MOTORHEAD – THE WORLD IS OURS Vol 2 (Anyplace Crazy As Anywhere Else)

Shane | 24 October 2012 | Reply

Label: EMI
Released: October 2012
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8/10

From the moment the Wacken curtain drops and the crowd, shot from behind the drum riser, roar, you can feel the electricity crackle in this enormous Motorhead show from the famous Open Air Festival from August 2011.

Growling the by-now-standard “We are Motorhead – and we play rock n’ roll” by way of intro, Lemmy wastes no time launching into a searing Iron Fist with Phil Campbell and Mickey Dee barrelling along with him every inch of the way.

What follows is a lesson in How To Do It: the original speed- and JD-fuelled power trio devastate a set list of mammoth magnitude that cherry picks from old and new hits and cult faves, leaving no head unbanged. The trio rarely look at each other mid-barrage – and never miss a beat. Say what you like about longing for the “classic” line-up, but these three have been together for longer and are a far superior band.

As if this 17 track bulldoze through Stay Clean, Metropolis, The Thousand Names Of God, The Chase Is Better Than The Catch, Going To Brazil, and the closing triumvirate of Bomber, Ace Of Spades and Overkill, wasn’t enough – there’s another 6 tracks from July 2011’s Sonisphere set, and 5 more from September of that year’s Rock In Rio.

There’s repetition throughout the three sets (Killed By Death features in all three sets, and there are no songs on the latter 2 sets which aren’t also in the Wacken set list) which is a shame with such a huge catalogue, but there’s no complaints what-so-ever about the performances, or the quality of the filming or sound.

Cameras swoop and dive around the crowd and stage (courtesy of Director, Banger Films’ Scott McFadyen) making the shows look every bit as huge as they were, and you’re left with the feeling that maybe in the wake of Lemmy’s recent documentary movie and signing distro to major label EMI that his stock as metal’s elder statesman has finally been taken on board by more than just the faithful of the old school. Certainly the crowds on film here are a broad demographic and lap up every gruff grunt n’ growl, every classic riff (and that includes the more recent ones) and every wittily grumbled aside he throws at them.

Available in DVD, Blu Ray, CD and vinyl formats and different packaging (such as DVD + 2CDs), this is a Motorhead lovers dream and a great way to show those who may not be aware of the workings of the band, what they’ve been missing out on all these years!