Back in 2006, Motörhead were still a force to be reckoned with. While record sales were nowhere near their heyday, they could still sell out mid-sized venues all over Europe, and the quality of their material was arguably even better than the classic “Three Amigos” lineup.

For me, the Lemmy/Campbell & Dee line-up is the best. The albums came thick and fast, but never compromised on quality. I believe that Cameron Webb was the only producer who truly nailed the true Motörhead sound in the studio. As Lemmy would always argue, the band were so much more than Ace of Spades.

Kiss of Death is one of my favourite Motörhead albums. Alongside Motorizer (2008), The World is Yours (2010), Aftershock (2013) and their final album Bad Magic (2015), Motörhead left us with some superb records that are still on heavy rotation at Kendrick towers. We get a fantastic 20th anniversary reissue here with a bonus live set from 2007’s Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands. Also included is the band’s Grammy-winning version of Metallica’s Whiplash.

Tracks like Sucker, Devil I Know, Trigger and the crunch-filled classic Be My Baby are slick, well-written and superbly performed. Lemmy’s growl had been perfected by this time, and his rasping, breathy delivery is superb. The recent, sudden passing of guitar wizard Phil Campbell reminds us just how much he contributed to Motorhead. There are some superb riffs on display all over Kiss of Death. RIP Phil. Drummer Mikkey Dee plays his arse off as ever, the thunderous double bass barrages propelled Motorhead into another league when Lemmy finally persuaded him to join in 1992. We also get their frantic tribute to Johnny, Joey, Deedee and Tommy – R.A.M.O.N.E.S. The track was always a live highlight.

The live set captures the dirty, greasy power of Motörhead . We get a great variation of the different eras of Motörhead . Snaggletooth, Stay Clean, Ace of Spades, Metropolis, Killed By Death, Over the Top and I Got Mine all sit perfectly with newer material like Be My Baby and In the Name of Tragedy.

BMG have done a fantastic job with the expanded versions on both CD and LP. The liner notes from Dave Ling are an interesting read, and I can’t wait to get my physical copy. Go and blast some of the band’s later albums. You can thank me later.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick