find it worth a listen, but those who only like Motörhead's classic '70s and '80s output will find it a bit of a chore. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
