Bad Magic – Victory on the Lightning’s End

Surprise! It’s time to hop aboard the Motörizer once again! I’ve been wanting to do this one for a while, just like the last album I did by this band, I was so excited to begin and I can tell you I’m once again full of energy about this one.

Many fans see this album as bittersweet because it was released a few months before Lemmy passed away, but he was a man who kept going until his last breath. Not many people can do that these days. Motörhead was a band that concluded on a strong note and this album proves it!

Every time I start writing these, my fangirling goes into overdrive! Even if a band splits for whatever reason, the music never dies so let’s go!

Victory Or Die

Hell yeah! Who needs a prelude when you can jump right into it with a badass riff and beat? That’s exactly what this song has. Even though the band has aged, they have not lost their sound and this is exactly what I want to be able to blast in my own car someday.

Another great solo too from Phil and the bridge proves why Mikkey is one of the best drummers ever, of course, I love Philthy Animal too, (and I miss Fast Eddie) but it shows that no matter what your preference in band members, every single of one of them is a badass.

Thunder & Lightning

When I listen to this song, I just want to jump and dance in my room with no care in the world! Yeah, Lemmy was close to the end when he recorded all these songs in this album with his band mates, but he still sounds like he’s barely aged. He wanted to be remembered and rocked out until he dropped and this song proves it in every way of its sound.

I also imagine my OC from my RE8 fanfiction struggling with her inner demons when I listen to this, she hates what she’s become due to her powers and can’t seem to control it, giving into fear, just like Elsa, and this song feels almost like a power struggle even if it’s meant to be something upbeat! Either way, I love it.

Fire Storm Hotel

It’s not easy reviewing Motörhead songs because they go by so quickly for being under four minutes! Anyway, this one took a couple listen to really grow on me, but I think I love it.

It’s not as fast as the last two but it this is the type of traditional hard rock that I love, a good steady beat and you can still headbang to it. Now I really wish I saw this band live when I had the chance, and songs like this proves that my generation needs to listen to more music like this, because in a couple of decades, or less than that, it could be forgotten. Hell, I’ve already met people younger than me who don’t know these guys, it’s outrageous. Lemmy sounds very hoarse in this one, but you got to love the drums in this one, go Mikkey!

Shoot Out All of Your Lights

What sort of lights are we talking about here? Ah, it doesn’t matter, this song is epic, well haven’t I said that about every song so far on this album.

I should really play this album on my speaker and hear how great the quality is. This is definitely a good song to jump about to, you can tell the band put every last breath they had (literally and figuratively) into this album. Lemmy knew his time was coming, so he’s like hey let’s make this album as powerful as we can make it. This song, especially its solo just proves that they were successful.

The Devil

I like the intro to this one, but the only part that really shines is the chorus with its unique beat which has a rhythm to it that I enjoy, it reminds me of a song by Helloween that takes a similar approach. It’s a pretty average song, but that’s all it really is.

Maybe it just has to grow on me, although it doesn’t take long for any Motorhead song to do so because the guitar and bass solos always win my over. If this was played live, the chorus would certainly make the audience chant along. Look into the face of death, right now, another song that was definitely written emphasizing that Lemmy always preached about not being afraid of death, there was no point fearing something inevitable.

Electricity

A lyric video was released for this song, I wasn’t a fan of it but it’s a solid song, more upbeat than dark like its predecessor. It could be a good theme for my Resident Evil OC but I think I’m already on the brink of choosing something else!

I don’t love this song but it’s still pretty good.

Evil Eye

A track where the drumming is strong, another song about something evil, whether it’s the devil or anyone who is evil. Well what have we here Lemmy? Getting experimental with your voice again? I’m reminded of Claw from the last Motörhead album I reviewed. I worried at this point because while this song is okay, the album had a really strong intro and we get to this group of songs that don’t impress me as much.

It’s a song that goes by quickly before I can form an opinion even though its predecessor is actually a few seconds shorter.

Teach Them How To Bleed

For anyone who doesn’t know them, you know why these guys are one of the loudest bands on the planet? Because of one simple reason I can fathom, Lemmy basically plays bass as if it were lead guitar, and you add that with the guy who is the actual guitarist and the drums and you’ve got Motorhead! If you can’t handle that, you must either be too old or sensitive!

This is a modern track that could introduce any Metalhead to these guys that gives a sensation of nostalgia towards one of their biggest songs from the past and that’s how I can best describe it. I mean, well I shouldn’t say that for just this one, because the band has always stuck to their roots and everything past and present is great, but I don’t know this song does make me think back to the other two albums I’ve written about and how far they’ve come since then.

Till The End

I can see why my friend loves this song the most on this album, it’s a beautiful ballad without completely forsaking the signature heavy melodic sound. Oh Lemmy, you struck an arrow in my heart with your voice here, I never thought I’d fall in love with you but I have. These lyrics are so powerful too like they are about how he has lived his life and was satisfied with it as he reached the end. He didn’t care about the choices he made, in some people’s eyes they weren’t the best ones, but he did what he wanted to do.

Aside from that, I just love every single aspect of the sound this song has and there are so many important messages it delivers in the lyrics to inspire me to live my life to the fullest.

That is what this song feels like when I listen to it, it makes me just place my hands on my heart, and melt into pudding in a bowl.

Tell Me Who To Kill

And we’re back to the traditional sound again. This one is pretty solid but if I was to pick between this one and another song that I liked but didn’t love, I would probably pick something else because this one definitely still has to grow.

It seems the majority of the songs under three minutes on this album just don’t do it for me, I don’t think the duration have anything to do with it, it’s just a coincidence.

Choking On Your Screams

Ooh, this sounds like Orgasmatron all over again with the vocals and a similar sound. I think this would sound good in a horror movie don’t you think?

It’s a pretty cool song, with a dark tone and I enjoy that. I can picture Ormagöden rising from below Earth when I listen to this and roaring towards a crowd ripping those to shreds who aren’t worthy of serving him. Well I believe in rock n’ roll, it’s the only religion that’ll never let you down as Lemmy said (how does he do that with his voice in this track? How many Jack Daniels did he chug before recording this or how many cigarettes?), so I live to serve you Ormagöden, I won’t be dying choking on my screams!

When The Sky Comes Looking For You

Hell yeah, one last powerful track before we get to this album’s closure! I love the beat and the riff of it from beginning to end, it grew on me halfway through when I listened to it for the first time.

I imagine myself flying through the clouds and up into the stratosphere in the middle of the thunderstorm as I listen to it, but I doubt I will sing it in my dreams. That’s okay, even if it plays in the background, that’s okay too. Awesome song for sure, it’s so powerful like thunder crashing across the sky!

Sympathy For the Devil (Cover)

So, we are closing this off with, surprise, a cover of a famous Stones song. I was not expecting this, I at first thought it was going to be their own song but with the same name. But now I know that the Rolling Stones were definitely influential to Motörhead when they were starting out, this could be a final ode to how they have been inspired by them right?

Everyone knows this song, so there isn’t much else I can say, but it’s a pretty solid cover. HammerFall covered The Knack’s My Sharona so this isn’t the first time I’ve heard a rock/metal band cover a classic rock song and it sounds heavier.

So what are my final thoughts? Well, I didn’t love every single song, but who cares when the whole album sounds badass from start to finish I loved more than half of the songs anyway! It’s a fantastic and powerful album that proves the band played their final notes with a bang.

It also proves that even with the band gone, more people should continue to listen to them. Why stop just because they’re no longer around? The music lives forever!

Anyway, here are my favourite songs: