(SPV/Steamhammer)

www.spv.de

This is the comeback album AC/DC should have written, starting with the cowbell-whacking cock-rock strut of "Speed Machine," which finds Blaine Cartwright howling "Gonna kill myself or die trying" and other live-fast-love-hard-die-young mantras in a voice as raw as Alice Cooper on the last night of a three-year tour.

And then, they hit you with the first of many classic slop-rock solos from guitarist Ruyter Suys. Every track is like that, really - great riff, better lyrics and amazing solo. There's the Nugent-esque "From Hell to Texas," in which Cartwright gets all existential ("Born to die in a rock ‘n' roll band/always sounded like a hell of a plan"). He's bouncing off the guard rail, his liver about to explode, in the Kiss-like ode to irresponsible partying, "Drunk Driving Man." And then, he signs off with a plea to just "Give Me A Hit Before I Go," admitting "I wanna drown in the sweet stench of success."

Standout Tracks: "Speed Machine," "Drunk Driving Man" A. WATT