Twenty-Five Years Later: Motorhead - Bastards

Just a year after the unrealized ambitions of 1992’s March or Die, Motorhead returned with a different direction in mind for Bastards. While the album’s more grounded approach would suggest a back to basics rock ‘n roll style, the songs here are heavier than anything ever released under the Motorhead banner before it. Late 70s anthems like “Overkill” and “Stone Dead Forever” were certainly heavy for their time, but the band had never been this aggressive.

Much of that aggression can be directly attributed to the recruitment of drummer Mikkey Dee. In contrast to the often-sloppy performances of past timekeepers, his technique is both tight and hard hitting while still allowing for plenty of groove. It’s understandably not as technical as the work with King Diamond that established his reputation, but speed metal scorchers like the appropriately titled “Burner” would’ve been literally impossible without him. I dare wager that Mikkey Dee played a more important role in the Motorhead sound than anybody but Lemmy himself.

Thankfully this heightened musicianship is matched with some fantastic songwriting. Most of the songs are upbeat as “Death or Glory” and “I Am the Sword” offer blistering tempos while “Born to Raise Hell” and “We Bring the Shake” have some commercial remnants in their hard rock singalongs. On the flip side, “Liar” puts that heaviness to slower use with a grinding riff set and some of Lemmy’s most vicious growls ever. There’s even some room for psychedelia as the warped grooves on “I’m Your Man” would be quite potent in the hands of your local stoner doom group.

But like 1916 before it, a tragic ballad proves to be this album’s biggest curveball. “Don’t Let Daddy Kiss Me” is a jarring song both musically and lyrically; its sudden transition to soft acoustic strums from “Born to Raise Hell” party rock is enough to give one whiplash and its child abuse theme is heartbreaking but not overwrought. Its placement in the middle of the album and Lemmy’s vulnerable vocal performance make it an uncomfortable listen, but I’ll be damned if that wasn’t what the song set out to do in the first place!

Overall, Bastards may be the most underrated Motorhead album ever. In addition to serving as a strong bounce back from the misguided March or Die, the album is just as good as the band’s best-known efforts and set a new standard for everything that followed. The songs are some of the band’s catchiest ever and its heaviness would only be matched on the subsequent Sacrifice and 2005’s Inferno. Thankfully it gets more appreciation these days than it did upon its initially obscure release and I can only hope its greatness will discovered by more fans with time.

Highlights:

“Burner”
“Death or Glory”
“Born to Raise Hell”
“Liar”
“I’m Your Man”

Final Grade: A

A Look Back at Motorhead's March or Die

March or Die will always be remembered as Motorhead’s sellout record. The band didn’t ape any trends of the time, but they really leaned on their mainstream connections this time around. Lemmy’s participation in the songwriting for Ozzy Osbourne’s No More Tears likely left an impression on him, perhaps further fueling the desire for prominence that started getting traction on 1916. Unfortunately, this album doesn’t quite have the same focus as its predecessor.

While March or Die is more stylistically in line with classic Motorhead than 1916, this is a rather watered-down variation of that formula. Songs like the opening “Stand” are decently written and feature the bass drive and gravelly vocals fans know and love, but the executions don’t seem to hit as hard as they should. Other songs feel like retreads as “Jack the Ripper” has a bumpy groove in the vein of “The One to Sing the Blues” and the closing title track channels “Orgasmatron” without properly channeling its misanthropic menace.

These issues reach an early culmination on the rather misguided cover of Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever.” Having the song be second in the track list is awkward enough and the band’s performance is frankly neutered. This song is tailor made for Motorhead’s signature sleaze, but the high-pitched vocals and uptight rhythms really don’t do it justice. This cover would’ve been so much stronger with meaner guitars and grittier vocals and it’s sad to see it not live up to what I can imagine in my head.

Oddly enough, those mainstream connections end up working in the album’s favor. A power ballad featuring a duet with Ozzy Osbourne seems disingenuous on paper (and makes me want to listen to Lita Ford for some reason) but, “I Ain’t No Nice Guy” may be the strongest track on here thanks to its surprisingly sincere performances and smooth buildup. I also enjoy the Motorhead take on “Hellraiser” even if I prefer the bombast of the No More Tears version and “You Better Run” makes fun use of the tried and true “Hoochie Coochie Man” rhythm.

Overall, March or Die isn’t a bad album but rather an underwhelming blunder by Motorhead standards. It’d be easy to blame it all on celebrity pandering, but the songs exploiting those cameos end up being the best while the songs that sound the most like the band’s typical work are ironically the weakest. I don’t think the writing is quite on par with the classics, but the effort really would’ve benefitted from more aggressive performances. There’s enough good here for hardcore fans to enjoy it but the band’s other works from this era are so much better.

Highlights:
“I Ain’t No Nice Guy”
“Hellraiser”
“You Better Run”

Final Grade: C

A Look Back at Motorhead's 1916

Back in the early 90s, Motorhead sought to conquer the American market. It only made sense as Lemmy had relocated to Los Angeles by then to become a permanent mainstay at the Rainbow Bar and Grill while the band was getting endorsements from such mainstream acolytes as Metallica and Guns ‘n Roses. Fortunately, Motorhead wasn’t too watered down in the process. On the contrary, 1916 may have been the most experimental album they ever released.

I don’t think there’s any other Motorhead album with as much variety as 1916. An array of different styles is pursued as “Going to Brazil” goes full on rockabilly, “Nightmare/The Dreamtime” is a creepshow with keyboards and vocal backmasking, “Love Me Forever” is an all-out power ballad, and “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.” is the perfect stylistic pastiche of its punk rock muse. Ideas like “Nightmare/The Dreamtime” and “Love Me Forever” really shouldn’t work with how far they take the band out of their comfort zone, but the strong songwriting helps see them through.

Of course, there’s still plenty of classic Motorhead to go around. “The One to Sing the Blues” starts the album off in a somewhat bumpy fashion, but “I’m So Bad (Baby I Don’t Care)” and “No Voices in the Sky” make up for it with their dirty guitar charges and catchy choruses. These songs are still noticeably leaner and heavier than any of the band’s 80s works, but they’re comfortable listens for longtime fans.

But the album’s biggest wild card is its World War I-themed title track. In contrast to the band’s other famous war-themed slow burn “Orgasmatron,” “1916” is an incredibly subdued track. Lemmy narrates a tale of young soldiers killed too young in a crackling voice accompanied by funerary keyboard work and a lonely timpani rhythm. It’s such a jarring listen, especially when compared to the album’s more fun tracks, but its placement at the end has an incredibly haunting effect. Easily the band’s most effective closer and one of their all-time best songs.

1916 doesn’t quite have the legendary reputation of Ace of Spades or Overkill, but it’s a strong collection of tracks all the same. The album’s stylistic variety does an excellent job of highlighting sides of the band not often seen and I imagine the subsequent Grammy nomination was pretty nice too. It’s not only an essential listen for fans and casual listeners alike, but also an effort that’s fun to throw in the face of the hacks who think that Motorhead albums all sound alike.

Highlights:
“I’m So Bad (Baby I Don’t Care)”
“No Voices in the Sky”
“Nightmare/The Dreamtime”
“R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”
“1916”

Final Grade: A-

EP Review: Purgatory - Purgatory EP

Before there was Iced Earth, there was its forebear Purgatory. It’s easy to lump the two groups together due to their shared songwriting tropes and emphasis on Jon Schaffer’s signature rhythm guitar, but Purgatory stood out for its horror aesthetic and rather “street” approach to power metal. In a fascinating twist of fate, the group’s core members reunited in 2018 to record this EP. The five songs on here had previously only existed in mid-80s demo form, leading one to wonder how well the combination of Iron Maiden and slasher films will work over thirty years later.

For the most part, Purgatory’s material holds up surprisingly well in the modern age. There are some inevitable tweaks wrought by the passage of time and the grit of the band’s demo days has largely been washed away. Arrangements have been spruced up and a clean production job highlights an epic side that’s right in line with classic Iced Earth. This is somewhat at odds with the sleazy aspects of “Jack” and “In Jason’s Mind,” but “Dracula” and “Burning Oasis” fully realize the potential that was merely hinted at back in the day.

But the real shocker comes with vocalist Gene Adam. He possesses the shrill character of his early days but there’s much more control behind it, resulting in a legitimately good performance even if it doesn’t have that manic character. Whether he learned some proper techniques in his time away from metal or the years were just inordinarily kind to him, he’s come a long way from the infamously… niche vocals on Iced Earth’s debut.

The track order may be the only real nitpick I have with this EP. The Freddy Krueger-inspired “In Your Dreams” wasn’t a great choice for an opener. While it’s not a bad track, it’s easily the weakest of the lot with a mid-tempo structure that doesn’t hit as hard as it should. It probably would’ve worked better in the middle with “Dracula” or “In Jason’s Mind” serving as a more ominously climactic opener.

Overall, Purgatory’s EP probably won’t have much reach beyond hardcore Iced Earth fans but I don’t think they’re too worried about that. This is the product of old friends waxing nostalgia and updating songs that never got the chance to shine when they were first written. As somebody who’s listened to the old Purgatory demos, I can say that it does a good job of catching that old school metal spirit. Considering the catalog of songs that were written back then, it wouldn’t surprise me to see more releases like this in the future.

Highlights:
“Dracula”

“In Jason’s Mind”

“Burning Oasis”

Final Grade:B+

Album Review: Beorn’s Hall – Estuary

Estuary may have only been released just a day shy of a year after Beorn’s Hall’s first album, Mountains Hymn, but it proves to be a broad expansion of the band’s pagan metal formula. The black/folk metal style remains dominant, but the lengths are noticeably longer. The songs are largely driven by cavernous riffs and distant growls that are occasionally coopted by Summoning-style keyboards and extended acoustic segments, but they get more room to explore.

There may also be some epic doom influence that hadn’t been there before. The rather muffled production job has as much in common with late 80s Candlemass or Scald as with the stereotypical trash compactor sound and the more triumphant riff work on the title track and “New Hampshire Rain” draws comparisons to groups like Solstice and Doomsword. Of course, this is still a predominately black metal record and there are plenty of songs like “Dark Wood-Black Marsh” more preoccupied with fast blasting.

With all this in mind, the album probably would’ve benefitted from a bit more polish. The rough production results in a muddy sound that can make distinguishing layers difficult and the mostly acoustic “I Know You Rider” ends up taking a hit for its buried presentation. The song lengths could’ve also afforded to be trimmed in spots; “Roads Go on Forever” is an excellent closer but bookending it with a Robert Frost recital and nature ambiance seems redundant.

Overall, Beorn’s Hall could still use a few tweaks, but their second full-length album is a definite step up from their debut. The band’s performances are solid, and this doomy black folk style manages to be endearing, even if it would’ve been better with clean production and tighter songwriting. The New Hampshire duo will likely stick to this gritty approach, but I can still hope for something even more developed in the future.

Highlights:
“Estuary”
“New Hampshire Rain”
“Roads Go on Forever”

Final Grade: B

Album Review: High on Fire – Electric Messiah

People think High on Fire albums are all the same. Granted the trio keeps to a consistent stoner caveman thrash style, but they tend to write two different types of albums. You’ve got fast, straightforward pummelers like Snakes for the Divine and Luminiferous on one hand while Death Is This Communion and De Vermis Mysteriis are decidedly slower, more contemplative affairs. Electric Messiah ultimately leans to the latter category, but a lot of time is spent wrestling between the two templates.

This grander scope is most obviously apparent on the album’s slowest and longest songs, “Steps of the Ziggurat/House of Enlil” and “Sanctioned Annihilation.” Des Kensel’s building tribal drumlines keep these crawling tempos from dragging but Matt Pike’s guitar mastery is what helps stand out from one another. It’s especially impressive how he occasionally throws in some fast tremolo runs on “Sanctioned Annihilation” without losing sight of the overall slowness.

Oddly enough, the numerous faster songs may end up being the album’s biggest growers. They’re all unique enough to avoid interchangeability but they aren’t as straightforward or hooky as their charging rhythms would suggest. The triumphant marches of “Drowning Dog” are enough for it to not only be this album’s biggest standout, but also one of High on Fire’s greatest closers to date.

If Sleep’s The Sciences was the unexpected return of a glorious titan, then Electric Messiah is the reliable bellow of a faithful leviathan. It isn’t quite at the mind-blowing level of High on Fire’s greatest efforts, but the well-preserved energy alone will surely make fans happy with the great highlights serving as a nice bonus. Such is the glory of Matt Pike. Now if only we could get a new Om album sometime soon...

Highlights:
“Steps of the Ziggurat/House of Enlil”
“Sanctioned Annihilation”
“The Witch and the Christ”
“Drowning Dog”

Final Grade: B+ 

Album Review: Hamferd - Tamsins likam

Not content to let Tyr be the only metal band representing the Faroe Islands on the international stage, death doomers Hamferd have released their second full-length album. Their approach to death/doom is as slow and bombastic as ever but five years between releases and a deal with Metal Blade has changed the band’s sound considerably. Similar elements may be at play, but the journey here is far darker and more atmospheric than that of their debut.

True to the meaning of Hamferd, a Faroese term for sailors lost at sea, Tamsins likam is a very ghostly album. It shares Evst’s universally sluggish tempos with matching harsh-clean shifts, but the production lends itself to a more subdued, organic sound. The guitar tone is dark and lurks mostly in the bottom end while the melodic vocals opt for a lower pitched delivery that still provides enough contrast to the deep growls. There is a sense that the musicians are holding back though it is done to suggest contemplation rather than technical inadequacy.

The actual songwriting is harder to get a feel for than the music’s aesthetic, but the tracks flow cohesively well enough to reveal their highlights. The first two tracks have some solid buildup but “Tvistevndur meldur” stands out for its bass heavy crawl while “Frosthvary” offers smooth balladry. The near eleven-minute “Vapn i anda” may be the album’s strongest track, somehow getting even more drawn out than everything that had come before it.

It may take a few extra listens for the songwriting on Hamferd’s second album to really soak in, but the band’s dedication to a haunting aesthetic is enough to draw one’s interest and keep them invested in the meantime. While the lyrics may be in a language that most of us will never understand, the restrained musicianship is stirring enough to convey the tales it tells. Fans of all things death/doom will want to check this one out and I could imagine this piquing the Viking metal’s crowd curiosity as well.

Highlights:
“Tvistevndur meldur”
“Frosthvarv”
“Vapn i anda”

Final Grade: A-

EP Review: Frayle - The White Witch

Frayle’s debut EP sounds like what would happen if Chelsea Wolfe took the plunge into full on doom metal. Vocalist Gwyn Strang doesn’t quite share Wolfe’s vulnerability, but her delivery is just as hypnotic, boasting a mysterious aura that is strengthened by the dreamlike filter. Multi-instrumentalist Sean Bilovecky’s monolithic chords and sparse drumming provides a similarly haunting atmosphere though the results feel more like Triptykon’s slower moments than anything off Hiss Spun.

Thankfully the Cleveland duo has some strong chemistry and a very balanced dynamic. Despite the compositions’ relative simplicity, the drones never feel like they’re merely there to serve the vocals and the vocals are integrated deeply in the mix without being drowned out by everything else going on. It’s a setup that seems easy to screw up and I’d be quite curious to see how it sounds in the live environment.

The White Witch’s lack of songwriting variety is the only real nitpick I have for it. It’s certainly not a deal breaker with this being four songs and all, but it would’ve been great to see even more dynamic contrasts and pulsating rhythms. I imagine this will be addressed on a proper full-length album and there are excellent songs on here in the meantime. “Let the Darkness In” starts things off on a creepy yet welcoming note while “Things That Make Us Bleed” features the EP’s most striking hooks.

Overall, Frayle’s debut EP is a strong sampler of what to expect on a proper full-length album. The somewhat derivative sound makes the duo feel like yet another entry in the exponentially growing “soft female vocals over droning riffs” niche, but their chemistry goes above and beyond most of their peers. It’s the kind of release that one listens to with the expectation of further expansion but it’s good enough for fans of this style to appreciate on its own terms.

Highlights:
“Let the Darkness In”
“Things That Make Us Bleed”

Final Grade: B