10 Greatest Metal Anthems Of All Time
7. Ace Of Spades - Motorhead
On "Ace of Spades," Motorhead was able to do all-out metal but on rock's terms. When broken down to its essence, the tune is just your standard rock song with a bluesy guitar and lyrics about gambling, but Lemmy puts it through the Motorhead machine to make it something unique.
The bass sound leaps out at you from the beginning with a throaty wail before the drum rolls suck you into with enhanced tension. The tempo of the song is unrelenting as as guitarist Eddie Clarke rides the backbeat of Phil Taylor with a descending riff that takes the listener down the musical avalanche.
Amid all the chaos, Lemmy's vocal has the greatest attitude that has ever been put to tape as he spits about his rough and ragged life living on the edge. The drive of the song makes it feel like the tune could fly off its hinges at any moment, but the groove is never lost as Lemmy leads the group through 3 minutes of pure metallic debauchery. It's on the harsher side of the spectrum for a rock song, but fits like a glove for any metal enthusiast.