Five years ago on this day, Ian Fraser Kilmister, better known to the metal world as Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead (Lemmy for short) passed away at the age of 70. His death sent out shockwaves in the world of Heavy Metal, and to this very day you can still feel a ripple whenever you turn the speakers up to 11. With the passing of such a legend, one of the world’s most iconic bands stepped into the ethereal mists of time, forever becoming a force of metallic nature. At concerts of all genres, you can still feel the aura of this monumental British export in everything. From the guitars, to the drums, and to the energy of the crowd & the stage, the essence of Motörhead is felt by all.
So this all leads us to the subject of my final review of 2020, and a bunch of you are scratching your heads. Didn’t you review this back in 2016, you’re probably asking. Yes I did, and at the time I did it to pay tribute to Lemmy’s passing from a year prior. However, with the 5-year anniversary of Lemmy’s ascent into metal Valhalla, I wanted to do something a bit different. What you’re about to read is a first for me, as I’ll be giving an expanded revision of my original Bad Magic review from a few years ago. My views, not to mention some info surrounding the record, have changed and new ones rose to the surface since then, and rather than updating my original post I felt that creating a revised version was more appropriate given the circumstances. Anyways, here is my revised review of the final album of Motörhead’s legendary career, Bad Magic.....Let’s begin.
Background ***
After the success of Aftershock, Motörhead continued onward with tours & such. However, it seemed that Lemmy was breaking down. Health issues were cropping up, and the band found themselves cutting concerts short, or cancelling parts of tours outright. That being said, the band was still capable of making music, and on the 28th of August of last year, Bad Magic was released. The recording sessions of this album were a bit different from before, as drummer Mikkey Dee said in a interview:
“..this time we were in a recording studio writing the album and all playing it together, actually. Before, we used to be in a rehearsal studio, write the songs and then we'd go in and record it one at a time, but here we kind of recorded it live, right away, as we had the song. We used to write very spontaneous, and this is probably even more spontaneous than any [previous] Motörhead [album]. But we really do enjoy the album. And it's a very live, very spontaneous record. I think that works best for us..”
Lemmy had a different view of things, saying that the whole album wasn’t recorded live, but did about 5 tracks together, so that part of it was true. Reception for Bad Magic was generally well received, getting a 80 out of 100 over on metacritic. Commercially, the album premiered at no. 35 on the Billboard 200 (Along at no. 2 on the Hard Rock Albums chart & no. 5 on the Rock Albums chart), selling 10,325 copies in it’s first week. By June of this year, it sold 36,000 copies in the US alone.
Three reviewers in particular had good things to say about Bad Magic. Chad Bowar of Loudwire wrote that the songs on the album had a “timeless sound, meaning that listeners wouldn't know if they were written during the year the album was released or in the early '80s”. Ray Van Horn Jr from Blabbermouth.net, noted that with Bad Magic, given Lemmy's health problems:
“..[they're] on the verge of what might be [their] swan song...[Lemmy] exhibits the vocal wear and tear of a man whose long-beaten, gravelly pipes are betraying him due to a natural aging process..”
Ray goes on to say:
“..Lemmy is a freak of nature, and it's great to hear him ralph, croon and snarl with a give-a-damn will to live—you're a total piece of crap if you knock a guy who has given us his all for decades.”
Finally, Sean Barry of Consequence of Sound points to the song, "Till the End", and writes that:
“..here the frontman relates his story and woes in some rundown pub on the outskirts of town. It also finds Lemmy coming to terms with who he is, and despite all his flaws, pledging to continue living as he has through the remainder of his life. And while the 70 years of said hell-raising show in the way he slightly slurs his vocals, he’s just as virile and robust as he was on Overkill..”
He ends the review, saying:
“..'Bad Magic' feels ancestral; you can feel it in your blood and in your bones. Even for those new to Motörhead, the album will have the power to recharge your love for all things rock ‘n’ roll. As a band that’s been around for generations, Motörhead isn’t just hanging around trying to keep themselves relevant. They’re partying until the sun goes out and celebrating their own immortality..”
Background (Personal)
So this is the part of the review were things git a bit personal, as it obviously states.....please bear that in mind when I repeat that things are gonna get a little rough.
My history with Motörhead is....interesting to say the least. Probably like a huge chunk of people, we are only familiar with Ace of Spades the song, and that’s all we listened to. I was definitely one of those people, and it would be this way for a pretty long time. Flash forwards to the 16th of December, 2014, when metal hipster & future Trump cultist Razorfist released his original Metal Mythos episode on Motörhead, and like almost all of this series he released, it illuminated my metallic tastes. I already knew who the band was despite my incredibly limited knowledge, but after watching I had to finally began diving into the group’s iconic discography. I definitely dipped my toes into the pool, but it wouldn’t be until a year later that I finally dived in.
By the time the summer of 2015 rolled by, previews & singles for Bad Magic began popping up on Youtube, and for the first time ever I took genuine notice. I love all of the singles (More on that in a bit), and it was interesting to see what was happening behind the scenes. September of that year comes by, and I decided to give it a listen to. It was good. Damn good, in fact. For the first time ever, I finally understood why Motörhead was such an important household name, and for the first time I became a legitimate fan of these titans. Christmas of that year comes around, and what do I find in my pile of gifts? Bad Magic! In fact, it was the special edition release (The one with the extra art & the alternative cover), and once the festivities died down I promptly put it in my CD player, and enjoyed every single note.
Tragically, that would be one of the few times I ever genuinely listened to Bad Magic in it’s entirety, as just 3 short days afterwards Lemmy Kilmister would pass away due to cardiac arrhythmia & congestive heart failure, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer (He found out about it on the 24th if I recall correctly). I felt devastated, as it came across like losing a brand new best friend, and this feeling was even worse when Phil Taylor died a month prior. Ever since then, this reluctant final album is a hard pill to swallow for me. I can listen to a few songs just fine, but I’ve only ever managed to listen to Bad Magic once since then (Sometime in 2018 if I recall correctly). As great as this album is, I find it too emotionally difficult to listen to all the way through. Regardless, I was glad I got into these legends, and despite their ascension into the afterlife, I will keep the torch aloft until my dying days!
Basic Description
The best damn thing they’ve ever made.
What Innuendo is to Queen, Bad Magic is to Motörhead. Out of everything in their entire discography, this is the ultimate Motörhead album. This is the album where everybody came together, and delivered what is the strongest release in their entire career. Stronger than Ace of Spades. Stronger than Sacrifice. Stronger than Inferno, and even stronger than Aftershock from 2013. This is the definitive Motörhead album. Newer fans (Like myself back in 2014/2015) will get pulled in, and older fans will find the music to be reassuring in terms of quality and style. I do find the album a bit of an emotional soulcrusher at times, but given the state of the band’s iconic frontman, I can give said soulcrushing a big pass.
Best Track
Like I said in 2016, Thunder & Lightning is best damn thing on Bad Magic. The modern day spiritual successor to the legendary Ace of Spades, this blistering opener never lets up with the speed. From beginning to end, Motörhead takes you on a fast & wicked ride that never lets up, as their mastery of Speed Metal is highly evident from beginning to end. If you’re not ready for it, then this track will hit you with the force of a storm!
Thunder & Lightning
Then of course there’s the ode to the grim reaper that is When The Sky Comes Looking For You. Even if Lemmy wasn’t going to die, and even if Bad Magic ultimately wasn’t going to be their last album, something about this song just gives off the indication that perhaps things were going to end. Lemmy was going to pass on, and Motörhead would eventually be no more. If this was to be the eventual case, then things are going to end in the most badass way possible! The guitarwork is sublime, the bass just grabs you, the drums are pounding, and it’s all tied together with Lemmy’s signature crooning. If there was ever a way for a band as legendary as Motörhead to go out on, it would be this tune.
When The Sky Comes Looking For You
Even taking these two songs into consideration, virtually everything on Bad Magic is fantastic. Despite having some critical health issues, Lemmy is really giving his all on this record. From his voice to his basswork, he can still create some kickass music well into the 2010s. Phil Campbell and Mickey Dee are no slouches in their own right, as the guitar and drumwork respectively sound perhaps of the highest quality that’s ever come from the Motörhead camp. Definitely the best from the best!
Worst Track
Like I said back in 2016, the only flaw to Bad Magic is that it doesn’t do anything new. If anything, it feels like a release that just shows off what the band was known for. Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Hard Rock, Rock n Roll, Blues, etc. Just shows off what they were known for, and doesn’t really rock the boat. Looking back in hindsight, and taking Lemmy’s health into consideration, it’s understandable why Motörhead didn’t go down a different path when making the album. Still, for some longtime fans of the group looking for Lemmy & the gang doing something different.....they’ll possibly go somewhere else.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:
Bad Magic
Overall Impression & Rating
If Dead Again would ultimately be the reluctant final release from Type-O Negative, then Bad Magic is the same thing for Motörhead. Even if it wasn’t the case & Ian didn’t die, this record is perhaps one of the most badass releases of the prior decade! As heavy as it is, the album also acts as a gateway into the mind & thoughts of one of Heavy Metal’s most enduring titans, not to mention the emotions of said titan. Lemmy, if you somehow have a computer up in Heavy Metal Heaven, and you just so happen to be reading this, then I just want to say one thing.....thanks!
Bad Magic gets a 10 out of 10. No iffs, ands, or butts about it!
Now my posts for the month are truly done. 2020 was an absolute dumpster of a year, but maybe.....just maybe.....the years to come might not be so bad. I’ll be back in a few days to kick off 2021, as I really need a break. See you soon in the next year!
***
If you’d like to see my original review of Bad Magic, then click on the link below:
Album Review - Motörhead’s Bad Magic (Original)
Also, part of the “Background” section was taking from the original review.
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