Motörhead - Inferno

Motörhead have been in the game for a looooooong time. If it aint broke, don’t fix it, and Motörhead ain't fixing shit. Their alloy of punk and metal, minted back in the late 70’s, has outlasted almost all who have popped up along the way waving either flag. This may sound rather colorless on paper, but never having to look back at ska-revival or “DJ-Demon on the wheels of steel” phases speaks volumes about their winning formula. This formula is back at work on Inferno. One listen to Inferno instantly shines an unflattering light on what is passing as both metal and punk these days. The blazing “Terminal Show” sets a reckless standard early on and pace pieces like “Suicide” and “Keys to the Kingdom” never feel forced. The album closes strong with the punk horror show “Smiling Like a Killer” and the greasy, acoustic 12-bar blues of “Whorehouse Blues.” Throughout, Lemmy’s voice remains gruff and brute, with worn-in qualities that are enhanced with each shot, beer, smoke (repeat), and throat shredding performance. This is not the sound of a veteran band pulling it back together long enough to puke out an album and a reunion tour. That would imply that they actually went away. This is a band who belies age as much as they do change, and Inferno is proof positive that these stubborn old devils are still around and still volatile. So when you’re ironically sporting a Motörhead t-shirt at a Used concert, the real irony is that the print on that shirt is the most punk thing going on in the whole room. [www.imotorhead.com]