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38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rock N' Roll...with an edge, 10 Oct 2008
Rock N' Roll...with an edge
With an 8 year absence of any new studio recording AC/DC fans have had to make do with DVD's of rare footage, most of which your average hardcore AC/DC fan already has. To hear Black Ice is refreshing. For a while Aussie unknowns, Airbourne, were taking over the kings of Aussie pub rock. Not now.
Black Ice has the usual riffs, drumbeats, heavy bass lines and screeching vocals that accompany any AC/DC record, production wise it's infallible, Brendan O'Brien did a great job and deserves a mention as do the vocals of Brian Johnson.
Track by track
1: Rock N Roll Train.
Released a few weeks ago as a single, typical AC/DC, simple and foot stomping. By no means the strongest cut on the album but for marketing 'Rock N' Roll train will probably see shops stocking miniature trains with the AC/DC logo emblazoned on the side. Hey, I'm a cynic.
2: Skies On Fire
The harmony in this is what one would expect of Cliff and Malcolm, 'SKIES ON FYYYYY YERRRR'. A mid-tempo beat which kind of gets going as it approaches its end. Brian excels with the vocals with Phil keeping things tight behind the skins.
3: Big Jack
This oozes rhythm, almost like a train rolling along, touches of Rock N' Roll Damnation. An anthemic chorus that the kids [40 years plus] will love to sing along to at the up and coming gigs.
4: Anything Goes
There are a lot of hardcore fans I know that are kind of split with this song. Personally, I think it's the best on the album. It's AC/DC meets Nazareth meets The Darkness meets 80's rock. Brian sings along Springsteen [Born in the USA] style while Phil beats the skins. It has a good feel factor about it and for some reason a Christmassy type of feel to it. Many will want to play it over and over, some will want to skip it after it's first listen. I like it... I like it a lot.
5: War Machine
Surprisingly short in length but none the less a fairly decent song. Starts off moody and builds up momentum as it steams along. Malcolm holds things together whilst Cliff picks away. The guitar work of Angus along with Brian's vocals make this a definite inclusion in any set list... Maybe the strip routine halfway through?
6: Smash N Grab
Great harmonies once again from Cliff and Malcolm, Brendan O'Brien seems to enjoy getting the backing vocals right throughout this album. It has a catchy chorus: "SMASH, GRAB AND TAKE IT". Yeh, I'll take it thank you very much.
7: Spoilin' For A Fight
Pure AC/DC, This is what they are all about. 'Shot of Love' + 10. I tend to follow Malcolm whenever I listen to AC/DC albeit on my air Gretsch. Things are picking up now on this album.
8: Wheels
Oh my! Add a piano and some brass to this little beauty and you have a masterpiece. Of course I jest, I don't think AC/DC would ever go down that route but close your eyes for a second and you can hear a piano and a fanfare of trumpets blow in appraisal of this killer track. How do the Young brothers come up with such great, yet simple riffs?
9: Decibel
Hmmm, really not sure about this one. For me, it doesn't really get going. It's not weak and certainly not a filler. Maybe it is positioned wrong on the album? Some great guitar work from Angus but it loses pace for me midway through.
10: Stormy May Day
There was a lot of talk before the 'unofficial' launch of this album via torrent sites that Angus used slide on one of the songs. This is the song, although it's not spectacular slide, it is a change for Angus Young. Imagine the mood of 'Badlands' from 'Flick of the Switch'
11: She Likes Rock N Roll
Who invented the term 'Rock N' Roll'? They should have trademarked the term, they would have made a tidy sum of money from AC/DC. Not one of my favorites though the chant in the middle is 'interesting'
12: Money Made
One has to look [listen] past the vocals of Brian to hear the genius of the Young brothers on this track. Psychic, they really work off each other on this piece. I don't know what Brendan O'Brien said to them when they laid this down but whatever it was, it worked. A song to drool over.
13: Rock N Roll Dream
Starts off very slow, unusual for a song with 'Rock N' Roll' in its title. Anyone who said Brian Johnson cannot carry a tune, listen to the opening sequence. It moves from slow to upbeat to slow to upbeat. Hard to fully let yourself go and almost definitely not one for the set-list.
14: Rocking All The Way
Ah, keep smoking those cigarettes Brian, the gravel voice at the start of this track more or less tells you what you are in for. Jump aboard the Malcolm Young showboat. This little baby rolls and is infectious. Slightly repetitive chorus line but hey, that's AC/DC.
15: Black Ice
Kept thinking of Blackmore's Rainbow when I first heard this track... until I heard Angus. To be honest, a bands title track should be remembered. 'Highway to Hell', 'Back in Black', 'Let There Be Rock' etc. Black Ice, the track, can't stand next to any of the aforementioned. Sadly, this is the one filler on what is otherwise an enjoyable album.
8.5/10
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54 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
black ice, 17 Sep 2008
Track listing (since Amazon hasn't provided one)
1. Rock 'n Roll Train
2. Skies On Fire
3. Big Jack
4. Anything Goes
5. War Machine
6. Smash N Grab
7. Spoilin' For A Fight
8. Wheels
9. Decibel
10. Stormy May Day
11. She Likes Rock N Roll
12. Money Made
13. Rock N Roll Dream
14. Rocking All The Way
15. Black Ice
This album sounds like classic ACDC and the limited edition's only difference with the normal copy of B;ack Ice is it's solid case and 30 page booklet of pictures
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Boys Are Back, 22 Oct 2008
For those of you who are huge ac/dc fans you know the score, for those who arent let me explain. ac/dc pump out straight forward hard rock, no ballads, no epic ten minute journeys just foot stomping rock. The cliche you could most associate with ac/dc is "if aint broke don't fix it" and with Black Ice the boys have certainly not tried to "fix" anything.
Black Ice provides fans with another solid performance, 15 fantastic songs with some real standouts along the way. Obviously for those of you who believed ac/dc died with bon scott then dont buy this brian hasnt suddenly turned into the late legend and theres no point in buying it just to criticise as one review on here obviously has. However for those of you with sense Black Ice should be a proud addition to the collection.
.The opening track, also the single "rock n roll train" is a classic DC sing along with a solid riff as always from the youngs.
."skies on fire" follows the single and keeps the albums rhythm, and its chorus is somewhat reminiscent of "rising power" from flick of the switch.
."Big Jack" sits third in the set list and gives the album a bit of groove that is so well executed on songs like "money talks" and "you shook me all night long", a fantastic track.
.Next up is "anything goes", this is a catchy trakc that almost has a jingle, one review suggests it has a christmas fell and I can see where there comeing from, its another solid track and keeps the album pumping.
.Next is "war machine", a great opening build up leading to a great track reminiscent of the razors edge track "if you dare"
.Folling that we have "smash 'n' grab", this is another track with a great sing along chorus with some classic dc guitar work from the youngs.
."spoiling for a fight" comes seventh, and its another soid track with a catchy riff and some great solo work from angus.
.Next up is my early favourite from the album "wheels", the chorus is fantastically catchy and the guitar work enhances the song to great hieghts, it had me singing for a while once the album had finished.
."decibel" follows, keeping the albums beat going the track has some great vocals that sit on top of a solid rhythm.
.Track 10 is "stormy may day" ac/dc explore there bluesy side more than ever before here with angus using a slide to great effect, the lyrics are catchy too.
."She likes rock n roll" comes next and its another great track, you may think im a bit biased and i suppose i may be but the album really is fantastic, brian preaches of a rockers fantasy a rock n roll loving woman.
."money made" follows, a rocking riff and more great solo work.
."rock n roll dream" is track 13, another early stand out for me a good rocking track with simple but effective lyrics.
."rocking all the way" is the penultimate track, its another bluesy oriented track with some great vocals.
.Finally we have the title track "black ice", although the song doesnt reach the heights of other title tracks from brian such as "back in black" or "for those about to rock.." but it is a great track and a solid finsh to another amazing album.
I say if you like jonnas work with the band then you cant go wrong here its an amazing album to follow up the fantastic stiff upper lip.
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