'We Are Motörhead' and 'Hammered' were both strong releases, with some very respectable material, however they did lack a little consistency, 'Inferno' puts this to rights as 'Motörhead' release possibly their best album since the excellent yet underrated 'Bastards'. More diversity is thankfully present, as is the same line-up which have been together for many years now and keep getting better with every release. Guitar virtuoso 'Steve Vai' also makes a guest appearance on two tracks and turns in a fine performance to further enhance this excellent album.

The first assault on your speakers takes the shape of the full throttle, Speed Metal treat 'Terminal Show', a no holds barred ripper, blessed with the excellence of 'Steve Vai' on lead guitar, this is supported by 'Lemmy's' growling vocals and the usual uncompromising blazing rhythm. Better still is the grooving headbanger 'Killers', a fast aggressive ripper well in the traditional 'Motörhead' mould, lyrically the chorus gets a tad repetitive, but this is still an album highlight with amazingly catchy rhythm and fine compelling guitar work from the Welsh fret master 'Phil Campbell'. The fine run continues with the neck wrenching 'In the Name of Tragedy' a brisk pulsating rocker, driven again by 'Lemmy's' fantastic bass work and 'Mikkey Dee's' relentless drumming and although some of the hastily spoken lyrics don't quite come off, still another quality cut. The tempo falls for the mid tempo 'Suicide', one of many tracks containing superb 'Lemmy' penned lyrics, and while not as hell-bent as many cuts, a very solid effort reminiscent of old school 'Motörhead'. Traditional Rock & Roll governs the carefree rocker 'Life's a Bitch' as the band goes back to its roots, 'Phil' plays a couple of choice solos and is well supported throughout. Next up is the lively 'Down on Me' a rugged rocker, dominated by 'Lemmy's' biting vocals and pulsating rhythm, while 'Steve Vai' closes the track with some shredding axe work. Following in fine form is 'In the Black' an uncompromising blazer, full of pummelling drums, choice guitar licks and more of their fantastic insidious lyrics. Even harder hitting is the pedal to the metal ripper 'Fight', and while the song writing is a little more basic than some other tracks, the musicianship is superb on this severe thrasher. Not quite so impressive is the experimental 'In the Year of the Wolf', which to my ear has a 'Thin Lizzy' vibe running throughout, decent material though with some nice soloing, but not one of the better cuts. 'Keys to the Kingdom' follows with more marvellous penmanship, musically though the plodding approach is a tad laboured, especially compared to the rest of the material, so not quite a highlight. The pace is restored with the brisk thumper 'Smile like a Killer', the intro surprisingly reminds me of 'Axel Rudi Pell's' 'Call her Princess', despite the insidious lyrics which are a bit concerning, another quality 'Motörhead' staple. 'Inferno' closes with the pure Southern Blues inspired 'Whorehouse Blues' which features harmonica work by 'Lemmy' and acoustic guitaring, personally not my "cup of tea" but a pleasant surprise.

A DVD featuring a making and interviews of 'Inferno' and three video clips, is a nice addition to an excellent album from these veteran Speed Metal pioneers.