Music review: AC/DC 鈥楻ock or Bust鈥�
It might be a long way to the top if you want to rock 鈥榥鈥� roll, but AC/DC continues to deliver gritty, fist-pounding hard rock at its absolute best.
As one of the five top-selling bands in American music history, it鈥檚 always been the band鈥檚 way or the highway. And dedicated fans know all too well exactly where that highway leads.
鈥淚n rock we trust,鈥� snarls Brian Johnson on the title track of AC/DC鈥檚 latest album 鈥淩ock or Bust.鈥� The band鈥檚 16th studio release marks the first album without founding member and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, who was forced to leave the band due to health reasons.
The band marches on with Young鈥檚 nephew Stevie Young filling in to add to the stadium-rock guitar arsenal headed by Angus Young. After producing 鈥淏lack Ice,鈥� Brendan O鈥橞rien returns to once again oversee another set of simple, straightforward, in-your-face numbers that the Australian rockers have been belting out since the explosive 鈥淭.N.T.鈥� in 1975.
After becoming a fan with 鈥淚f You Want Blood You鈥檝e Got It鈥� in 1978, I can confidently say that this latest effort is the band鈥檚 best since 1980鈥檚 鈥淏ack in Black.鈥� After comparing it to one of the band鈥檚 best albums, perhaps the only criticism I can offer up is that 鈥淩ock or Bust鈥� is AC/DC鈥檚 shortest album.
The band proves a little can go a long way with the 11 new tracks clocking in at just under 36 minutes. Johnson鈥檚 voice shines on the boisterous party anthem 鈥淏aptism by Fire鈥� and the driving 鈥淧lay Ball.鈥� 鈥淢iss Adventure鈥� sounds like an Aerosmith throwback with punches of blues and rock, while 鈥淒ogs of War鈥� continues the aggressive thread of 鈥淲ar Machine鈥� from the last album.
With AC/DC hitting the road in celebration of the band鈥檚 40th anniversary, fans will once again get the chance to proudly salute the band that simply refuses to allow a power outage.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.