Motörhead’s 21st Century resurgence continued with Inferno, the band’s first album (of six to date) to be recorded with producer Cameron Webb. It blazes virtually from start to finish, with a few tracks that demonstrate the band’s sonic eclecticism without sacrificing their raw rock ‘n’ roll power … and it features maybe the most unexpected guest star of their career.

Inferno kicks off with “Terminal Show,” “Killers,” and “In The Name Of Tragedy,” three of the most ferocious, yet also hard-grooving, songs of their career. Lemmy and Mikkey are a fierce, driving rhythm team, and Phil Campbell’s guitars have savagery and bite. But in the middle of “Terminal Show,” there’s a squealing, squiggling, zipping, zooming eruption of what can only be called “stunt guitar,” courtesy of the man who invented that style while working with Frank Zappa in the early ’80s. Yes, Motörhead’s Inferno features not one, but two (he shows up again five tracks later, on “Down On Me”) guest guitar solos from Steve Vai.

This album is absolutely packed with fast and furious burners, with fist-pumping riffs and choruses you can shout along with. But there are songs that offer a few more surprises, structurally speaking, like “Fight” and “In The Year Of The Wolf.” And then there’s the acoustic closer, “Whorehouse Blues.” These are the hidden gems that make Inferno what it is: the first album in a creative resurgence that shows no sign of abating.