Motörhead - Kiss of Death 20th anniversary edition keeps Lemmy’s legacy loud

Motörhead remain one of the loudest names in heavy metal, even more than a decade after Lemmy Kilmister’s death ended the band’s touring days. In 2026 the spotlight returns to their late-career album Kiss of Death, which receives a 20th anniversary edition on July 3, 2026 according to a reissue announcement from BMG and specialist retailers.

What the Kiss of Death reissue offers

The 20th anniversary edition of Kiss of Death arrives as a two-disc set on July 3, 2026, with the album remastered at half speed from the original tapes and expanded bonus material for collectors. A detailed product listing from Napalm Records confirms the release date, format and remastering details for this reissue.

Beyond the core album, the new edition adds a full live recording of Motörhead’s 2007 performance at the Lowlands Festival in Biddinghuizen in the Netherlands, which is being released on physical formats for the first time. A review on a British rock site notes that the package couples the studio record with the Lowlands show to underline how powerful the band remained on stage in the mid-2000s.

How the reissue fits into the anniversary year

The Kiss of Death reissue is part of a broader anniversary campaign that has been running around Motörhead since 2025. The band’s official channels announced a 50th anniversary year starting in 2025, with special vinyl editions of breakthrough albums like Overkill, Bomber and Ace of Spades, plus commemorative events such as a Lemmy statue unveiling in Stoke-on-Trent.

Music outlets have underlined how this wave of releases and tributes kept building through 2025, with reports describing global celebrations, new archival projects and a growing fan community. Against this backdrop, a late-period album like Kiss of Death getting a carefully remastered edition shows how the anniversary program is now highlighting the band’s post-2000 catalog as well as the classic early 1980s records.

The musical core of Kiss of Death

Kiss of Death was originally released in 2006 and is often seen as one of Motörhead’s stronger late-career statements, mixing the band’s traditional high-speed riffing with a slightly more modern production. The album sits alongside records like Inferno and Aftershock as proof that the band continued to write heavy, streamlined songs long after their early 1980s commercial peak.

Critics have highlighted that the tracklist balances straight-ahead rockers with mid-tempo tracks, giving more room to Lemmy’s gravelly vocals and the tight interplay between guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mikkey Dee. For listeners discovering the band via the new edition, it shows how Motörhead evolved their sound without abandoning the core formula of distorted bass, sharp guitar lines and relentless groove.

Where Motörhead stand today

Motörhead disbanded in 2015 after Lemmy Kilmister’s death, and there are no official tour dates or new studio albums planned; instead, the band’s legacy continues through archival releases like the Kiss of Death 20th anniversary edition and the broader 50th anniversary campaign.