AC/DC
If You Want Blood.. You've Got It

The review I am about to write won't be easy, because they are the first band that introduced me to the world of hard rock (and not heavy metal because they are NOT HEAVY METAL!!). I'm talking about the great AC/DC, and incidentally, I can’t wait for the release of "Black Ice", and they marked their era, thanks to those pounding riffs that shot like lightning from the guitar of my favorite guitarist: Angus Young. The only blemish in their career was the death of the great and inimitable Bon Ronald Scott, and I am convinced that they never fully recovered from that tough blow, even if they don't show it. It's not that I don't like Brian Johnson; on the contrary, he has a spectacular voice, but he doesn't have the charisma of Bon, that's all.

But let's talk about the album I want to discuss, "If You Want Blood", which is AC/DC's first live album, recorded at the Apollo Theatre in Glasgow in 1978. It is absolutely one of the most beautiful albums of the group, filled with unstoppable energy, in which AC/DC display the best of their first four albums. The album starts with the gem from the new "Powerage", "Riff Raff", which begins with a slight delay because you have to wait for all five to get on stage. The song is good, certainly better than the studio version, strengthened by a masterful solo by Angus towards the end; it is precisely this solo that suddenly halts to make way for the fantastic "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be", one of the album's highlights sung divinely, showcasing the qualities of Cliff Williams on bass. Then we have to wait for Angus to perform his customary striptease, extending the playful "Bad Boy Boogie" to nearly nine minutes of engaging entertainment, seamlessly blending with the notes of "The Jack" which begins with a blues tempo, each of Bon's stanzas accompanied by a roar from the audience (and what stanzas!) who then sing along to the chorus, admirably concluding the song. Exactly halfway through the album, we find the magnificent "Problem Child", possibly the fastest track of the Scott era, containing three guitar solos in just two minutes, serving as the intro to the immortal "Whole Lotta Rosie", the best track of the album where all members make a great contribution, reciprocated by a massive roar from the audience at the song’s end. We then encounter the new "Rock N' Roll Damnation", very simple, used as a bridge between "Whole Lotta Rosie" and "High Voltage", another track where the audience contributes to the perfect rendition orchestrated by Bon and Angus. And ladies and gentlemen, here’s "Let There Be Rock", the anthem of the musical genre, another flagship track of the album, lasting 8:58 minutes, beautifully closing the most creative part of this record. Here too, the audience plays its part by keeping time with the rhythm set by Angus. The concert seems finished, but to complete the work there is an alternative version of "Rocker", which makes us go even wilder, although, unfortunately for us, the album is concluded.

Truly a great album, in my opinion, I recommend it without the slightest doubt. Rating 7.5.