Motorhead Kiss of Death: Inside the 2006 Album

Motorhead Kiss of Death arrived on 29 August 2006 as the band’s eighteenth studio album.

Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Campbell, and Mikkey Dee reunited with producer Cameron Webb for their second album together.

Guest guitarist C.C. DeVille and bassist Mike Inez both stepped into the sessions, giving the record two unexpected outside voices.

Two decades later, Motorhead Kiss of Death still carries extra weight as the last album to feature original Joe Petagno cover art.

What Is the Motorhead Kiss of Death Album About?

The Motorhead Kiss of Death album is a hard charging record built on speed, blunt riffing, and Lemmy Kilmister’s growl.

Sucker, One Night Stand, and Devil I Know open the record at full pace.

Sword of Glory stands out for its lyric about the pointlessness of war, a theme critics singled out repeatedly.

The result is Motorhead Kiss of Death sounding like a band still committed to speed twenty nine years into its career.

Who Recorded Motorhead Kiss of Death?

Lemmy Kilmister handled lead vocals and bass across the entire record.

Phil Campbell played all lead guitar parts as the band’s sole guitarist.

Mikkey Dee played drums throughout, continuing the same trio lineup that had recorded Inferno two years earlier.

Producer Cameron Webb also handled mixing and engineering duties, with Sergio Chavez contributing additional engineering.

Where and When Was Motorhead Kiss of Death Recorded?

Motorhead recorded Kiss of Death during 2006 across three Hollywood area studios: Paramount Studios, NRG Studios, and Maple Studios in Costa Mesa.

Cameron Webb produced the sessions, returning after his debut with the band on Inferno.

SPV and Steamhammer released the album in Europe on 29 August 2006, with Sanctuary Records handling the US release.

The sessions marked Steamhammer’s ninth Motorhead release and the band’s continued reliance on the same Los Angeles studio circuit.

Which Guest Musicians Played on Kiss of Death?

Guitarist C.C. DeVille of Poison played the guitar solo on God Was Never on Your Side.

Bassist Mike Inez of Alice in Chains added additional bass to Under the Gun.

Both guest spots gave Motorhead Kiss of Death a wider circle of collaborators than most of the band’s other 2000s records.

Closing track Going Down also carries a writing credit for Todd Campbell, Phil Campbell’s son.

What Songs Are on the Motorhead Kiss of Death Tracklist?

Motorhead Kiss of Death runs twelve tracks across just under 45 minutes.

The album opens with Sucker, One Night Stand, and Devil I Know, then moves through Trigger, Under the Gun, and God Was Never on Your Side.

Living in the Past, Christine, Sword of Glory, Be My Baby, and Kingdom of the Worm carry the record through its second half.

Going Down closes the original tracklist, with a re-recorded version of R.A.M.O.N.E.S. and a cover of Whiplash included as bonus tracks on select editions.

How Does God Was Never on Your Side Fit Into the Album?

God Was Never on Your Side stands as one of the most talked about tracks on Kiss of Death.

Its guest solo from C.C. DeVille gives the song a different guitar voice than the rest of the record.

Classic Rock’s Lee Marlow later praised the song’s lyric for finding fresh poignancy in the idiocy of war.

The track remains one of the clearest highlights on Motorhead Kiss of Death two decades on.

Did Motorhead Kiss of Death Chart?

Motorhead Kiss of Death reached number 4 in Germany and number 3 on the UK Rock and Metal Albums Chart in 2006.

The record also charted at number 13 in Sweden, number 16 in Finland, and number 45 on the main UK Albums Chart.

In the United States, the album reached number 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and number 20 on the Billboard Independent Albums Chart.

It was one of the band’s stronger chart showings across multiple territories during the 2000s.

What Did Critics Say About Motorhead Kiss of Death?

Critics gave Motorhead Kiss of Death a generally strong reception in 2006.

Drowned in Sound rated the album 8 out of 10, calling it twelve slices of good old fashioned, foot stomping, fist pumping rock and roll.

Rock Hard awarded 8.5 out of 10, while AllMusic’s Greg Prato gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and noted too many songs sounding like run of the mill modern metal.

PopMatters and MusicOMH both landed in the middle, at 7 out of 10 and 4 out of 5 stars respectively.

Why Did Kiss of Death Get a 2026 Anniversary Reissue?

BMG released a 20th anniversary edition of Kiss of Death on 3 July 2026, half speed remastered from the original tapes.

The reissue added a bonus disc titled Live at Lowlands, 2007, recorded at the festival in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands.

Classic Rock writer Dave Ling wrote new liner notes for the release in honor of guitarist Phil Campbell, who died on 13 March 2026.

A new lyric video for God Was Never on Your Side, directed by Andy Pilkington, arrived alongside the reissue.

How Does Kiss of Death Compare to Inferno?

Inferno introduced Cameron Webb to the band in 2004 and leaned on a rare guest turn from guitarist Steve Vai.

Kiss of Death continued that partnership two years later, trading Vai’s high register playing for guest spots from C.C. DeVille and Mike Inez.

Both records share the same trio lineup and a similar commitment to speed over experimentation.

Critics generally rate Kiss of Death as the slightly more consistent of the two records.

People Also Ask

Is Motorhead’s Kiss of Death a good album?

Motorhead’s Kiss of Death is generally considered a strong entry in the band’s 2000s catalog, earning 8 out of 10 from Drowned in Sound and 8.5 out of 10 from Rock Hard.

AllMusic was more measured, awarding 3.5 out of 5 stars and noting some songs leaned toward generic modern metal.

Who produced Motorhead’s Kiss of Death album?

Cameron Webb produced Motorhead’s Kiss of Death album in 2006, his second production credit with the band after Inferno.

Webb also handled mixing and engineering, recording across three Hollywood area studios.

Who played the guitar solo on God Was Never on Your Side?

Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille played the guest guitar solo on God Was Never on Your Side, a standout track from Motorhead’s Kiss of Death album.

The pairing remains one of the more unexpected guest appearances in Motorhead’s catalog.

Did Motorhead’s Kiss of Death album chart?

Motorhead’s Kiss of Death album reached number 4 in Germany and number 3 on the UK Rock and Metal Albums Chart in 2006.

It also charted in the United States, reaching number 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart.

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Motorhead Kiss of Death never became the band’s defining record, but it holds up as one of its most consistent 2000s efforts.

Its guest appearances and the tribute weight of the 2026 reissue only add to its place in the catalog.

Read the full lineup history of the members of Motorhead to see how this album fits into the band’s larger story.

As of 2026, Motorhead Kiss of Death stands as a fitting reminder of how much Phil Campbell’s guitar shaped this era of the band.

Last updated: July 24, 2026