Black Ice by AC/DC

Think it is going to be the case that Black Ice will be AC/DC's best album. As well as a brilliant bunch of songs a major factor has to be the production of the AC/DC sound by Brendan O'Brien who also happened to produce Magic by The Boss, quite possibly for me the best album of 2007. On Black Ice O'Brien firmly nails the snare drum perfectly, a pivotal part of the back bone of the AC/DC sound. Yes, wherever you happen to be, in whatever song, the snare of Phil Rudd is exactly where it should be in the mix, elevated but not too high, crisp but not too hard. Song after song it is simply as solid as a rock, clear as a hell's bell, powering the juggernaut on.

For me Black Ice really opens up and hits full stride by the time we reach the sixth song, Smash and Grab, it is classic AC/DC and it is followed by the equally good Spoiling for a Fight featuring some wicked snake handling guitar from Angus Young. Stormy May Day features some dual slide guitar from the Young brothers, giving us a hint of what might have been if, earlier in their history, AC/DC had decided to seriously depart from their template sound. It is a tremendous song, Brian Johnson sounding at times like Robert Plant and therefore reinforcing the Led Zep comparisons due to the slide also bringing back memories of In My Time of Dying fom their 1975 classic Physical Graffiti. She Loves Rock and Roll is another brilliant song, and if you listen to it on the cans then pay attention to the overdubbed Brian Johnson vocal during the chorus which O'Brien turns into an awesome echo effect coming out of the back of the left speaker. Tremendous, an album high point.

The slower Rock and Roll Dream again offers us hints of what the winds of change might have blown into the universe of AC/DC if they had written songs like this about 25 years ago. When the chrous comes in it is backed up by terrific rip roaring dual guitar work by the Young brothers and again O'Brian pulls out the punches with his production as Brian Johnson's repeated deep water towards the end of the song mesmerises until the whole thing disappears in a cross wired fade out that leaves you gasping. The final track is the title track and it is nothing less than a statement of lethal intent, when Brian Johnson sings I’ll kick, I creep crawl down your street, and gouge your eyes out, you better believe it. AC/DC are back after 8 years. They have never sold their souls to the life degrading digital age, their sound is glorious and their integrity is unquestionable. Pure rock n roll. Pure.