AC/DC: Slick as Black Ice

Jan 19, 2009 by Robin O'Kane

Australian rock n’ rollers AC/DC released their 15^th studio album entitled “Black Ice” on October 20, 2008 through Columbia Records. The highly anticipated album sold 1,762,000 copies in its first week of release, and was number one on many album charts across the globe including Canada, The United States and Australia.

The album’s release was quickly followed by the announcement of an expansive 18-month world tour which will cover 78 European and North American cities. Currently, the band is finishing up the North American leg of the tour, which will be followed by the two European segments featuring shows that sold out only minutes after being announced.

The set list of this tour is composed of Black Ice songs as well as hits from previous AC/DC fan-favourite albums such as “Back in Black,” “Highway to Hell,” “For Those About to Rock,” and “The Razor’s Edge.”

The Black Ice album itself is a classic AC/DC collection, complete with hard riffs, blistering solos and lyrics about partying, drinking, women, and of course, rock n’ roll. AC/DC fans will find a comforting familiarity in this album since the band hasn’t strayed from the style of their earlier records. The album does, however, have some elements not found on any other AC/DC album, such as guitarist Angus Young playing slide guitar on the track “Stormy May Day.” Also, on several tracks, front man Brian Johnson gave fans a taste of his singing voice rather than the screaming we’ve all come to expect from him.

Guitarists’ Angus Young and Malcolm Young have been writing riffs and music for Black Ice since 2006 and have now shown the world that the duo can still write songs that rank in popularity with “Highway to Hell,” “T.N.T.,” and “Hells’ Bells.”

Overall, I would say that Black Ice is one of the band’s best studio albums, which is impressive since the band members are all aged 50 and up. This album is proof that AC/DC can rock just as hard, if not harder, than their 1975 release “High Voltage.”