AC/DC
Back In Black

THE REVIEW

Dreary bell tolls and the riff of a sulfurous Gibson SG that merges with it introduce us to the legend: it's "Hells Bells," it's BACK IN BLACK! Now on vocals is Bryan Johnson, but behind the strings are still the Young brothers, crafting an essential masterpiece, a fundamental masterpiece in the history of hard rock. Produced by John Lange (who also handled the production of the previous HIGHWAY TO HELL), BACK IN BLACK is THE Album of Ac-Dc, over 20 million copies sold, marking the compositional peak of Our group, earning them a rightful place in the empyrean of the greats of rock. Ten excellent, unforgettable pearls that merge into a majestic complex that only has a minimal cover: the Ac-Dc logo and the album title on an essential black background. After the opening "Hells Bells," a track constantly featured in concerts (as are almost all others from BIB), a chord progression takes us to the second track: "Shoot To Thrill," pumped-up, one of the best by Ac-Dc: from the intro, to the driving rhythm, to the interlude, to the vocals. But there's no time to think, Phil's drums and Cliff's bass accompany us into the delightful "What Do You Do For Money Honey" (the title already tells you what it's about), which is quickly replaced by the driving "Given The Dog A Bone." With "Let Me Put My Love Into You," we're at the turning point: it starts slow, first guitar and drums, then everyone else joins in a crescendo for the chorus. The sixth track takes your breath away from the start with Angus's massive riff introducing us to "Back In Black," a stratospheric tribute to the late singer Bon Scott: three chords repeated endlessly, Brian's screeching voice, Phil's drum groove hammering your brain and shaking your heart for a legendary piece. "You Shook Me All Night Long" arrives, and it's a party: first Angus, then Phil, then Bryan, Malcolm, and Cliff; all the instruments chase each other in an incredible rhythm that makes "You Shook..." the most famous Ac-Dc song alongside "Back In Black." The scorching "Have A Drink On Me" and "Shake A Leg" don't match up to the previous two, but they still manage to excite you. "Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" closes, starting with a plucked riff by Angus, quickly joined by Bryan (not before lighting a cigarette), to frame an authentic Ac-Dc anthem.

Rock is not noise pollution; perhaps R&R is just R&R (as Jagger and Richards said), for sure, with BACK IN BLACK, Ac-Dc delivers the work that will see them as protagonists throughout the eighties (and will allow them to live on royalties for life!). What has made BIB a true cornerstone of hard'n'heavy, beyond its famous riffs and deadly solos, is the fact that it comes after a discography of undisputed value: think of works like LET THERE BE ROCK (1977), POWERAGE ('78), and HIGHWAY TO HELL ('79). Moreover, the band had the extraordinary ability to react to the loss of a charismatic frontman like Bon Scott (who died in 1980, the year BIB was released). Like them or not, BACK IN BLACK remains an indisputable, irreplaceable album. An album that any lover of the genre must listen to (and love) sooner or later.