Product - such as Black Ice - the Canadian Brendan O'Brien (Mastodon, Pearl Jam), this album has a sound that is both subtle and massive. The group gives the impression of having been stored in a garage. You can hear everything well, guitars tear the wallpaper and the battery is nailed to the floor. Efficient, nothing to say. Brian Johnson has lost a bit of vocal intensity but has gained some "soul", which is fine for a music stamped old gangsters "Classic Rock".
As for the songs themselves, sometimes they have little riffs that recall the great moments of the past, they have the good taste to try to vary a little without trying to be unnecessarily originals.
We knew Rock or Bust - the song - for some weeks: pure assdèce with intro between Highway to Hell and TNT. One can discover the next two singles: Play Ball with his little riff leading into low and threatening Mongolian Dogs of War, well done without being so different than 90% of other securities. Note a nice little variation with zeppelinien Rock The House and its false airs of Black Dog to the dipping sauce. Baptism By Fire also has a small riff off quite successful. And I also like the wrong side of bluesy Hard Times.
But hey, do not bother to go into too much detail. The guys put their heart to make us believe that they still have 20 years (or only 15). They have fishing, that's all that matters. This record could nevertheless be the last of the members of the Young family. With all the problems accumulated lately, helping and age, it is unclear how much longer they could keep the momentum.
This album, I personally find a bit higher than Black Ice, in the sense that it focuses exclusively on the basic set from High Voltage to produce leaded steel stuff over medium tempo, gilt-edged and well cooked in the studio.
Rock or Bust is a little less than 35 minutes, but it holds up pretty well from beginning to end, without loss of power or compromise too overtly commercial (guys do not need to reinvent a recipe that has proven ). You will not find any immortal hymn to Back in Black or Thunderstruck. There is also no acoustic tour or return of Celine Dion. In short, this brave little cake to the former should help considerably to support the family celebrations with granny Jacqueline.
That is it not good news, right?