Motörhead - Aftershock

Aftershock is late-period Motörhead at full volume, the 2013 album that proved Lemmy, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee still had plenty of fight left.

The band's 21st studio album was produced by Cameron Webb, who had also manned the desk for their previous four records, and it was tracked across several Southern California studios. Arriving in a year when Lemmy's health had made headlines, it answered any doubters with fourteen tracks of tough, no-nonsense rock and roll.

Heartbreaker kicks the door in with classic Motörhead momentum, all rumbling bass and rapid-fire drums. Lost Woman Blues slows things to a smoky, swaggering crawl that shows off the band's deep blues roots, while Crying Shame, released as a single, leans into their lifelong love of vintage rock and roll.

Campbell's guitar work is sharp and muscular throughout, and Dee's drumming gives even the mid-paced songs a relentless forward drive. Over the top, Lemmy's gravel-throated bark sounds as defiant as ever, every line delivered with the conviction of a man who never once considered slowing down.

As the penultimate studio album released in Lemmy's lifetime, Aftershock carries extra weight today. It is a reminder that Motörhead never softened with age, and it deserves a place on the shelf beside their more celebrated classics.