MOTÖRHEAD — On Parole (review)

MOTÖRHEAD — On Parole album cover Album · 1979 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Vim Fuego
It is surprising how many Motörhead fans are unaware of the existence of the band's debut album. Perhaps the fact it was released well into their career has something to do with it…

The album kick–started in a storming fashion, with the rumbling "Motörhead", a tune Lemmy originally wrote for Hawkwind. Far from the space rock style of his previous band, "Motörhead" is a straightforward rock song, as unstoppable as the heavy metal of the bike sampled as an intro.

Then things start to get a bit strange, for long time Motörhead fans. "On Parole" definitely doesn't sound like latter day Motörhead. There's a definite AC/DC vibe to the song, along with bluesy passages. "Vibrator" also seems to take cues from Bon Scott and co., with its filthy double entendre lyrics

"Iron Horse/Born To Lose", Lemmy's ode to Hell's Angels, almost sounds like something BB King or some other old blues legend would produce. It is excellent for kicking back with a couple of beers in the summer sun. The same style is evident throughout 'On Parole'. Lemmy has said more than once Motörhead is just a loud blues influenced rock and roll band. It is probably more evident here than on any other album. The velocity and the "everything louder than everything else" production philosophy were still developing, and the hard–edged blues sound shines through. This certainly isn't metal, not by today's standards.

Most fans would probably find this album too slow and lacking the punch of later albums. Lemmy's gravelly voice is several thousand cigarettes and uncountable gallons whiskey short of his famous rasp, Philthy was yet to develop his manic double bass which first surfaced on "Bomber", and guitarist Larry Wallis, while technically more proficient than most later guitarists in the band, seemed to have a penchant for Jimi Hendrix/Angus Young hybrid solos.

The embryonic versions of the classics "Motörhead", "Iron Horse" and "Leaving Here" are excellent, but there is really little else on offer here for the casual listener. For completists and die–hard fans only.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Human Rosin Melodic Metalcore
HATE BREEDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Through The Hell Hardcore Punk
ENEMY 906
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lightmatter: Rebirth Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Eye Of Horus (Lightmatter EP Pt. 2) Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Galaxy888 (Lightmatter EP Pt. 1) Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 3 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 3 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 4 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed