"We are
Motoerhead
, and we're gonna kick your ass," bellows the inimitable
Lemmy Kilmister
at the beginning of this relentless live performance, and he means it.
Everything Louder Than Everyone Else
, taken from a gig in Hamburg, Germany, circa 1998, is all its title promises to be and more. Mixed unbelievably loud and in-your-face, it captures
's overwhelming live power in all its toothy glory and reflects a veteran band working at the peak of its skill. While much nostalgic mythologizing is made of
's classic early lineup (featuring
Lemmy
,
"Fast" Eddie Clarke
, and
"Philthy Animal" Taylor
), the fact is, the group has soldiered on since that incarnation and has gotten better along the way. This double-disc set focuses mainly on
's '90s output, which is astoundingly strong (much better than the band's spotty work in the '80s). One glance at the track listing proves that the group is far from resting on past glories; only a handful of songs from the band's early years -- like
"Capricorn"
and
"Metropolis"
-- appear. Instead, blistering versions of latter-day classics like
"Burner,"
"I'm So Bad, Baby I Don't Care,"
"Love for Sale"
make up the bulk of this devastating set. Fans who were disappointed by
's last official live album, the flat-sounding
No Sleep at All
(which was virtually disowned by the band), will be overjoyed with the uncompromised intensity of this album's ferocious production. Additionally,
's lineup -- featuring the fast hands and feet of drummer
Mikkey Dee
and the pile-driving guitars of
Phil Campbell
-- has been intact for longer than any other version of
, and the group's cohesion and enthusiasm is more than evident here. What's perhaps most amazing of all is that
's voice hasn't lost any of its jet-engine roar after many years' worth of use and abuse. Great liner notes, including song-by-song comments by
Lem
himself, along with testimony by fans ranging from
Joey Ramone
to
Tom Arnold
, make this record even more entertaining and essential. No
-banger should be without. ~ Andy Hinds