Customer Reviews

Iron Fist

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've seen very mixed reviews on this album so I decided to speak up. Some claim that this is just a very mediocre album while others put in on an altar. I chose the latter. This album is not good...it is EXTREMELY good. Too good for its own good (the band has had trouble in making such a consistent album ever since). IRON FIST was produced by MOTORHEAD guitarist Fast Eddie Clark, thus the guitar sounds here in are polished but remain loud and raw. Same goes for Lemmy's bass. Just check the intro for the title song. When I heard it, I though I was hearing a "guitar"!!! And Phil's drumming is at its most intense. On latter period albums like "1916" or "Rock 'n Roll" he has yet to match the intensity of his drumming on IRON FIST. It seems to me that MOTORHEAD were paying close attention to the bands they helped spawned at the time. GBH, DISCHARGE, EXPLOITED, although decidely punk bands, had a VERY close sound to MOTORHEAD. They also played fast and noisy but lacked the solos. I Think IRON FIST was a response to that and it's the reason why this album remains probably their fastest to date. The songs themselves are extremely catchy and memorable and the lyrics are, as always, phenomemnal. From the angry sneer of "Don't let'em grind ya down" to the vengeful, "Heart of Stone" to the hardcore freight train of "Sex And Outrage", IRON FIST is a consitent album through and through. This especial edition CD features some interesting b-sides that are musts for all MOTORHEAD fans.
This was one of the very first heavy metal album's I've ever heard and who would've known that this band was the blueprint for dozens of hardcore punk bands around the world?!?! Exceptional album. Go buy it RIGHT NOW!!!

Motorhead are a rock and roll legend. From their bruising beginnings to current status as hard rockin' Godfathers, Lemmy and company have stayed true to their roots and have prospered at least well enough to stay on the road and make albums.
The first Motorhead incarnation remains, to many, the classic line-up with Lemmy Kilmister on bass and (ahem) vocals, Philthy Animal Taylor on drums and Fast Eddie Clarke on guitars. Fast Eddie is the key ingredient to the classic crash and burn Motorhead sound that gave us the immortal "Ace Of Spades" and earlier platters like "Overkill" and "Bomber". Clarke's style, a thick blues and riff heavy attack gave Motorhead their distinctive hooks, much needed amid the bombast.
"Iron Fist", Clarke's last effort with the band, followed on the heels of "No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith", the classic live album. Following this album was no easy task, but thanks to Clarke's slightly cleaner production, "Iron Fist" is a classic. My edition includes live performances on a second CD.
The hooks and humor are there, including "I'm The Doctor", "I'm A Loser" and "Don't Need Religion", a topic near and dear to Kilmister's heart.
"Iron Fist" may pale a little in the shadow of "Ace Of Spades", but then again, nobody could top that outing. A fine effort from a great rock and roll band.

Iron Fist is the closing chapter in one phase of Motorhead's history. It marks the last album with Fast Eddie (who also produced this one), and a lot of fans, even Lemmy himself, have said they don't care much for this album. Personally I don't understand why there are complaints. Perhaps it's frowned upon because it was the end of an era. Maybe because of the environment in which it was recorded- turmoil, fights, management issues, band member issues, increased drug use, musical differences, and trying to follow up their most successful album yet in Ace of Spades- maybe all of that makes it a bad memory for Lemmy.

It could be because Iron Fist was the first Motorhead song I ever heard back in 1982 (and it's still my favorite song) but I absolutely love this CD and consider it the band's 2nd best studio effort behind Over Kill. This album rocks and contains many classics in the Motorhead arsenal. I highly recommend checking out this fairly unpopular release and decide for yourself if it is essential M'Head. I think it is!

Highlights: title track, Heart of Stone, Sex & Outrage, America, Speedfreak

I really love the Motorhead world! Lemmy is the coolest man from the metal world!!! and IRON FIST is one of the albuns i like the most from the huge MOTORHEAD catalogue. The song Iron Fist is an absolutely classic, and there are some metal gems like SPEEDFREAK and HEART OF STONE.

Let me start by saying i started my Motorexperience by beginning with Ace of Spades. i of course had heard clips of the title track several times prior. loved it. every song. then i went to Overkill and Bomber. while still good a few songs i didn't care for. ("capricorn" is NOT motorhead) i agree with Fast Eddie's comment that "bomber didn't feel right" just my opin. then i read the reviews here on amazon as well as on imotorhead.com for Iron Fist. main thing i kept hearing was how Fast Eddie produced and people felt he couldn't put himself apart from the music like a good producer can and that the songs while still Motorhead weren't as fast as previous releases. "Iron Fist, Remember me im gone, Bang to rights" i think are good and fast. the only song on the disc im not in love with is "loser". still i don't skip past it when it's in my player. "sex and outrage is classic. "Go to hell" is the ultimate Lemmy anthem, and "shut it down" keeps popping in my head at random times. Motornewbies SHOULD start with either Acc of Spades or Iron Fist. I wish i would have started with iron fist. to sum up.....Great Album. period.

Motorhead are a unique rock band. You will love them or hate them. I belong to the fisrt group. I like almost all their albums. They give me positive energy and i believe that Lemmy always writes the best lyrics i have seen aver. They are not vague as almost 90% of metal and rock groups -> They are about having fun and confidence to do what you like in life (especially if you are a man and you want women and freedom). The music is very good with some really good solos coming with the tracks. My favorite tracks on this album are (Dont need religion - loser - America).

Motorhead was riding a career high in the momentum gained from their live `No Sleep `Til Hammersmith' opus. However they were never able to truly become the mega-act that their talent and notoriety deserved and the seeds of the slow decline were to be found in the follow-up to `No Sleep'; `Iron First' which was released in the spring of 1982. Though not a bad record, in fact it was a very good one, but not on a par with the previous four. Many of the songs sound like inferior remakes of songs from earlier albums, especially the filler and there seems to be a fair share of it on `Iron Fist'. There just doesn't seem to be much distinction between the songs which admittedly was never a strong suite for Motorhead to begin with. The title track which is undoubtedly a classic Motorhead song can be seen as a rewrite of "Ace of Spades", THE Motoranthem! "Heart of Stone", "Don't Need Religion", "Sex & Outrage" and "Don't Let `Em Grind You Down" round up the better songs from a tired record but one that will still deliver the goods for trademark thrash. Unfortunately `Iron Fist' marked the end of the classic Motorhead lineup as Fast Eddie Clarke, the co-producer of this LP, would leave the band, and Motorhead would never be the same.

This album is truly awesome. This was the last of the "Fast Eddie" era but not the last of the awesome Motorhead albums. This albums plays great from start to finish, great lyrics, awesome rockin fun riffs, great vox and killer musicanship. Motorhead need to teach todays bands how it's done, music today save new Motorhead and other metal/rock god's albums is manufactured garbage.

Motorhead-Iron Fist ****

Iron Fist is one of Motorheads most underrated albums, especially of their early period with Philthy Phil and Fast Eddie Clarke. While not the strongest album, it is far from being a weak album. It was Iron Fist that was Lemmy Kilmisters ode to everything he loved and everything he hated, and had it not been for the weak production courtesy of Clarke, the album would have been a classic. The guitars get lost in places, and the drums often feel dull, but Motorhead being the band that is so loud if they moved next door they would kill your lawn, they manage to make it work.

the title track is just classic tough, scruffy speed rock from the boys that do it best. 'Heart Of Stone' is a classic love song in true Lemmy form. Other than the lyrics though the track is hit or miss. 'Im The Doctor' and 'Sex And Outrage' are both odes to Lemmy's favorite past time...sex. The latter being one of early Motorheads all time best. 'America' was Lem's love song for the country he would soon move to and stake claim over L.A. and Rainbow Bar & Grill. Bar far the strongest and consistent track on the album. Clarkes riff is one of his better, and Phil plays one solid back beat. 'Speedfreak' much like the bands name, is a reference to Lemmy Kilmisters speed addiction. A problem he had for many, many years. While not as fast as you would expect the track gets the job done, and contains some of his best bass work. 'Loser' is pure lament, and maybe the second best track here. Totally unlike every other Motorhead song. '(Don't Let 'Em) Grind Ya Down' is something the boys had been working at one the last few albums, and really nailed here. '(Don't Need) Religion' and 'Bang To Rights' were Lemmy's first in your face blatant attempts at social issues and he did it right. For a tough S.O.B. Lemmy is one of the most tolerant and excepting people in the world, and human rights are something he takes to heart.

While the production is weak, the songs are anything but. This was sadly the final album of the classic Kilmister, Clarke, Taylor line up. Soon Brian of Thin Lizzy would join in on guitar on change things.. This was the last great early Motorhead album so don't miss out.

This album gets a bad wrap: yea, its not Ace Of Spades, but it is the last of the Fast Eddie era Moterhead.

The tune Iron Fist is a great song, and worth it for that one alone. This is definitly a fans album, but remember that this one made the top 6 on the British charts when it came out (so its not as bad as some reviews suggest). This album is not the "Mr Roboto" (a stinker of an album) of Motorhead, but definitly not their very best effort. Also, its not the worst they did: you can hear classic Eddie in this album, and Phil and Lemmy do a great job on this as well.

They sound like they were on the verge of becoming more like Saxon and Iron Maiden, and less like a band of Soccer holligan drunks playing late 70s thrash. There IS a refinement, but less 'innovative'. Its hard to say if Lemmy did not do the 'Stand by Your Man' thing with Wendy O, Eddie would not have left the band (who knows). They would not be the first band of good musicians that started to make it who shot themselves in the rear with bickering and lack of direction. Most of my music friends who are good would also blow it (in time) if they made it - it must go with the territory.

This album was released when the band was at their worst, imploding from the stress of thier success. If you go to Fast Eddies web site, even he trashes this album, but that may be more to do with the memory of what was going on in the band when they split up (how many people watch wedding videos and go over their wedding albums after a divorse 'to savor the memories??').

The Iron Fist tour was going bad, and tensions were rising (a rift formed in the Phil/Lemmy and Eddie camps). They tried to save money in getting Eddie to do the album and found out they should have paid the money, and all of them distance themselves from this album. Its so funny that in spite of that, its still pretty good. And it did well in the charts.

If you are collecting albums, this one has to be you buy. Just watch Iron Fist on Youtube and you will buy this album (but buy Ace of Spades, Overkill, and Bomber FIRST).