Motörhead

The hyperkinetic gallop of the unified drums, bass and guitar of “See Me Burning” immediately establishes a tone of high-voltage, high-volume, high-velocity outlaw rock unequalled by any band. Those who know these perennial pioneers of metal won’t have any difficulty recognizing their old pals, but, as always for a new album, Lemmy and the boys (Phil Campbell, guitars, and Mikkey Dee, drums) have welded together a fine assortment of immaculately visceral, high-impact rock ‘n’ roll songs.

Lemmy’s voice, a whiskey-and-cigarette-sculpted roar, at times toned down to a passionate if world-weary croon, possesses the ability to express boundless enthusiasm and boundless resignation simultaneously. When he sings the album’s big-power-ballad lines, “And I will plead no contest/if loving you’s a crime/so go on and find me guilty/just one more fucking time,” you get the feeling he’s not kidding. And Campbell’s soaring power chords and ascending lead solo lift the moribund bass and funereal drums into the stratosphere, so basically the song delivers everything you need.

The closing, titular song is a statement of purpose and, perhaps, a bit of a warning: When Lemmy sing/shouts "We fight authority, we glorify free will," he’s expressing the heart of all genuine rock ‘n’ roll music and not so gently reminding us all that the only path to peace is the one you choose yourself.