Review: Dee Snider – For The Love Of Metal
I’ve been a big fan of Dee Snider since, as a fresh faced 17 year old in 1982, I bought Twisted Sister’s ‘Under The Blade’ album and loved it.
Many years have passed since then, and my face certainly isn’t as fresh as it was, but I still felt like that 17 year old lad as I played ‘For The Love Of Metal’ for the very first time, and still get goosebumps as I’m sat here with it on repeat play.
Dee has such a distinct and powerful voice that I (ashamedly) admit that I wondered if he still had the vocal chops to pull off an album like this. I needn’t have worried.
Dee has always looked after himself, and his lean and muscular physique shows that he hasn’t abused his body over the years, despite often being in the centre of the whole rock ‘n roll drink, drugs and sex scene.
He has quite obviously looked after his voice too, as he’s as powerful and passionate in his delivery of the vocals as he’s always been. I could even argue that he’s even better than he’s ever been on this album!
For The Love Of Metal is, as the title may suggest, not an album to play in the background. This needs to be turned up loud. If you’re standing in front of your speakers and the bombastic drums, grinding guitar riffs, pounding bass lines, and Dee’s angry vocals are not blowing your hair back and making your face look like you’re experiencing at least a 10 g-force on it, then you need to crank it up even louder. Forget about the neighbours, they’ll thank you for it as they too go off and buy the album.
From the opening drum beat and dirty guitar riff of album opener ‘Lies Are A Business’, through to album closer, and title track ‘For The Love Of Metal’, this is a metal freight train of an album that defies you to try and jump off as it rolls from one head banging, fist-pumping track to the next.
Despite Dee not writing any of the songs, producer Jamey Jasta (along with various songwriting and musical guests which include Howard Jones, Mark Morton Alissa White-Gluz, and more) has crafted lyrics that fit perfectly into what Dee has previously written and recorded, and even drawing from the emotional impact of Dee’s mother sadly passing away during the recording of the album.
For The Love Of Metal is heavy and bombastic, yet Jamey Jasta still retains the melodic side to Dee’s vocals which have always made his songs so memorable. These are songs that will stay in your head and you’ll find yourself singing along to them when Dee next comes into your town.
Many bands/artists are still touring and recording from the 70’s and 80’s when I 1st got into rock/metal. The longevity of these artists is always something that I admire, yet it is also tempered by the fact that many of them are getting by on ‘past glories’ and can no longer deliver anything anywhere near their best either in the studio or on stage.
Dee Snider is certainly an exception to this. Yes he has an awesome back catalogue of songs and performances (I still cite seeing Twisted Sister in Manchester, UK on their ‘Come Out And Play’ tour as the best gig I’ve EVER seen. Dee is the ultimate frontman and had the entire crowd in the palm of his hand), yet here he his, in a career of 40+ years and delivering performances, and now a new album, that rivals (and could even be argued, betters!) what he has previously achieved.
For The Love Of Metal is an album that exceeded all my expectations, and one which will proudly sit next to all my other Dee Snider albums. Yes, we were sent a press package to listen to, but as we always say here at 60MW; SUPPORT BANDS/ARTISTS BY BUYING THEIR MUSIC. I have the CD on pre-order ready for release on July 27th…which is 2 days after my 53rd birthday. If only I could go back to my 17 year old self and tell him that he’d be treating himself to a new (and fucking awesome) album by Dee Snider for his 53rd birthday. I wonder what he’d have said!?
I’m already excited for even more new music from Dee in the future too. Get yourself back to North Wales ASAP Dee and I’ll be the guy at the front with a big smile and my fist in the air.
For The Love Of Metal: buy, play loud, enjoy, put on repeat play.
For The Love Of Metal is released on 27th July 2018 and you can buy it by clicking HERE. ALL money raised by purchasing from Amazon via our website is given back to our listeners and followers in upcoming competition prizes. The more people buy, the bigger our prizes.
Review by Dave (host of 60 Minutes With) from a press package kindly supplied by Napalm Records.
