The best Brian Johnson era AC/DC album no questions asked!

AC/DC's eighth album(for the world outside Australia) and ninth Australian release For Those About to Rock We Salute You was originally released in November of 1981 on Atlantic Records in the US.

After the success of Back in Black, the members of AC/DC(guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young, bass player Cliff Williams, drummer Phil Rudd and lead singer Brian Johnson) were faced with the inevitable, what do you do for an encore.

The band, along with Highway to Hell and Back in Black producer Mutt Lange(whom just come off the success of Foreigner's 4th album) went to France to record Back in Black's follow-up which emerged in time for Christmas in 1981. How is it, read on.

This album starts off with one of the band's greatest tracks and is still a rock radio staple, For Those About to Rock's title track. The title song is a killer rocker that builds to an awesome cannon-powered climax which would become the climax of every AC/DC show from 1983 forward although it was the first encore on the For Those tour. Next was the other big rock radio and early MTV staple Put The Finger On You which is a killer rocker. Then, it's the somewhat forgotten classic despite the fact it dominated rock radio in 1982 Let's Get It Up which has one of Angus' best solos. Next is the heavy, bluesy rocking Inject The Venom which is a killer rocker. We end the first half with another killer rocker Snowballed.

We kick the second half of the album off with the mid-tempo rocker Evil Walks which is a killer tune. Next is C.O.D.(Care Of Devil) which some saw as a reworking of the Back in Black album's biggest hit You Shook Me All Night Long. Next is one of the album's best tracks Breaking The Rules which is a great mid-tempo rocker. We then speed up a bit on the next track Night Of The Long Knives which has a catchy chorus and one of the Young brothers' best riffs. The closing Spellbound was not a cover of the song Triumph did(in fact Triumph had a song with different music and words on 1984's Thunder Seven) but is a great, slow bluesy album closer.

When For Those came out, it was a monster smash quickly hitting #1 on the Billboard 200 where it reigned for three weeks and has gone on to be the second best selling album of the Brian Johnson era with four million in US sales(I should know as I have gone through some copies be it cassette(I first acquired in July of 1985 after the cover caught my attention) or the 1994 Atlantic remastered CD or the new 2003 Epic remaster).

HUGELY RECOMMENDED!

Very Good by AC/DC's Standards

Here is the follow-up to Back in Black. This was a huge success for the band at the time because people were expecting another Back in Black. This simply wasn't the case. Although it is a good album, it is just not as radio-friendly as Back in Black was. There are, however, many stand out tracks incl. For Those About to Rock..., Let's Get It Up, Evil Walks, C.O.D., Put The Finger On You. I especially like the opening riff to Night of the Long Knives. Anyway, this is not where to start, but also not where to finish. It is probably 2nd or 3rd best of the Brian Johnson era, and maybe 5th or 6th best total. Mutt Lange's production helps this one a lot, which was a problem suffered by many albums after this one.

What is there not to like ? Great stuff !

What is there not to like about this album ? It's great stuff --not a masterpiece like 'Back in Black', but most bands are lucky to get more than one of those, or EVEN ONE of those !! Brian Johnson's voice was still in top form when this was recorded, and he squeals and shrieks like a pig in heat ! Add to that Angus firing off incredible riff after riff, and the rock-solid rhythm section of Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd pounding away, as well as double-entendre lyrics that will make you laugh and sing along --- all brought to you in superb, remastered sound. AC/DC has made only one mediocre-to-poor album in their entire career ('Fly on the Wall'), and along with Motorhead, they are the most reliable, unpretentious rock band around today.