Bands come and go with the times. Take for example the current trends of today’s music. There’s a growing movement from the “underground” world of ‘Hardcore’ and ‘Metalcore’ music, and a lot of these unknown bands that once dwelled under our noses are now gaining air time over the past trends of ‘Pop-Rock’ and ‘Pop-Punk’. But just like the times, these bands will come and go, and few will ever remember most of their names except maybe the big 3 or 4, and that might last a good 2-3 years before they begin to fall apart and the society loses entertainment in them, much like they did in their dead-genre 5 years ago. So after taking this into consideration, how big of a feat is it to be from the 70’s and still be played on modern radio, be requested by teenagers, and still be considered one of the greatest bands to ever grace the studio/stage?
A big flippin’ deal.
AC/DC needs no introduction to a Rocker who at least knows what the term ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’ means. Consisting of one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Angus Young,
AC/DC was built upon thick-riffs, sleazy lyrics, insane solos, and legendary vocalist Bon Scott. There are so many things that could be said about what this band has done for music in the past, present, and future that it would be trivial to even mention some of them.
“
Highway to Hell” upon its release, was their most popular album at the time, and was later beat out by the infamous “
Back in Black”. But don’t let that make you think that “
Back in Black” is their best album. Because in my mind, that award goes to none other than the album in which I am reviewing at the most moment.
Everyone loves a good guitarist. Who can’t get lost in some Jimmy Page, or be amazed by Eddie Van Halen’s innovative tone? I know I can’t. But Angus Young isn’t just another great guitar playing. He’s one of the best as a matter of fact. His riffs are an ever-flowing joy, consisting mainly of ‘start-stop’, in which he fires out chopped riffs that blast through your speakers and right into your mind. The opener, and title track, is in fact a prime example of this. Ranked #1 on
Hit Parader’s “100 Greatest Metal Songs” (although it’s not Metal…weird), you get the picture of how great this song is. Angus’s bubbly-thick riffs make this one a classic, only to be accompanied by flowing chorus. “
Girls Got Rhythm” continues on Angus’s onslaught of chopped riffs, but this one with a good blues fill at the end of each. “
Walk All Over You” is a slight change, which bases itself off the Angus’s brother, Malcolm, with its large rhythm section and more straight-forward type riffing. The chorus seems to be more dominated by Phil Rudd’s drumming. The same thing can be said for the palm-muted “
Touch Too Much”, with its chugging riffs. “
Beating Around the Bush” will completely take you off guard, with an insane almost ‘Metal’ like shredding intro that leaps right into chopped riffs and pounding drums. Next up is the fan favorite, “
Shot Down in Flames”. It starts off with a soft, atmospheric riff before it turns into another feel-good thickly chopped riff. The chorus, again is another example of great rhythm work from Malcolm Angus. Unfortunately, a filler appears in the form of “
Get It Hot”. The riffs are blandly simple (although most of the riffs are simple, this one never changes), and there is almost no differention between the verses and chorus, making this one very repetitive. The same can be said for “
If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)”. Again, there is very little variation between the intro, verse, and chorus and it gets boring after awhile. But after two sub-par tracks, it’s a relief to hear “
Love Hungry Man”. While it’s certainly not the best song on the album, it brings back the “Fresh-Factor”, with a soft intro, and bass/drum dominated verses. When Angus and Malcolm start throwing out their thick riffs in full blast, it gives the song a whole new level. The last track is a huge groover. “
Night Prowler” is the slowest song off the album, but it ain’t no ballad. It’s got such a thick groove thanks to Angus and Malcolm that you shouldn’t be surprised to be snapping your fingers instead of banging your head.
And while we’re on the topic of riffs and guitar playing, I’ll just move straight onto the solos. While Angus’s riffs were relatively simple, his solos, on the other hand, are not. They’re purely insane. They’re not really that long, usually consisting of 20-25 seconds. But when Angus starts to travel that fret board, the result is a face-melting, gut-busting solo. “
Highway to Hell”, “
Girls Got Rhythm”, and “
Shot Down in Flames” feature some of the most shredding solos I have ever heard this side of Zakk Wylde. I should also point out that they also actually feel a part of the song, never leaving the riffs side. They’re glued together, slapped into a package, and shoved right into your face. Some of his slower solos, like on “
Night Prowler” have a huge blues taste to them, leaving my mouth for one watering. And while tracks like “
Get It Hot” and “
If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It” might just be fillers, the solos the Angus fires out on those tracks are most certainly not. Each one is amazing and worthy of many listens.
Bon Scott (RIP) vocals perfectly suit this band. High-pitched, very slightly whiney at points, and just sexually powered, Bon Scott’s vocals are a highlight. Consisting of a huge vocal range, Scott can instantly turn a song with some great riffs into a classic. Take for example “
Shot Down in Flames”. Sure, Angus and the gangs playing is top-notice, but without Bon Scott’s furious onslaught of high wails and self-empowering tone, this would’ve just been another song on the album. The high-screams during the choruses on “
Girls Got Rhythm” make it highly addicting. On the title track, Bon’s voice seems to correspond with Angus playing perfectly, including some great fluctuation in his voice. Scott’s lyrics also perfectly match his voice’s personality. On the title track, Scott wails out some of the most unforgettable lines, like “
Hey Satan, paid my dues, playing in a rocking band. Hey Momma, look at me! I'm on my way to the promised land!” But some of the really great lines come from the ones that are sexually motivated. Such as on “
Girls Got Rhythm”, when Scott sings out “
The girl's got rhythm, she's got the backseat rhythm!” Hrmm, I wonder what he means by “backseat rhythm” huh? They’re great. Or how about when he goes up to a lady and says “
Baby, what's the goin'-price? only to his dismay be told to ‘Go to hell!’ on “
Shot Down in Flames”. The lyrics are all about havin a good-time, and that’s just what you’ll do when you hear them.
While Phil Rudd’s drumming is very basic, he isn’t without his moments. In-between the chopped riffs, Phil’s drumming will peak through, connecting the notes perfectly, like on the title track, “
Girls Got Rhythm” and “
Get It Hot”. Sometimes, his drumming is the main part of the verse, such as on “
Walk All Over You” and “
Love Hungry Man”.
The same thing goes for Cliff Williams on bass. He’s simply there to back everyone else up, and as a bassist, that can annoy me at times. But not here. His bass is clearly heard, even if it’s not doing much. Except on “
Love Hungry Man”, where his bass line, as well as the drumming, is the highlight of the verse. And his bass line there is quite funky, and during the solo you can hear him throw in a variation or two. Not bad. At best, he is an average bassist. Nothing more, nothing less.
“
Highway to Hell” is on the best albums I own. Angus’s guitar work is amazing, and is accompanied by a strong rhythm player in his brother, Malcolm. His solos too, are like the icing on an already great-tasting cake. Bon Scott’s vocals and lyrics are just sheer brilliance, and one can get hooked on his high voice. Rudd and Cliff back up the band respectively, and sometimes are even the selling point on a track or two. “
Highway to Hell” is essential for any Rocker. Cause it’s all about havin a good time.
Overall – 5/5
[u]Recommended Tracks[/b]
Highway to Hell
Girls Got Rhythm
Shot Down in Flames
