Great Metal Albums of 1980: Motorhead- Ace of Spades

When I first started this blog, I intended it to be a trip down memory lane for old metal heads like me and a metal history lesson for younger ones. But I must admit that while I take this journey, I am learning a hell of a lot myself. Cue this album “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead. We can all be rest assured that whenever anyone mentions the name Motorhead, the obvious response is their most known song “Ace of Spades.” A few of those may know that the song was the title track for their kick ass 1980 album. What even fewer people may know was that how far ahead of their time Motorhead was in regards to heavy metal.

Why is this album so ahead of this time? The answer is quite simple: one cracking metal tune after another bombards your ear drums into submission. It’s everything that heavy metal was to become just a few short years later, it’s just that Motorhead did it first. “Ace of Spades” is loud with fast guitars, cranking solos and of course that unmistakeable voice of one Lemmy Kilmister. Every track is a celebration but the ones that stand out for me the most (other than the title track) are: “Shoot You in the Back,” “Jailbait,” “Bite the Bullet” and “The Chase is Deadlier Than the Catch.”

Track Listing:

1. Ace of Spades

2. Love Me Like a Reptile

3. Shoot You in the Back

4. Live to Win

5. Fast and Loose

6. (We Are) The Road Crew

7. Fire Fire

8. Jailbait

9. Dance

10. Bite the Bullet

11. The Chase is Deadlier Than the Catch

12. The Hammer

Motorhead

Lemmy Kilmister- bass, vocals

Fast Eddie Clark- guitar

Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor- drums

It’s a hard fact that Motorhead were the early pioneers of thrash and speed metal. Their fast, aggressive style would be copied by many a band in the mid 80s. If I had a time machine I would go way back in my archives and put them in my category of “Other Great Metal Influences” or give them an honourable mention at the very least. So, I curse myself for not hearing this great album until a few years after it’s release and even more so for not fully appreciating it for many more. “Ace of Spades” song or album represents what metal would become and what it should always be.

Next post: Judas Priest- British Steel

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