Customer Reviews

Black Ice (Limited Edition White Cover)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

It's almost as if taking 8 years off didn't change a thing. I like that. This album will take some time to settle in, because I don't always get to listen to a new title in its entirety in one sitting. I'm very impressed with AC/DC's ability to maintain their sound (talking about the Compass Point Studios days) on this album, as opposed to giving us fans something entirely different. Like alot of others, I've grown up with these guys. Many a day in both junior and senior high school were made a bit more enjoyable with their music. These days, it helps me get through a long night shift at the job.

As another reviewer mentioned, everyone used to think their name meant "Anti Christ/Devil's Child", which is complete nonsense. Anyone can read anything they want into anything they see. I just wanna rock.

Even if this were their last effort, and I hope it isn't, this is a great album, one which I will enjoy for a long time (as I did every album they've done).

I got the Limited Edition Deluxe version as soon as I saw it. There were also three different coloured basic versions, and whilst I bought Two Limited Deluxe ( One not to Open) , I came soooo close to buying the three other items. The songs are great. I listened to them on a 5.1 system and who-ever mixed the songs certainly made some choice decisions. I can't pick one as being my fave at the moment. But if you can get the Limited Deluxe in the US, then thats the way to go !!!
I have most of the ACDC re-releases except one. And All the albums are great to have, well worth getting. I am also a KISS fan, and the comparison with ACDC is interesting.And whilst I was and am a KISS fan first, at least the 70s version of KISS, KISS promises to put the Fans first, but does not, and ACDC consistently puts the fans first, and has done ever since the days in Melbourne. I just wish SKYHOOKS was more popular here.

I have listened to rock my whole life I am 50 AC/DC has always been a part of my music growth. I really dig the hard driving riffs it is truly what I look for in music. I do miss the vocals of Bon Scott, but Brian Johnson sure as hell aint no slouch, he is a hard driver in the vocals with exceptional talent. If you are looking for a hard drive rocking, they still have it down. The music is changed in its dynamic, but it does not miss a beat, hats off to AC/DC you guys show that rockin is still alive and well, keep it up............

I remember back as a college student in the 80's when church groups and the PMRC were pressuring chain stores like Wal*Mart (when they were still a regional chain in the southwest) to stop selling those "Evil and Satanic Heavy Metal Albums"... How things change after 20+ years! Sam Walton's probably (rock &) rolling in his grave to know that his supercenters have posters of Angus Young all over his stores.

AC/DC used to scare the hell out of parents, churches and teachers back then. Now gangsta rappers are the ones that frighten parents, while the old rockers are selling everything from cars, motorcycles, soda pop, beer, credit cards and video games..anything to stay in the spotlight.

That said, It's amazing that AC/DC can roll through so many famous producers (Vanda/Young, Mutt Lange, Bruce Fairbarin, Rick Rubin) and wind up sounding the same as they did when they started back in the seventies. Gotta give them credit for sticking with something that works, though it has lead to some very complacent hit-or-miss albums over the years.

But the big difference is that "Black Ice" is a more consistent album than their last two CD's. Brenden O'Brien's production work here reminds me a lot of Bruce Fairbarin's work on "The Razor's Edge" and several Aerosmith albums. The production is slick, shiny, easy on the ears, and highly listenable compared to the raw production of "Ballbreaker" and "Stiff Upper Lip".

And thankfully he got Angus and Malcolm to write a couple of good songs here and there. So "Black Ice" winds up to be AC/DC's most radio-friendly and best work since "Razor's Edge".

Brian Johnson's voice really sounds great on this album. I cant tell if there's some Pro-Tooling EQ production magic here, or his voice just needed a long break after "Stiff Upper Lip" where it sounded too horse and raspy. The bluesy "Stormy May Day" is a nice surprise, for a change Angus or Malcolm plays some SLIDE guitar, I've never heard that on a AC/DC album before.

And dare I say this, on some tracks AC/DC sounds more like a Power Pop group than a Hard Rock band on tracks like "Anything Goes" and "Wheels". But it just shows how much these guys (especially their guitar sound) influenced not only Hard Rock and Metal, but also left their deep mark on Punk, Alternative and even Top 40 and Country-Pop.

To wrap it up, "Black Ice" is another good but not a classic AC/DC album. It starts out strong, but like most of their albums loses steam near the end, with too much slow and dull filler tracks like "Decibel" "Rock N' Roll Dream" and "Rocking All The Way" dragging it down before the title track finishes it off. It would have been a better CD had some songs been left off.

Diehard AC/DC fans will love "Black Ice", and it gives the band a reason to hit the road. If you get the chance go see them live. But if you're new to these Rock legends, pick up "High Voltage", "Highway To Hell" and "Back In Black" first to hear them at their peak.

I received the CD I ordered on time and in perfect condition. Way before Christmas! My dad will be happy!

Black Ice is not a bad album. It's just missing what all their albums after Back In Black are missing, the songwriting talents of Bon Scott. All their albums are good, to some extent but, since Back In Black, the hits are few and far between.

Much better than the last album. I've been an AC/DC fan for a long time, and this is much better than "Stiff Upper Lip". They finally went back closer to their roots, and worked with Johnson's vocals better.

I like AC/DC. I'm not ate-up with AC/DC though, and actually, that's almost unbelievable. You'd think someone who gets as carried away with Kiss as I do would naturally do likewise with AC/DC. I contend there's a verrrrrrrrrrrrrry fine line that separates the two bands. But somehow, I've never been as big on AC/DC as you might think. I own the CDs 'High Voltage', 'Highway to Hell', 'Back in Black', and 'The Razor's Edge'. That's the extent of my AC/DC collection, and many would say that's at least one CD too many ("Money Talks" and "Thunderstruck" are, in my opinion, the only great tracks on 'The Razor's Edge' CD). And this is a good spot to point out, I don't care what any of the self-anointed "real" AC/DC fans say, 'Black in Black' is an absolute freakin' masterpiece of rock n roll. I've got every song from that album on my iPod and I couldn't begin to take one off. I'll give 'Voltage' and 'Highway' their proper credit. They're both really good albums, and Bon Scott's street-tough attitude oozes out on every track in a way that Brian Johnson can only try to mimic. But for me, and a lot of other people, if I could only own one AC/DC album, 'Back in Black' would be my choice, hands down, no contest.

So back to 'Black Ice'....................... I don't know what to tell you folks. It is what is. It's an AC/DC album in which, just like every AC/DC album since 'Back in Black', they're trying to capture the same magic they did on 'Back in Black' and, just like with all those other albums, they come up short. No shame in it. 'Back in Black' is an amazing album. Why wouldn't they try to copy that album's success? They'd be dumb NOT to try and copy that album. I've listened to the album 5 times now in its entirety, and there are three stand-out tracks, "Rock & Roll Train", "Skies on Fire", and "War Machine". There's 15 songs on the album, so having only 3 songs that stand out isn't necessarily a good thing, but then again, I'm not saying the other 12 songs are BAD. I'm just saying, chances are, you already OWN the other 12 songs under different song titles, on different albums. My point is, with the exception of these 3 songs I named, everything else on the album is a copy of past AC/DC hits.

Then again, AC/DC is a band in a unique position. In my opinion, there's no need for you to go out and buy 'Black Ice', but if you DID buy it, you'd probably still proclaim the album as being "okay". You'd say that because IT SOUNDS JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE AC/DC HAS DONE FOR THE LAST 28 YEARS. Do you see where I'm going with this? To me, what makes the album "non-essential" (predictability) is also what makes it ACCEPTABLE. If your Aunt Imogene gets you this CD for your birthday, you'll listen to it and still be okay with it, even though there's nothing new on the album. It is what it is, and what it is has been the same thing for 28 years. Trying to copy a classic like 'Back in Black' is still an admirable pursuit, even if it continues to fail.

And think about this: What would happen if 'Black Ice' came out and sounded different than what it sounds like? What if AC/DC decided to go in a new direction, and just gave up trying to copy that same sound as 'Back in Black'? What if 'Black Ice' sounded like the new Disturbed album? Or the new Metallica album? Or the new Kings of Leon album? I'll tell you what would happen: CHAOS!!!!!!!!!!!!! There would be riots in the streets! Pandemonium would rule the day! There would be plundering in Sydney and pillaging in Melbourne! Martial law would be enacted! The whole freakin' planet may shift off its axis! Okay, maybe it wouldn't be THAT bad, but AC/DC has an incredibly loyal following, and the sound that's on 'Black Ice' is EXACTLY what they expect and what they WANT to hear AC/DC do. And really, isn't that what even the casual fan like me has come to expect from them?

BOTTOM LINE: Here's how you rate 'Black Ice' on a scale from 1-10. Think about how you would rate 'Back in Black', then take that number and divide it in half. That's how I'd rate 'Black Ice'. And the planet remains firmly on its axis.

Well lets make this short and sweet...I have been a huge AC/DC fan since the 70's and own every album, cd, and dvd ever made and I must tell you this is the worst album since Fly on the Wall. Wait a month or two if you really have to buy this cd it will be going for a penny here on Amazon...don't waste your money like I did...

Amazon must to dispose more information about the companies who supply the stuff. Good on delivery time.