Motörhead - Snake Bite Love
1998 CMC

Track Listing:
1.  Love For Sale
2.  Dogs Of War
3.  Snake Bite Love
4.  Assassin
5.  Take The Blame
6.  Dead And Gone
7.  Night Side
8.  Don't Like To Me
9.  Joy Of Labour
10. Desperate For You
11. Better Off Dead

Line-Up:
Vocals:  Lemmy Kilmister
Guitar:  Phil Campbell
Bass:  Lemmy Kilmister
Drums:  Mikkey Dee

Website:  www.imotorhead.com

Horatio's Rating:  B
Overall Rating:  B

Also be sure to read:
Motörhead - Bastards by Shev
Motörhead - Inferno by Horatio
Motörhead - What's Words Worth? by Shev
Boetz - Call To Arms by Horatio (Lemmy guest appearance)
King Diamond - Abigail by Uncle Meat (Mikkey Dee)

Horatio's Review:
Most would concede that Motörhead's glory years were the 1977-82 'Fast' Eddie Clark and 'Philthy Animal' Taylor era, a point I would have to disagree with.  1991's '1916' and '92's 'March Or Die' were positively dire and it seemed the band was done, with no new ideas or heaviness.  Starting with '93's 'Bastards', Motörhead seemed to breathe a new life, finding new purpose, a point reinforced by 1995's 'Sacrifice', to this day the heaviest recording by the aging punsters.  '96's 'Overnight Sensation' was equally as accomplished, and combined with 'Snake Bite Love' made for more compelling listening than 'Overkill', 'Bomber' or 'Ace Of Spades'.  A review I read of 'Snake Bite Love' suggested if you 'enjoy the less heavier side of Motörhead then this album is for you'.  I know what he means as there are one or two too many slower tracks, but it's still heavy for the most part.  Maybe it should have been a six song EP.

There's a tremendous mixture of musical ideas floating around, ranging from the true metal of 'Dogs Of War' and 'Assassin' to rock and roll influenced cuts like the title track and 'Don't Lie To Me', which adds the always welcome sax.  Every Motörhead release contains at least one full throttle thrasher, the choice selection here 'Take The Blame'.  It's highly doubtful there were many other 53 year olds at the time recording material tougher than Lemmy, although it has to be said that in 2004 at the age of 59 his schtick's wearing a bit thin.  Motörhead's good run continued through 2000's 'We Are Motörhead', but came to an end somewhat with 2002's 'Hammered', a passable album but not quite as raw and addictive as the five before it.  Considering the glut of Motörhead albums out there - endless compilations, bootleg quality live albums, etc...this is highly recommended as an alternative.  It's better than 'Rock 'N' Roll' anyway.

Song summaries include...

1. Love For Sale - Rather ordinary rocker about sex toys sent through the mail.  Quite AC/DC-like, even the lyrics, 'shoot your shot, shoot the moon' or 'rip it up, rip it out, feels so good, in and out, real earthshaker'.  It sounds funnier when Brian Johnson does it.  It only occurred to me how much of a rip off the opening riff is of Van Halen's version of 'You Really Got Me'.  B

2. Dogs Of War - Hard as nails, revisiting the sound that originated on 'Sacrifice', especially the great muddy guitar tone.  Quality metal that puts 1998-era Maiden somewhat to shame.  A

3. Snake Bite Love - Lemmy's love for old fashioned rock and roll shines again.  A bouncy rhythm carries this along nicely.  B+

4. Assassin - It's appropriate this is another quality metal cut as with a title like that anything else would have been a letdown.  A strange drum breakdown ensues three quarters in, utilizing the conga with some crazed riffing to compliment it.  A job well done.  A

5. Take The Blame - It appears every Motörhead album must contain at least one relentless variant of thrash, this the inclusion here.  As always they succeed.  Jon Lord guests on organ.  A

6. Dead And Gone - Ballad-like, continuing in the vein of the style begun on '1916', an awful album.  Worth a couple of listens but that's it.  C

7. Night Side - Faster, but monotonous melodically.  Sounds like an afterthought, as if they decided 'hey we need one more fast 'un'.  C

8. Don't Lie To Me - Maybe Motörhead should stick exclusively to rock and roll as they seem more at home with that than more predictable material.  In reality a rewrite of 95's 'Don't Waste Your Time', but considering how great that was, it's easily handled.  B+

9. Joy Of Labour - I'm starting to have second thoughts about the majority of this album.  Plodding at best.  At least 'Ironfist' was constantly fast even if every song sounded the same.  It's funny how after several years of inactivity an album isn't how you remembered it.  C

10. Desperate For You - Opening with the same intro as 'Love For Sale' here we have another retread of the slowly bothersome rock and roll meets metal fusion.  'Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.  But it can be arranged' sings Lemmy.  D

11. Better Off Dead - I've gone right off this.  It's almost as fast as 'Take The Blame' but without certain elements.  Simply put, it's boring.  D

Horatio's Rating:  B

Discography (last updated 6.12.06):
Motörhead - 1977
Bomber - 1979
On Parole - 1979
Overkill - 1979
Ace Of Spades - 1980
Beer Drinkers EP - 1980
The Golden Years EP - 1980
Great Pleasure EP - 1981
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith - 1981
Iron Fist - 1982
Stand By Your Man EP - 1982
Another Perfect Day - 1983
Beer Drinkers - 1983
What's Words Worth? - 1983
No Remorse - 1984
The Best Of Motörhead - 1984
Anthology - 1985
Born To Lose - 1985
Orgasmatron - 1986
Eat The Rich EP - 1987
Rock 'N' Roll - 1987
The Collection - 1987
No Sleep At All - 1988
Blitzkrieg On Birmingham '77 - 1989
Dirty Love - 1989
Ironstrike - 14 Rock Hard Hits - 1989
Best 20 - 1990
Best Of The Rest Of Motörhead - 1990
From The Vaults - 1990
Lock Up Your Daughters - 1990
The Birthday Party Album - 1990
Welcome To The Bear Trap - 1990
1916 - 1991
Angel City And Other Cities Live 1991 - 1916 EP - 1991
Grind Ya Down - 1991
Headbangers - 1991
Live 1983 - 1991
Meltdown box - 1991
'92 Tour EP - 1992
Castle Masters Collection - 1992
Jailbait - 1992
March Or Die - 1992
The Best Of - 1992
Ace Of Spades (compilation) - 1993
All The Aces:  The Best Of Motörhead - 1993
Bastards - 1993
The Best Of Motörhead - 1993
Aces High - 1994
Best Of, Vol. 2 - 1994
Fistful Of Aces:  The Best Of Motörhead - 1994
Iron Fist & The Hordes From Hell - 1994
Live At Brixton '87 - 1994
Sacrifice - 1995
The Rock History - 1995
Ultimate Metal - 1995
Fast, Loose & Live! - 1996
Overnight Sensation - 1996
Archive - 1997
King Biscuit Flower Hour - 1997
Protect The Innocent - 1997
Rock Masterpiece - 1997
Stone Dead Forever - 1997
Take No Prisoners - 1997
Snake Bite Love - 1998
The Best Of - Deaf Forever - 1998
The Early Years - 1998
The Singles Collection:  The Bronze Years 1978 - 1984 - 1998
Today:  The Encore Collection - 1998
Ace Of Spades (compilation) - 1999
Born To Lose, Live To Win - 1999
The Golden Years - The Alternate Versions - 1999
Everything Louder Than Everyone Else - 1999
Motörhead (compilation) - 2000
Over The Top:  The Rarities - 2000
The Best Of - 2000
The Best Of EP - 2000
The Chase Is Better Than The Catch:  The Singles A's & B's - 2000
We Are Motörhead - 2000
Bite The Bullet - 2001
Aces - 2002
Extended Versions - 2002
Hammered - 2002
No Class - 2002
Shoot You In The Back - The Early Years - 2002
Speed Not Comfort - 2002
Tales Of Sin - 2002
Tear Ya Down:  The Rarities - 2002
The Bronze Age box - 2002
The Very Best Of Motörhead - 2002
Hellraiser - Best Of The Epic Years - 2003
Live At Brixton Academy - 2003
Rock Classix - 2003
Stone Deaf Forever box - 2003
The Complete Best Of Motörhead - 2003
Inferno - 2004
BBC Live & In-Session - 2005
Essential Noize:  The Very Best Of - 2005