Dee Snider – ‘For the Love of Metal (Live!)’ [Album Review]

The face, the voice, the sure-fire confidence and the stadium-sized anthems — all key components that make up the iconic Dee Snider brand. As the frontman/poster boy of the notorious heavy metal band, Twisted Sister, Snider became an international “overnight” sensation, as his outrageous troupe saturated both radio and MTV airwaves during the ‘80s with such hooky, hard rock staples as “The Kids are Back,” “You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.”

In 2018, the music legend-turned multimedia personality re-emerged as a mighty force on the modern-day metal scene with his celebrated slab, For the Love of Metal. And, in 2020, Snider returns to the scene of the crime with For the Love of Metal (Live!) — an explosive and exhaustive 18-track collection that incorporates a cavalcade of current skull crushers and a trove of Twisted treasures.

Released just this week via Napalm Records, the set is available in various audio and video formats (CD, DVD and Blu-ray). The impressive-looking, crisp-sounding 84-minute assault captures Snider in his comfort zone — live and unfiltered, performing at various worldwide music festivals. The visual WOW-factor is enhanced further by an abundance of behind-the-scenes bonus footage — onstage, backstage and beyond.

Straight out the gate, Snider unleashes a brutal 1-2 knockout punch with the ferocious “Lies Are a Business” and the equally furious “Tomorrow’s No Concern.” Fueled by Snider’s signature-style F-bomb-soaked banter, the performance is driven to maximum metallic density by the blistering dual guitar riffage of Charlie Bellmore and Nick “Taz” Petrino, sharpened by the rock-ribbed bass chug of Russell Pzutto and punished by the precision drum work of Nicky Bellmore.

From the anthemic title track and the newly-released studio offering, “Prove Me Wrong” to deeper classic cuts, including “The Beast,” “Under the Blade” and the hard-hitting remake of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,”  Snider’s latest is a massive effort, to be sure. And for those who still hold their “horns” high, For the Love of Metal Live! just might be the angry feel-good of the summer season.

For the Love of Metal (Live!) Track Listing:

1. Lies Are a Business (3:27)
2. Tomorrow’s No Concern (3:29)
3. You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll (7:02)
4. The Beast (3:23)
5. American Made (3:28)
6. Under the Blade (6:20)
7. The Kids Are Back (3:02)
8. Become the Storm (4:12)
9. We’re Not Gonna Take It (6:16)
10. I Am the Hurricane (3:33)
11. Burn in Hell (8:31)
12. I Wanna Rock (7:19)
13. For the Love of Metal (5:28)
14. Highway to Hell (3:58)
15. Ready to Fall (4:25) *Bonus Track
16. The Fire Still Burns (3:32) *Bonus Track
17. Roll Over You (3:04) *Bonus Track
18. Prove Me Wrong (3:49)

Run Time: 84:18
Release Date: July 31, 2020
Record Label: Napalm Records