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The Manticore Tapes

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The Manticore Tapes
Studio album by
Motörhead
ReleasedJune 27, 2025 (2025-06-27)
RecordedAugust 1976
Studio
  • Manticore Studios, Fulham
  • Maple Studios, California
  • Bolskine House, Los Angeles
GenreRock[1]
Length47:12
LabelSanctuary
Motörhead chronology
Bad Magic
(2015) 		The Manticore Tapes
(2025)
Singles from The Manticore Tapes
  1. "Motörhead"
    Released: 8 May 2025
  2. "Leavin' Here"
    Released: 12 June 2025

The Manticore Tapes is the twenty-fourth studio album by English rock band Motörhead. It was released on 27 June 2025 via Sanctuary in vinyl, double vinyl, CD and digital formats.[2][3]

Background

[edit]

Released ten years after the previous project, Bad Magic, in 2015 and dubbed a "lost" album, The Manticore Tapes consists of eleven tracks from the band's debut recording studio session in August 1976,[4][5] featuring members of the "classic" lineup, including Lemmy, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and Phil Taylor.[6][2][7]

The album title was inspired by the name of a Fulham studio owned by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, in which the band rehearsed and recorded in 1976.[8] The original recording was conducted by Ron Faucus and restored by Cameron Webb.[9] The album was mastered by Andrew Alekel.[9] The double vinyl version of the album consists of the eleven tracks and a live album recorded in Birmingham.[10]

"Motörhead" was released as the first single of the album on 8 May 2025.[2] It was followed by the second single, "Leavin' Here", on 12 June 2025, alongside a music video.[11]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Blabbermouth[1]
Classic Rock[12]
Metal Hammer[13]
Mojo[14]

Classic Rock rated the album four stars and noted, "Outtakes or no outtakes, this reissue manages to pull off the considerable trick of feeling like a complete whole – the first iteration of the classic line-up after Motörhead's formation in 1975."[12]

Louder Than War remarked about the album, "As some of Lemmy's inter-song banter has been retained, this is a studio quality album with a live feel, 'live in the studio' if you like."[15] Blabbermouth assigned the album a rating of seven out of ten, stating that "The Manticore Tapes will never rival Ace of Spades for excitement or quality, but the sound of an explosive, undeniable rock 'n' roll band revving their engines is unmistakable."[1]

James McNair of Mojo, rating the album four stars, noted, "The Manticore Tapes constitute an alternative history showing just how potent early Motorhead really were."[14] Metal Hammer's Alastair Riddell opined, "Here, the garage and proto-metal sound owes more to MC5 and the Pink Fairies than to their later recordings. Essential? Maybe not. But an absolute joy for fans," rating it seven out of ten.[13]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Intro (Instrumental)"3:45
2."Leavin' Here"3:23
3."Vibrator"3:26
4."Help Keep Us on the Road"4:58
5."The Watcher"4:37
6."Motörhead"3:09
7."Witch Doctor (Instrumental)"2:37
8."Iron Horse / Born to Lose (Instrumental)"5:55
9."Leavin' Here (Alternate Take)"3:26
10."Vibrator (Alternate Take)"3:30
11."The Watcher (Alternate Take)"4:26
Total length:47:12

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Consequence and Tidal.[16]

Motörhead

[edit]

Additional contributors

[edit]
  • Ron Fawcus – recording
  • Andrew Alekel – mastering
  • Cameron Webb – restoration

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for The Manticore Tapes
Chart (2025) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[17] 17
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] 73
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[19] 157
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] 34
French Albums (SNEP)[21] 158
French Rock & Metal Albums (SNEP)[22] 9
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[23] 9
Greek Albums (IFPI)[24] 35
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] 6
Swedish Hard Rock Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[26] 9
Swedish Physical Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 19
UK Albums (OCC)[29] 62
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[30] 2
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[31] 1

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Lawson, Dom (26 June 2025). "The Manticore Tapes – review". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Grow, Kory (8 May 2025). "Motorhead to Release 'Lost' Album 'The Manticore Tapes' Capturing Classic Lineup's First Session". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  3. ^ Jenke, Tyler (9 May 2025). "Motörhead to Mark 50th Anniversary With Release of 'Lost' 1976 Album". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  4. ^ Luisetti, Agostino (9 May 2025). "Motörhead to release 1976 lost album The Manticore Tapes". Hot Press. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  5. ^ Knox, Payton (9 May 2025). "Motörhead Set to Release "Lost" Album The Manticore Tapes". Exclaim!. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  6. ^ Rigotti, Alex (8 May 2025). "Motörhead to release "lost" 1976 album 'The Manticore Tapes'". NME. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  7. ^ Thomas, Laviea (8 May 2025). "Motörhead Announce the Release of 1976 Lost Album 'The Manticore Tapes'". MetalSucks. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  8. ^ "MOTÖRHEAD: The Manticore Tapes, A 'Lost' Album From 1976, To Be Released". Blabbermouth. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  9. ^ a b Hadusek, Jon (12 June 2025). "Motörhead unveil "Leavin' Here" from lost 1976 album The Manticore Tapes". Consequence. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  10. ^ Breihan, Tom (8 May 2025). ""Lost" 1976 Motörhead Album The Manticore Tapes Coming Out Next Month". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  11. ^ "MOTÖRHEAD Releases Video For New Single 'Leavin' Here' From 'Lost' Album The Manticore Tapes". Blabbermouth. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  12. ^ a b True, Everett (27 June 2025). "1976 Motörhead sound like the real deal on The Manticore Tapes". Classic Rock. Retrieved 6 July 2025 – via Louder Sound.
  13. ^ a b Riddell, Alastair (August 2025). "The Manticore Tapes". Metal Hammer. No. 402. p. 95. ISSN 0955-1190.
  14. ^ a b McNair, James (August 2025). "The Manticore Tapes". Mojo. No. 381. p. 92. ISSN 1351-0193.
  15. ^ Brown, Nathan (2 July 2025). "Motörhead: Manticore Tapes – Album Review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  16. ^ "The Manticore Tapes / Motörhead / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Motörhead – The Manticore Tapes" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Ultratop.be – Motörhead – The Manticore Tapes" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Motörhead – The Manticore Tapes" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Motorhead: The Manticore Tapes" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Top 200 Albums du semaine 27, 2025" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  22. ^ "Top 100 Rock & Metal Albums du semaine 27, 2025" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Motörhead – The Manticore Tapes" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Official IFPI Charts Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) – Εβδομάδα: 27/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 9 July 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  26. ^ "Veckolista Hårdrock, vecka 27" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  27. ^ "Veckolista Album Fysiskt, vecka 27" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  28. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Motörhead – The Manticore Tapes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  29. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  30. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  31. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
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