Motorhead - Aftershock (2013)

The extensive career of Motorhead is filled with great albums, characterized by always staying true to their rebellious style that blends elements of Heavy Metal, Punk, and Speed Metal. They have been a significant influence on major bands like Metallica, who consider Motorhead one of their main sources of inspiration. This is evident in Metallica's tribute album "Garage Inc", where they covered four Motorhead songs.Today, we are discussing "Aftershock", Motorhead's penultimate album before the unfortunate passing of their leader and founder, Lemmy Kilmister. In this work, Lemmy was accompanied by Mikkey Dee on drums and Phil Campbell on guitar, a lineup considered classic, following the legendary formation of their glorious album "Ace Of Spades". This lineup remained intact from 1993 until the end of the band.In our opinion, "Aftershock" stands out as the band's last great album, filled with energy, power, and vitality. Fortunately, we had the chance to witness their final concert in Mexico in 2013 at the Palacio de los Deportes, where they were promoting this album. It was part of the Force Fest, where other bands like Testament and Suicidal Tendencies also performed. It was truly a marvel! What can we hear? In "Aftershock," we hear the last glorious album from Motorhead, with an aging Lemmy rocking out to the fullest. It's a delight to listen to that distorted bass, adding strength to the guitar riffs and "dirtying" the songs in a pure punk style, as evident in "Queen Of The Damned." Lemmy's vocals tend toward the guttural, showing noticeable wear and tear due to his age but still retaining the emblematic quality that characterized the band for years. His automatically heavier and more guttural voice adds to the overall weight of the songs.The speed is evident from the first track, "Heartbreaker," thanks in part to Mikkey Dee, dubbed by Lemmy himself as "the best drummer in the world", perhaps an exaggeration but, in our opinion, the best drummer the band ever had, infusing the music with incredible vitality and energy. In "Aftershock," we hear a series of precise and heavy drum arrangements, with some very pleasant touches like the ride cymbal play in the solo of "Going To Mexico." We also appreciate the production of the drum toms, providing a dry, old-school sound.On the guitar, Phil Campbell fulfills his role, possibly falling into repetitive patterns. However, for bands like Motorhead or AC/DC, this repetition doesn't detract from the enjoyment of their albums. Part of their magic lies in staying true to their style from start to finish. What makes "Aftershock" special? Certainly, we also find blues in "Aftershock" specifically, "Lost Woman Blues" and "Dust and Glass." These two slow, powerful, and sensual songs provide moments where the band balances the album and pays homage to their roots. It's an incredible detail that fans have likely appreciated. Additionally, we hear the Blues/Rock vibes of "Crying Shame," featuring a subtle piano arrangement in the chorus that transports us to an English tavern.The vocal melodies of "Aftershock" contribute to its uniqueness, as many of them are quite memorable. For example, tracks like "Heartbreaker", "Going To Mexico", "Silence When You Speak To Me", among others, make it easier for the listener to remember despite the album maintaining a consistent style throughout. On the technical side, the band showcases their prowess in "Death Machine", with an offbeat drum entry reminiscent of similar touches found in albums like "Sacrifice" (1995).It's remarkable that despite the band's many years in the industry, they never lost their sense of heavy music. "Aftershock" concludes with "Paralyzed," a song featuring double bass drums and maximum distortion, a reaffirmation of their principles that undoubtedly incites moshing from the first seconds. It proudly upholds the Motorhead name, leaving no doubt that the band had the energy for more future endeavors at that moment. Aftershock, the last great album of Motorhead Following "Aftershock", Motorhead released "Black Magic" in 2015. However, here we hear a more tired Lemmy, and there's a noticeable decline in production. It's almost miraculous that they managed to release the album, as four months later, the unfortunate death of Lemmy Kilmister occurred.Aftershock is a powerful, energetic, and memorable album. It's incredibly admirable that this band rocked until their final moments, staying true to their ideology and living solely for one purpose: Rock.And what do you think of this album? Leave us your comments!