Review Summary: If there's one band who can get away with nearly every song sounding the same, it's Motorhead.
Motorhead hasn't changed much in their 33 years as a band, so most people know what to expect when they put on one of their records. Their trademark sound of proto-heavy metal powered by blazing guitars, distorted bass and Lemmy's rough vocals is instantly recognizable. You can pretty much tell a Motorhead song when you hear it as they have been reprising this same formula over the years. This process has worked well for them though as they have generated a great amount of success and legendary status in the metal community. The band is now on their nineteenth album,
Motorizer and come out just as strong as they always have.
Onto the record, as I mentioned earlier,
Motorizer isn't anything different from most of their other outings so if you're a Motorhead fan looking for something to jam to, then you wont be disappointed. We already know that, but are there any future classics on this album? Well, there are a few ones that have the potential. One of them being the crushing opener, "Runaround Man." This song is fast, infectious and has a solid vibe that will fit in nicely in their concerts. Another one is the single, "Rock Out" which starts out with that unmistakable bass line that Lemmy delivers like no other. "Where The Eagle Screams" and "Heroes" are also great tracks, the latter would make a nice sing-along at future shows. "English Rose" carries a catchy chorus. Even the slower songs stand out, the blues-heavy "One Short Life" in particular. While they aren't as great as the classics like "Ace of Spades," "Overkill," or "Iron Fist" but they do have the potential to rank up there with those songs.
Lyrically,
Motorizer is also what you'd expect from the band as well with their usual themes of rock n' roll, sex, fighting, etc. They do branch out a bit on the politically-laced "When The Eagle Screams" but aside from that, it's mostly the same themes mentioned earlier. They aren't exactly the most memorable lyrics or noteworthy but they fit the music nicely.
To sum it all up,
Motorizer is Motorhead just doing what they do best, and that's playing straight-up metal that hits you right in the face. Every track will make you rock out. (Hah!) The obvious production improvements make this album sound heavier and harder than some of their most recent works. The members may have aged a bit, but they come out sounding just as great as they always have, delivering yet another solid album for fans to enjoy.
Favorite Tracks: Runaround Man, Rock Out, One Short Life, The Thousand Names of God
