The Manticore Tapes
2025 studio album by Motörhead
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The Manticore Tapes is the twenty-third and final 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]
- Manticore Studios, Fulham
- Maple Studios, California
- Bolskine House, Los Angeles
| The Manticore Tapes | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 27, 2025 | |||
| Recorded | August 1976 | |||
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| Genre | Rock[1] | |||
| Length | 43:12 | |||
| Label | Sanctuary | |||
| Motörhead chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Manticore Tapes | ||||
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Background
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 "classic" lineup debut recording studio session in August 1976,[4][5] featuring 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 Fawcus 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 studio tracks as LP#1, an eleven-track live album entitled Blitzkrieg on Birmingham 77′ as LP#2 (recorded in Birmingham on 3 June 1977 at the Town Hall) and a bonus 7″ single comprising 2 tracks (also recorded in Birmingham but at other date & venue: on 12 October 1977 at Barbarella's).[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
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Blabbermouth |   [1] |
| Classic Rock | [12] |
| Metal Hammer | [13] |
| Mojo | [14] |
Classic Rock rated the album four stars out of five 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 out of five, 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
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 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: | 43:12 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from Consequence and Tidal.[16]
Motörhead
- Lemmy Kilmister – bass, lead vocals
- Eddie Clarke – guitar, backing vocals
- Phil Taylor – drums
Additional contributors
- Ron Fawcus – recording
- Andrew Alekel – mastering
- Cameron Webb – restoration
Charts
| 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] | 32 |
| 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 |