Anmeldelse: AC/DC – «Shot in the Dark»

Hardrock

Published:

2020

Record label:

Sony Music

«A glimmer of hope»

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SONG: October 6 will forever stand as a black day in rock history for very, very many. It was the day when one of the genre’s greatest instrumentalists and icon put the guitar on the shelf for good. Sign the memory, Eddie Van Halen – you have accomplished more than the vast majority.

Like a healing balm on a sore wound, Brian Johnson, Angus Young, Cliff Williams, Phil Rudd and Stevie Young come in from the sidelines and tell you that there is hope.

Most people thought that the last song was sung from the AC / DC camp after the “Rock Or Bust” tour ended with Axl Rose on substitute vocals in 2016.

Singer, Brian Johnson, had to jump off the rocket train months in advance when he was simply in danger of becoming completely deaf. The band’s favorite drummer, Phil Rudd, was in trouble with the law and good old Cliff Williams decided that enough was enough. At the end of the whole band’s founder, Malcolm Young at the end of 2017.

Rock’s paths are unsearchable, however, and what not everyone knew was that primus engine, Angus Young, had an arsenal of AC / DC riffs in a hidden box at home in Sydney. Led by himself and his fallen brother and weapon bearer, Malcolm.

Add help from some knowledgeable hearing specialists and some band members’ desire for a new and better path and fast forward to today, October 7, 2020. Here we sit and listen to Brian Johnson once again twist the vocal cords over Angus Young’s classic and distinctive rock riff. Who would have thought that?

«Shot in the Dark» is the first taste of the album «Power Up» which comes on 13 November. Of course it sounds as AC / DC as it is possible to get it. The band has never shown any inclination to change the expression that has carried them on a cloud of success since the mid 70’s until today. Why change now?

Aesthetically and in terms of production, it is somewhere between “Flick of The Switch” and “Fly on the Wall”. The chorus can be chewed on before it comes for the second time. It’s light in the groove – the octaves on bass are as confident and prominent as ever – and Angus treats the Gibson SG guitar with the elegance only he can show.

You have of course heard both chorus and projections before – in better and worse taps. But the overall thing here is that it washes a trembling stream of positivity through you.

“Shot in the Dark” gives you a glimmer of hope, a break from the corona and discouraging news. It only lasts for three minutes and four seconds, but the energy injection will stay in the bloodstream significantly longer.

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