Black Ice

[Vendetta]

Black Ice is the upcoming fifteenth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, set to be released on October 18, 2008 for Australia and October 20 for the rest of the world. It will be their first album in eight years, since the release of Stiff Upper Lip in 2000, the longest gap between AC/DC's studio albums to date. The album was produced by Brendan O'Brien and recorded and mixed by Mike Fraser at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

In a 2004 interview, Brian Johnson revealed that for the first time since the 1988 album Blow Up Your Video, he would be handling lyrics. He also said that Angus Young has written harder riffs than those on Stiff Upper Lip.

As of January 2006, AC/DC were working on the album, and according to Malcolm Young at that time, "The band are currently writing and recording material for the eagerly anticipated next album, but no release date has been set."

In April 2008, AC/DC's official website confirmed the release of the new album with producer Brendan O'Brien and audio engineer Mike Fraser, but did not confirm a release date.

In June 2008, Reuters reported that the album would be distributed solely by Wal-Mart stores in the United States, and that HMV stores in Canada were advertising the album with an October release date.

On August 15, AC/DC recorded the video to accompany the first single from the album, "Rock 'n Roll Train", in London. Three days later, an announcement was made on the band's official website, stating that Black Ice would be released on October 20, 2008.

"Rock 'n Roll Train" was released on August 28. The video of "Rock 'n Roll Train" appeared on the band's website on September 19. That day also saw the release of another song (the b-side for rock n roll train), "War Machine", and the release of a brief appraisal of the album by Rolling Stone magazine, citing that "Brian wails about skies on fire, blood in his eyes, storms raging, lightning flashes, hard rain and pretty women...Angus Young shreds throughout...Malcom Young, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd — are solid as a rock." as well as making a surprise statement that Angus Young uses a slide in the song "Stormy May Day". The magazine also named several tracks before the official release of the track listing.

Several days after the original version of the album was made available for pre-order, the band's website store listed two variations of cover artwork available for the CD in addition to the original red logo. These were a yellow logo and a silver logo. All three versions feature the exact same music and content with a black background. However, the gray designs behind the band's logo are different on each of the two different covers. There is also a hardcover Deluxe Edition (blue logo) available which will contain a 30-page booklet with exclusive new illustrations, studio and live photographs of AC/DC.

1. "Rock 'n Roll Train"

2. "Skies on Fire"

3. "Big Jack"

4. "Anything Goes"

5. "War Machine"

6. "Smash 'n' Grab"

7. "Spoilin' for a Fight"

8. "Wheels"

9. "Decibel"

10. "Stormy May Day"

11. "She Likes Rock 'n Roll"

12. "Money Made"

13. "Rock 'n' Roll Dream"

14. "Rocking All the Way"

15. "Black Ice"

Gotta say..I've "previewed" some of the tracks and this is definitely worth a buy.

[Cactus Drags]

Hopefully, new album out means they'll headline Download next year and put 6 or 7 years' worth of rumours to rest >_>

[K]

AC/DC are one of two bands that I have left to see that carry that sort of majesty. They're also the only one who's music I actually got into. (The other being Zepp, I never really picked them up) So I'm looking forward to the tour.

[tristy]

what's the song on Rock Band 2?

[Big Tuna]

Let There Be Rock is in Rock Band 2, and there's supposed to be a track pack released in November with 18 live tracks:

Back in Black

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Fire Your Guns

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Heatseeker

Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be

Hells Bells

High Voltage

Highway To Hell

Jailbreak

Let There Be Rock

Moneytalks

Shoot to Thrill

T.N.T.

The Jack

Thunderstruck

Whole Lotta Rosie

You Shook Me All Night Long

[TheReaper316]

Rock and Roll Train and Let There Be Rock are the only things I've heard..only things any part of has been REALLY released of and both are awesome, classic AC/DC stuff. The new album should be great.

[K]

Thanks for ordering

You have booked

1 STANDING ticket(s)

for AC/DC .

PLEASE NOTE, this transaction will appear on your statement as 'EVENT TICKETS

[Iain76er]

Thanks for ordering

You have booked

1 STANDING ticket(s)

for AC/DC .

PLEASE NOTE, this transaction will appear on your statement as 'EVENT TICKETS

I got seating tickets. All you ugly fuckers got the standing ones too quickly.

[Mick]

I have the album through assorted methods , and let me say if you liked Stiff Upper Lip and Ballbreaker, you'll like this. Just don't expect something similar to The Razor's Edge or Back In Black, and you'll be okay.

[K]

Thanks for ordering

You have booked

1 STANDING ticket(s)

for AC/DC .

PLEASE NOTE, this transaction will appear on your statement as 'EVENT TICKETS

I got seating tickets. All you ugly fuckers got the standing ones too quickly.

Don't blame me, blame those cunts touting on eBay. I bought one for myself.

I'm going alone because my mate couldn't get through in time.

[Guest Wild Hog]

All i can say is that I've been waiting for this album for 8 years. Cant wait untill monday when its released in HMV.

Its been a long wait, and what i've heard of Rock N Rock Train its definately been worth it.

-The Hog-

[JoeMimic]

It's decent, I really wish this was their last album/tour though. It's sad that in my opinion AC/DC is getting out AC/DC'd by Airbourne.

[Bigal]

Well, there's a rumour doing the rounds that they're retiring after this tour, but somehow I just don't see it. AC/DC don't seem the kind of band that would officially retire.

I'm currently waiting for the added dates to be announced. I missed out on tickets by about five minutes

[New Damage]

I got it on Friday, and it's my first AC/DC album. It's a pretty good album, especially the last few tracks.

One thing that does get on my nerves though is that people will shit all over Nickelback for "releasing the same song" when over their albums they have more variety, whereas AC/DC have been making the same song for 30 odd years. Not wanting to stir up another "Nickelback are shit lolz" arguement, obviously.

[Farmer Reil]

whereas AC/DC have been making the same song for 30 odd years. Not wanting to stir up another "Nickelback are shit lolz" arguement, obviously.

That's actually quite funny. In fact, it's full-on hilarious. Firstly, if Black Ice is your first AC/DC album, how can you even make such a blatantly bullshit remark? I'm not even much of an AC/DC fan (sure, I like some songs, but...) and even I know that's bollocks. For a start, Bon Scott and Brian Johnson aren't exactly vocal twins.

Hells Bells and Evil Walks 'sound a bit alike'. That's about as close as you can realistically get. You can't even say albums in general have the same sort of sound. Compare Powerage with Back In Black for example; totally different. Of course, that'd involve doing some research before blurting out crap, but hey...

Edited October 27, 2008 by Farmer Reil

[Cactus Drags]

I think AC/DC tread the line between "own sound" and "churning out the same shite" perfectly. Trouble is, I don't think there's room in the world for Airbourne anymore

[New Damage]

I meant within one album, as opposed to from album to album. But I digress, everyone's got an opinion and whatnot, and we don't need another "x band are shit because I think they are" arguement, I'm not knocking either band.

The album itself, although like most albums I buy, did the same with Death Magnetic a few weeks ago, take a few listens to grow on me.

EDIT: And what Dragsy said above. They're kinda like Rage Against The Machine: they have one mould of song. It's a damn good mould, but still doesn't offer up much variety in terms of tempo, theme etc.

Edited October 27, 2008 by TheModernWay

[Cactus Drags]

I've not actually heard the new album in it's entirity yet, so I'm not sure how accurate that is. But making that statement, and admitting in the same breath that you've not listened to any of the earlier stuff, was totally fucking stupid.

[METALMAN]

A lot (perhaps even a majority) of AC/DC's songs are mid-tempo hard rock. This doesn't neccessarily mean they all sound the same. I mean, going by the similar songs on one album argument, "Back in Black" and "Hell's Bells" are both mid-tempo songs on the same album, though they sound nothing alike.

I think they tend to stick with the same tempo because it is a winning formula, though there is enough variation between songs. Plus they have had such a huge legacy and influence on current music that I can't imagine (or at least hope) Nickelback will ever have.

I'm not even hugely into AC/DC myself, but I still do respect their importance, not to mention the fact that their songs don't sound all the same.

[fourstarfizzle]

AC/DC & Walmart

I read this and laughed. Poor AC/DC.