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Album Reviews : Dee Snider – For the Love of Metal

By on September 6, 2018

Well into a sixth decade of enduring life’s many travails, one could understand if Dee Snider elected to take a permanent seat in the grandstand of the music business as many younger, assumedly hungrier-for-success musicians and artists launch albums and careers on the playing field inside the rock and metal stadium.

But there is only one Dee Snider.

God bless the man for his infectious enthusiasm. Listening to his musical legacy through Twisted Sister, recorded episodes of his podcast series, numerous television appearances and perhaps his zenith… opposing Al and Tipper Gore during the 1985 PMRC/ Senate Hearings that many observers felt were a mid-80’s version of the Salem witch trials; Has anyone put more heart and soul into fostering the genre of heavy metal in the mainstream eye?

To team with the excellent Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed, Kingdom of Sorrow), then bring in a cast of extraordinary musicians to help record the cuts on For the Love of Metal, the album avoids the pitfalls of Max Cavalera’s turn of the century Soulfly output that suffered terribly under the weight of far too many ideas and personnel. Jasta has expertly teamed these musicians to guest on songs that according to his Tweet from 13/11/17, two-thirds of Toxic Holocaust performed on as the in-studio band.

The list of guests’ is too long to mention, and it detracts from what is ultimately an outstanding partnership between Jasta and Snider to focus on who sang on what, or who played where. For the Love of Metal is Jasta writing and producing song’s for Snider and both are at their metal best.

The album is consistent after half a dozen listens it’s not easy to pick the peaks and valleys that typically determine an albums narrative. Eighth cut “Mask” certainly gets your attention, but then the same could be said of each of the seven prior tracks.

Jasta has squarely focused the songwriting methodology on metal released post-2010, what fans of Snider’s work from yesteryear will make of that is another matter however what is apparent is Snider’s voice works wonderfully against the metal of today. Blowing cold air on the idea that one can’t successfully re-tool an iconic vocalist for a contemporary sound… messers Halford, Dickinson, Tate, Simmons/ Stanley… the list could go on really, these iconic vocalists could and should take a cue from this successful partnership between Snider and Jasta.

Imagine Halford teaming with Matt Heafy (Trivium), Dickinson with M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold) and Geoff Tate with the most interesting guitarist in the biz today, Tosin Abasi from Animals As Leaders. The possibilities are endless and based on the success of For the Love of Metal it is entirely plausible so suggest such partnerships.

This review is rather light on detail specific to the actual music. Why? If you are a fan of metal, a fan who recognises the legacy established by a legend such as Snider, yet have your ears planted firmly in the here and now, you may not have thought about or even asked for this album… sometimes the answer needs to appear before the question makes sense. Just listen to For the Love of Metal via the plethora of streaming services out there today and don’t take a reviewers word as gospel.

For the Love of Metal is a testament to icons of the new and old school, a fabulous release destined for listening beyond the year of its release.

Band: Dee Snider
Album: For the Love of Metal
Year: 2018
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Napalm Records
Origin: United States

About

Andrew is a musician who has spent many years performing on the stages of the pubs and clubs of Queensland. A devotee of the broad church that is rock, punk, funk, jazz and of course all genres of metal... he now shares his enthusiasm via a burgeoning pursuit of music journalism. Follow him on twitter @andymckaysmith