1980's Ace of Spades was the album that put Motörhead on the top of the heavy metal heap, albeit for a brief length of time. The band's raw sound was still in place, but the anthemic title track broke the band through to a broader audience; the single reached the British Top 20, while the album... [+] Expand

1980's Ace of Spades was the album that put Motörhead on the top of the heavy metal heap, albeit for a brief length of time. The band's raw sound was still in place, but the anthemic title track broke the band through to a broader audience; the single reached the British Top 20, while the album peaked at number four on the charts. The trio couldn't have picked a better time to issue their best studio album yet, as England was in the midst of a massive heavy metal movement -- bands such as Australia's AC/DC and Judas Priest had released big albums, while newcomers such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard were making a big splash as well. As with 1979's Overkill, Lemmy and company had issued another extremely consistent album -- while tracks such as "(We Are) The Road Crew" and "The Hammer" would become instant concert standards, such lesser-known titles as "Shoot You in the Back," "Jailbait," and the brief "Bite the Bullet" are all standouts as well. Unfortunately, Ace of Spades would prove to be original lineup's last classic studio album; Lemmy would be the only original member remaining by 1984. [The Castle reissue included three bonus tracks, including B-side "Dirty Love" and a Top Five collaboration with the U.K. all-female metal band Girlschool, "Please Don't Touch."] ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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