‘For the Love of Metal’ is the highly anticipated solo album from the legendary, Dee Snider. Releasing on July 27, 2018 on Napalm Records, This is his latest record after 2016’s ‘We Are the Ones’. Snider is most well known for being the vocalist for the iconic metal band, Twisted Sister and host and radio personality of the very popular show, The House of Hair. This new album is what we needed; gut busting, new music from one of the great voices in metal. The direction of the album is very forward and goes back to the classic sounds of 80’s metal. This whole album is filled with killer riffs and hard hitting deafening percussion. I was so excited to hear that he was coming out with some new material. My mind was overwhelmed when I first clicked play and it remained that way throughout the whole album.
Prior to clicking play, I cranked my speakers all the way up. That’s the best way to listen to this album and I recommend everyone do the same. The opening song, “Lies Are a Business”, blew me away. The attack of the drums hit hard in my chest and that’s before the guitar riff even starts. I knew this was going to be an experience once the vocals chimed in. Snider is sounding amazing as ever. His vocals are punchy and will definitely provoke you to keep listening. The bass work compliments the song, adding a very tight bottom end and carries the song as the guitars go into a harmony filled solo. This is a really strong song to kick off the album.
With the volume still cranked to 11, I wondered what else could happen to make this better. Then the song, “Running Mazes” grabbed my attention. It comes in at the halfway point of the album and it’s as hard as the first half. “Running Mazes” has a nice groove to it. Even though it’s not as riff-heavy as some songs, it still makes you headbang along. The drums are composed differently as they are less punchy but still have a strong attack. The guitars have a nice melody that follows in the breaks and brings the songs down a couple of notches but it kicks it back up on the verses. The bass is following the guitars for the most part but helps add to the groove and feel of the song along with the drums. Snider’s vocals are less powerful compared to “Lies Are a Business” but have the same impact towards the song.
I’m loving this album at this point. My ears are ringing and I scared off the neighbors as I continued to blast the album through my speakers. It’s now time to listen to the title track, “For the Love of Metal”. This one is for the shred-heads that love a good riff. This track is peppered with amazing guitar parts. The guitars start out with the riff then the bass takes it as the guitars add a melody harmony. The bass has a nice and heavy thundering tone that will shake everything in your house. The pace and rhythm of the drums are booming along with the bass and it creates a similar flow throughout the entire album. Snider’s vocals are very powerful here and you can tell he’s singing about something he loves – metal. Who can’t connect to these lyrics? “This is my pain killer,” and “As long as I can remember, its been there for me.”
I haven’t headbanged this much in a long time and I loved it. This is an exceptional album that fans of any genre should pick up. It has everything – great riffs, killer drums, heavy bass, and one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Go out and get this album when it releases. You won’t be disappointed.
