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AC/DC
Black Ice
(Columbia Records)
For as long as I can remember (i.e. twenty nine years), battle-scarred Australian Hard Rock veterans AC/DC have, in one form or another, essentially epitomized the very essence of all things Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rock ‘n’ Roll-related. Forget the redundant Bon Scott/Brian Johnson ‘…who is/was the very best frontman…’ argument; regardless of who was at the helm, albums such as 1978’s Powerage, 1979’s Highway To Hell and 1980’s Back In Black helped forge the very foundations of the genre, thus paving proverbial path for the veritable tidal wave of like-minded brethren that would follow in their ever-widening wake. Not surprisingly, when I was initially approached regarding writing a review of the long-awaited (and inexplicably long-overdue) Black Ice, the group’s first collection of all new material in eight years, I was only more than happy to oblige.
On the stellar Black Ice (2008), an expertly assembled fifteen song collection of delightfully ‘no-frills’ Hard Rock, each track, beginning with the maddeningly infectious first single “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train”, and the impossibly hook-laden “Skies On Fire”, immediately commands the rapt and undivided attention of all parties involved, myself most definitely included with a seamless, mostly mid-tempo barrage of scorching vocals, searing fretwork and imaginatively punishing rhythms. Wisely attempting to recapture the improbable wizardry of 2000’s quasi-classic ‘…comeback…’ Stiff Upper Lip (or, for that matter, 1990’s multi-Platinum chart-topper The Razors Edge), the group drives home each key focal point with a feverish enthusiasm that belies their undeniably well-deserved position(s) amidst the fabled hierarchies of the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal genres.
Continuing with the relentlessly pummeling “War Machine”, and the deliciously Blues-inflected “Stormy May Day”, the steadfast combination of vocalist Brian Johnson (ex-Geordie), lead guitarist Angus Young, rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Phil Rudd steamroll ahead like the well-oiled machine they have undoubtedly always been. Effectively proving that some groups do actually improve with age, the frequently ferocious fivesome, now rapidly approaching their thirty fifth year of existence, waste little--if any--of the listener’s increasingly precious time. Charging headlong through what can only be described as a carefully chosen collection of ridiculously airtight material, the group once again pounds their ‘few unsuspecting oppressors’ into a sweat-soaked submission with a sickening, well-rehearsed ease.
Produced and mixed by a ‘…dream team…’ tandem of the acclaimed Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots) and the legendary Mike Fraser (Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe) at the now-infamous Vancouver, British Columbia-based The Warehouse Studios, other standouts, including the refreshingly thunderous, Funk-tinged “She Likes Rock ‘n’ Roll”, and the painfully stereotypical (yet adrenaline-fueled) “Rocking All The Way”, only further solidify the group’s ironclad reputation as a bona fide creative and commercial force not to be ignored. With Fraser’s refreshingly crystal clear mix deftly accentuating the group’s carefully-honed attack/delivery, the majority--if not all--of the decidedly tuneful wares contained herein, while far from revolutionary, are seemingly guaranteed to appeal to both die-hard completists and clueless newcomers alike.
Okay, okay…so it’s not Back In Black or For Those About To Rock, Part II, but then again, that’s kinda the point, now isn’t it? Even if you somehow find yourself less than enthralled with the arguably predictable paint by numbers compositional approach that has personified much of the group’s oft-coveted post-Highway To Hell era, one must, at the very least, sincerely admire the improbably long-running quintet’s already much-celebrated penchant for consistently delivering their now-trademark sound without, believe it or not, sounding forced, dated or repetitive. As a result, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of a delightfully ‘…straight up…’ detour from the mindlessly pretentious din and clatter that is so often force fed en mass, then this, my friends, might just be the high octane cure for what ails you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Discography
Black Ice (2008) *
Stiff Upper Lip (2000) *
Bonfire (Box Set) (1997) *
Ballbreaker (1995) *
Live (1992) ***
The Razors Edge (1990) ***
Blow Up Your Video (1988) **
Who Made Who (1986) */**
Fly On The Wall (1985) **
’74 Jailbreak (1984) *
Flick Of The Switch (1983) **
For Those About To Rock (1981) *
Back In Black (1980) *
Highway To Hell (1979) *
If You Want Blood You’ve Got It (1978) *
Powerage (1978) *
Let There Be Rock (1977) *
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) *
High Voltage (1975) *
* features drummer Phil Rudd
** features drummer Simon Wright
*** features drummer Chris Slade