AC/DC - review added 13th January 2009
Album Review: Black Ice (2008)
For fans of: hard rock... and school uniforms
Black Ice is only AC/DC's 4th album in 20 years and their 1st for 8. Was it worth waiting this long for? Well... we never like waiting. We're impatient so and so's... but the end result is indeed blooming excellent!
Opening track 'Rock 'n' Roll Train' is as good as anything AC/DC have ever recorded. To be honest the album stays at a stratospheric level from then on. You could accuse some of the tracks of plagiarising earlier AC/DC work but who cares? AC/DC, like Twisted Sister and Motorhead, are one of those bands who have a style and need to stick to it. It's what they do. This is all about refining the sound. On Black Ice their sound is so refined it eats caviar and wears a cravat
If you love the band you'll love Black Ice. It betters plenty of their other albums and shows they are still relevant. Brian Johnson, he of the farmer's hat, is still in rude voice. The remainder of the band sound as damned fine as ever. Whether Angus Young will look good prancing round the stage in his school uniform is up for debate.
The lack of originality does lose this album a few marks, but originality would have lost them even more. This album is AC/DC through and through and is simply beautiful. Several of these songs could become live staples, and for a band who are all about the live show that's all you need to know.
Check out... 'Anything Goes'. How good?!
Track List:
1. Rock 'n' Roll Train
2. Skies On Fire
3. Big Jack
4. Anything Goes
5. War Machine
6. Smash 'n' Grab
7. Spoilin' For A Fight
8. Wheels
9. Decibel
10. Stormy May Day
11. She Likes Rock 'n' Roll
12. Money Made
13. Rock 'n' Roll Dream
14. Rocking All The Way
15. Black Ice
Label: Columbia Records
Band websites: AC/DC , MySpace
