Inferno (Motörhead album)
| Inferno | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Motörhead | ||||
| Released | 22 June 2004 | |||
| Recorded | 2004 | |||
| Studio | NRG Studios, Paramount Studios & Maple Studios | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 50:58 | |||
| Label |
SPV GmbH Sanctuary |
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| Producer | Cameron Webb | |||
| Motörhead chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Terrorizer | 9/10 |
Inferno is the seventeenth studio album by the band Motörhead, released 22 June 2004, on Steamhammer, their eighth with the label. It was the second release under Sanctuary Records and their subsidiary Metal-Is in North America and certain territories.
Inferno was Motörhead's first album with Cameron Webb producing. Webb told Joel McIver of Classic Rock Presents Motörhead in 2010 that he had wanted to make an album with the band for years and met them for dinner at the Sunset Marquee to discuss the possibility of working together:
"..I talked about how I wanted to make a really heavy record with them. That was a mistake, because Lemmy likes to play rock 'n' roll — he doesn't like to play heavy music — and he called me on it.."
Nonetheless, the band and Webb decided to collaborate and eventually produced Motorhead's heaviest album in years. In an interview for the bonus Inferno DVD, drummer Mikkey Dee states that Webb:
"..pushed us a little more. He wasn't intimidated by our rock star moods.."
Vocalist and bassist "Lemmy" Kilmister adds:
"..That was a great thing, 'cause Mickey can be really intimidating and so can I, and Phil [Campbell] can be really violent.."
The band also admitted that they made Inferno the same way as all their other albums — at the last minute — by renting a big rehearsal room in Los Angeles and writing songs for about six weeks and, after a week break, recording them while they're still fresh.
The final song on the album, "Whorehouse Blues," was somewhat of a departure for the band in terms of influence. It was described as a country blues style song, and was distinguished by the playing of acoustic guitar by all three band members, with Lemmy also taking up harmonica towards the end. Mikkey Dee explained his role change from drums to guitar by saying:
"..I've been playing guitar all my life a little bit, because guitars have always been around, so it's nothing spectacular in my eyes.."
He also stated that:
"..it's quite fun to walk onstage and do that song. And we definitely surprised the audiences.."
Filming of the video was due to take place in a Stringfellow's club, but Peter Stringfellow objected to the song title and the associations it brought with it, and withdrew any involvement. With twenty-four hours left until the shoot, they found a club in Ealing.
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Wikipedia