Bastards

by Ed RivadaviaAfter doing the unthinkable (selling out!) on their commercially minded -- and only -- major-label release March or Die, underground heroes Motörhead thankfully returned to a more familiar sonic formula (extremely loud and fast) on the excellent Bastards. Gloriously distorted thrashers such as "On Your Feet or on Your Knees" and "Death or Glory" set the pace, and "Born to Raise Hell" is undoubtedly one of the band's greatest latter-day classics. As usual, major departures such as the acoustic-driven and socially conscious "Don't Let Daddy Kiss Me" stick out like a sore thumb, but the more balanced "Lost in the Ozone" (some acoustic, but also lots of noise) is a pleasant surprise. Though it is often overlooked, this album remains one of the band's strongest releases in the '90s.