by Ed Rivadavia
After doing the unthinkable (selling out!) on their commercially minded -- and only -- major-label release March or Die, underground heroes Motörhead thankfully returned to a more familiar sonic formula (extremely loud and fast) on the excellent Bastards. Gloriously distorted thrashers such as &On Your Feet or on Your Knees& and &Death or Glory& set the pace, and &Born to Raise Hell& is undoubtedly one of the band's greatest latter-day classics. As usual, major departures such as the acoustic-driven and socially conscious &Don't Let Daddy Kiss Me& stick out like a sore thumb, but the more balanced &Lost in the Ozone& (some acoustic, but also lots of noise) is a pleasant surprise. Though it is often overlooked, this album remains one of the band's strongest releases in the '90s.