I was never anything like a huge fan, but this album represents the sort of kick in the nuts that rock and roll needs right now. Personally, I think its pretty damn solid straight through...and "Anything Goes" is as good a pop song disguised as kick ass rock and roll as anything I've heard this year.

God Bless em for it, and bring on the tour. I'll still be holding my nose in the WalMart checkout though...

-Glen

As I said elsewhere, I think on this album, the band sounds less forced, less like a parody of themselves than on anything they've released in a long time. AS to the lengthy program - are they cleaning out the riff cupboard before calling it a day? Maybe they should just sign over their entire catalog to the next generation of Ozzie rockers - Airbourne, for instance; some people might not even notice the difference.

nice review josh. i don't like the deal either, but i will end up picking up this disc. love these guys.

gee, they haven't evolved. friggin' deal with it.

They're one of a handful of high profile acts who refused to give into iTunes and the digital revolution.

LMAO!!Yet they totally homogenized themselves with this Walmart deal,i.e; clothing,games,useless color changes on 3 different CD covers. What's the difference between this and making the music available online? Who is gonna go to some white trash, ghetto a$$ Walmart to buy a CD?!

AC/DC used to be about unadulterated,explicit & in-your-face ROCK. Now it has been watered down to nothing but G-Rated nostalgia & cheap gimmicks!

Who is gonna go to some white trash, ghetto a$$ Walmart to buy a CD?!

I think it was like 180,000 the first day, with 800,000 projected for the week.

Next question?

-Glen

with 800,000 projected for the week.

Compared with iTunes' 1 Million tracks per day and that was back in 2005...

Next stupid business venture??

They've been writing the same review of every AC/DC record for a quarter century...

Dude, sorry to disagree but "Highway to Hell" got rave reviews because of the songs and due to Robert John "Mutt" Lange's precise engineering on the board. It was their pinnacle & unfortunately it was their last real killer of a f*cking album...Period

i like it when they sing about vikings.

no wait, that was somebody else.

Compared with iTunes' 1 Million tracks per day and that was back in 2005...

That's not 1 million AC/DC (or of any one band's) tracks, however. The number of tracks the band themselves would sell on Itunes would probably be relatively low. I don't take the majority of their listeners to be big-time computer/Ipod users, hence the Walmart deal. This won't limit them in the slightest, and later on they can sign a major digital distribution deal that nets them tons of money. To have distributed this album digitally but not the rest would have watered down the impact of something like that. That's smart marketing, actually. Once they've waited so long, it actually works in their favor to wait a little longer. Hype-building, you know? Notice how long it's taking the Beatles' stuff to make it to Itunes? Everyone goes "oh, big deal, I've already got those tracks" but when they release remasters with bonuses, etc., and it's all on Itunes, it'll be huge. People will be counting the minutes until they're available to download. Same goes for AC/DC, but on a much smaller scale, obviously.

It doesn't matter whether it's one band's tracks or not. It all has to do with potential sales & lack of overhead which equates to a bigger profit. Especially with this "Green" movement & the amount of natural resources it takes to make CDs (especially ones with the stupid different color arrangement) I don't see how an exclusivity deal with Walmart benefits anyone else than Walmart.

Oh, hell...Why do I care? The new album sucks anyways...

I dunno if you can say any AC/DC album sucks - or is great for that matter. They're just.... inevitable. If you get tired of the ones you have, go buy some others - they're all pretty much the same, give or take and, depending on your POV - a strength or a weakness - or maybe both simultaneously.

I don't like exclusivity deals and I don't defend them. I got an advance of the CD, so I didn't have to deal with Walmart on this one.

I don't know that the three different album covers killed the environment. I don't know if they pressed a normal run for all three covers or divided a normal run between three different covers. Either way, you only have to buy the album once -- or not at all, for that matter -- so I'm not bothered by this.

Critics have been writing "it all sounds the same" reviews going back to Dirty Deeds. That you happen to disagree doesn't mean it hasn't been done. That album is almost 30 years old now, though, so we're talking about the post Back in Black output, which has certainly seen its fair share of "it's all been done" reviews.

Black Ice really doesn't suck. It's a solid album that runs a bit too long but has some excellent moments.

Well I happen to disagree because it's not true!
It hasn't happened for every album, possibly the post Back in Blackera... but I don't know. I just know it didn't happen for Highway. That was my point.

btw, the new album does suck, stop watering down the truth.

Oh, you're right. My bad. It does suck. Now that you've told me I'll revise my review.

My point was that it's happened for a quarter century and since Highway is outside of that, your point has no point.

The album doesn't suck. So there.

Josh, I knew you were going to write a comment like that because your probably one of the few AC/DC "fans" that considers anything past Back in Black worth listening to. That's fine if that's what you truly believe but don't try to pass that BS off onto the people who can understand that, unfortunately, AC/DC died with Bon Scott.

That their worthy material never received reviews of "just the same" and that only their crap after Back... could be viewed as such!

Yea..This album really does suck. You're in denial and a little too nostalgic.

I do tend to prefer the Bon Scott era, I don't dismiss the Brian Johnson era out of hand.

I'm not trying to pass anything off to anyone, BS or not. Some people are closed off to the possibility that AC/DC can make a good album. Some people are closed off to the idea that Brian Johnson can make a good album with AC/DC. If someone enters the conversation with either of these prejudices, there's nothing I can say to convince them otherwise.

On the other hand if someone is open minded, or open minded enough to accept that past experience and personal prejudices can at least sometimes be wrong, now we've got something to talk about. I'm speaking to the open minded crowd here, Brian. The album doesn't suck. I listened to it. You've really got to be a contortionist to make openmindedness into denial. Don't buy the record, dude. We get that you don't like it. You've made yourself very clear.

My Gawd!! The passive, political correctness on this website amazes me! No wonder why the music industry in this country sucks! Everyone has sent their f*cking balls overseas with all the jobs!

Spare me the "open minded" retort. It doesn't take an open mind to see that this new album is a watered down continuation of the garbage that AC/DC has been spewing for the past decade. The great AC/Dc of 30 years ago would've never had anything to do with a company that has had such a censorship crusade!

They are retiring with an unoffensive addition to their discography. Maybe they should give the spotlight to a more deserving band.

The open minded retort comes out because you've made it clear you never gave this album a chance. I don't give a toss if you like it or not. There are some people who are beyond convincing. If you think it's a display of balls to presume something bad before you hear it, we disagree on something else.

Who sells their record speaks to the business practices, not the quality of the music. It's not 30 years ago. Decoding the logical inconsistencies in your arguments could keep a bank of supercomputers running for another 30 years.

If you think it's a display of balls to presume something bad before you hear it, we disagree on something else.

Do you think just because you received an early copy to review that I haven't listened to it yet? HA!!
My logic may be something that you can't grasp but that's your problem not a problem for a branch of MIT in Cambridge.

Who sells their record speaks to the business practices, not the quality of the music. It's not 30 years ago.

This definitely proves what's wrong with the music industry as well as the people who report what is worthy about it. You can go on and keep spouting off about how your open mind brings you to a conclusion of acceptance for an album that will degrade in most serious music lover's minds in about a day because you wanna save face on a website that allows several poor reviews of the same crappy album.

BUT, your shallow attempts at masking a personal attack about my intelligence just goes to show why you are writing about music and not playing it. When the money is all spent, no one cares about record sales & 95% of the people will throw in a copy of "Highway" before they ever get around to a second spin of that nauseating shite!

because your probably one of the few AC/DC "fans" that considers anything past Back in Black worth listening to. That's fine if that's what you truly believe but don't try to pass that BS off onto the people who can understand that, unfortunately, AC/DC died with Bon Scott.

so, the millions of people who purchased Back In Black and For Those About To Rock... they did this why? because they were morons? and then all of the Brian Johnson-era concerts, full of people having a great time, listening to stuff like Heatseaker, Fly On The Wall, etc. etc. that was all an illusion? we really thought it sucked but had nothing better to do?

does it make you feel better to spout unfounded cliches about people?

bizarre.

political correctness? what, we're back to this whole "music has intrinsic merit" crap? sorry, it doesn't. you may believe it, but it doesn't.

political correctness? nah, that wouldn't stop me from saying that i prefer Brian Johnson-era AC/DC over that pretentious twat Yngwie Malmsteen.

actually, i don't think Malmsteen is a pretentious twat, it was just fun to type.

My logic may be something that you can't grasp...

since when does attention-whoring follow logic?

"Intrinsic Merit"?? When did I ever claim such a thing? Talk about attention-whoring...

How could music ever have anything that doesn't need to be translated?! Though the instruments and equipment could be intrinsic but I guess it depends on whether you're talking about philosophy, technology or science.

so, the millions of people who purchased Back In Black and For Those About To Rock... they did this why? because they were morons?

A lot of people also purchased Ashlee Simpson's music as well but I will never be able to explain why. Maybe because their friends did & so on. Kinda like peer pressure. The need to fit in??

You & Malmsteen...Love,Hate,Love?

I don't know whether you listened to it or not, but you have made clear in your comments you weren't going to like it whether you took the time or not. You were closed off to it. Listening to it for you was a formality, a way of confirming your biases.

I wasn't insulting your intelligence, Brian. I wasn't even accusing you of insulting mine. ;) That your logic is contradictory in multiple instances doesn't mean you're unintelligent, just that there are flaws in your logic. The fact that I'm not playing music doesn't mean I don't know anything about it any more than having a different opinion than you does. You think you're right. I think you're different. That speaks volumes right there.

I abhor exclusivity deals and said so on numerous occasions. Of course the music industry has problems, but industry problems are not what makes this a good a bad record.

"Intrinsic Merit"?? When did I ever claim such a thing? Talk about attention-whoring...

when you say that this record is better than that one, that it's a fact...then that is when you're talking about intrinsic merit.

Whenever the pissing contest is over, can some of us weigh in on what we think too? I have a passing interest in AC/DC's new record because it's been unfortunately labeled as a "comeback", in much the same way "Memory Almost Full" was supposed to be a comeback for Paul McCartney, "Endless Wire" for the Who,"Accelerate" for R.E.M. and a host of other eventually disappointing recent albums. What I want to see (and hear) is if someone can actually pull it off. This honest bit from the Boston Globe review might supplant my need to actually listen to the record: "quintessential, if not exactly essential".

The pissing contest never ends, Darren, so feel free to weigh in when you've listened to the record.

i don't think it's a comeback album because i don't think they went anywhere.

of course, i also like Endless Wire and Accelerate.

Hmm, point taken. I'm a big fat non-listening jerk. ;)

Not a jerk at all, Darren. Get a copy of the album and let us know what you think.

Well, now..... I'm casting my vote for it doesn't suck. It's much better than Fly or Switch or Ball breaker, all albums with a couple of good tunes and lotsa filler. Guess what? The best ACDC albums, like Highway, Back in Black and, yes indeed, the brand new Black Ice are about half filler anyways.

Guess what else? Most "good" albums by everyone else are also half filler. And the albums that are pretty good most of the way through are few and far between. Maybe the aforementioned Back in Black and Highway to Hell are as close as ACDC will ever come too making a classic, but Black Ice doesn't suck - at it's worst, it just isn't brilliant, but it does have enough bright spots to keep it from becoming cutout bin clutter.

Listen 1: So far so (really) good - I've heard Rock N' Roll Train, Skies on Fire, Big Jack, and Anything Goes and liked 'em all. They seem to have a penchant for really good pop-rockers, wish they'd write more of 'em. I hear that although lyrics are never a strong suit for these guys, Brian Johnson (age 61!) co-wrote with the Brothers Young for the first time since before Razors Edge. Gotta give them some longevity credits. The production sounds better than many of their 80s efforts, and most of the lame-ass Dandy-Warhol-esque modern rock I've heard lately. What's not to like? Too long? Take out the five songs you like least and make it into a neo-classic.

"Take out the five songs you like least and make it into a neo-classic."

Ah....... instant revisionist history. Gotta luv the digital age.

the too many songs issue has been with us for a while. i think that about many modern recordings, and it usually strikes home when i listen to an album i really like that came out in the pre-cd era. much easier to make a concise statement in 40 minutes than 70.

And it's much easier to make a big statement in 70 minutes rather than 40. Better yet - 70 albums.

...and ya gotta love instant hackneyed writing in the digital age. ;)

Have you never skipped a song in this or any other age? What's wrong with kindly helping some old rockers who can't edit themselves?

Four and a half stars for Glacè Noir. **** 1/2

I'm with you, Darren. 3-5 songs lighter and the album is stronger overall.

Have you never skipped a song in this or any other age?

nope.

not even on a Yoko record.

I don't believe that, Mark. You've skipped songs.

Oh, and no one actually listens to Yoko records! :D

Now that I think about it, the most concise statements seem to be between 2:45 - 3:30 minutes long on little flat round things that rotate around a stationary spindle at a speed of 45 rounds per minute.

I don't believe that, Mark. You've skipped songs.

nope. i'm more likely to just bail on a record midstream. that...i've done a lot.

I've done both. I generally try to get through an album, though, even if that means skipping a song or two. There aren't a lot of artists these days who really make albums. Most albums these days are collections of songs, so I go looking for the good songs. A great album is still the pinnacle, but great is great and a couple of great songs are still worth something.

I'm in total agreement that for AC/DC to change would simply be wrong. Some critics need to understand that not everything needs to evolve and AC/DC being one of them!

I HYPED Black Ice on EverHYPE and scored it 94%, which I think is very accurate.

If you get on there rate me a 5 on it and request friendship.

"rate me a 5 on it and request friendship"



not going to happen.

I've been listening to it since it debut ... I love the thing.

I love the new album ,but i also feel that with about 3-4 songs less it would have appeared to have been stronger.
However, Black ice has a dark quality/tone that runs thru it,that i haven't heard since "for those about to Rock",or "BON"era music.
I would give it a strong 7 out of 10 for my rating,but i have loved ac/dc since 1978 when I was 10!IT was also so nice to hear some slide guitar and some basic effects within the new album, most fans would like to hear something different on a new album "once in a while",
and i feel that they have added to thier mighty
catalog with this one!

Just listened to the new Ac/Dc album, "Black Ice". There are a couple of good songs, the first one on the album is the best one and the rest of it is filler material. Pretty much the same formula that they have adhered to since "Let There Be Rock" over 25 years ago. There are more recycled riffs on this album than I can possibly count. I suppose it is somewhat ridiculous to condemn Ac/Dc for putting out the same album for 25 years though, that's just what they do. That would be like criticizing Johnny Ramone for writing songs that were nothing but 4 downward stroked, repetitive bar chords. Similarly, it would be like criticizing Coors for introducing a light beer. It works, it sells and if you don't like it there are plenty of other options. Here again, this is just what Ac/Dc does. I never honestly expected Ac/Dc to do a "Sgt. Pepper" album anyway. I mean what exactly would they do if they decided to produce some horrible art rock record in the first place? Overdub big a brass section or wheel out some synthesizers? Maybe they would do a collaboration album with John Petrucci of Dream Theater and Brian Johnson could write some introspective, sensitive lyrics about relationships. Right. Gong! I listened to the entire album twice and it has the usual assortment of open A, D, G and E open chord structured tunes that you have come to expect from Angus and Malcolm and it has the standard Brian Johnson lyrical themes about sex, sexual innuendos, the devil, rock and roll and more rock and roll, parties, good times, more sex, chauvinistic sex, etc. There are aspects about this band and its simple, straight ahead rock and roll formula that I still like but, I guess I have just heard the Ac/Dc formula so many times before in the last three decades that they are just starting to sound very undeniably retro and the lyrical content of their songs has gotten just plain silly and stagnant to the point of absurdity. So I guess it's sort of a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation. I would really like to hear them progress a bit and change it up, do something a bit more different, fresh and innovative. But, then again if they did it would probably be a horrible unlistenable mess. So we are stuck with records like this for better or worse, take it or leave it. It's Ac/Dc doing the same thing they have done for decades and I wouldn't expect them to change this formula. It's what got them where they are. They can retire on it and they most likely will very soon.

Bon v. Brian - This is like trying to get KIss fans and Rush fans to agree which is the best band - pointless.

There is some great ACDC material (title track, rock 'n roll dream) on here and there are some weaker tunes (She likes rock 'n roll, decibel) and almost funky stuff (black ice).

One of my favourites is 'anything goes' sounding like Jimmy Barnes/Cold Chisel.

On the whole a good album, just stuffed too full to stop the people who complain about only getting 40 minutes of material on a 79 minute disc.