Style: heavy metal, power metal
Label: Napalm
Year: 2021
Home: New York City, New York
Members: Dee Snider ~ vocals
Charlie Bellmore, Nick Petrino ~ guitars
Nick Bellmore ~ drums
Russell Pzütto ~ bass
Charlie Bellmore, Christopher Beaudette, Howard Jones, Jamey Jasta ~ b. vocals
Guest: Corpsegrinder ~ vocals
Dee's 66 year old voice has really not changed. He's as much a powerhouse as ever. He likely knows this & demonstrates by opening the album with a big scream. The man also has as much energy as his younger make-up'd self. Dee is a living legend, not just for his breakthrough MTV moment, or the classic songs by Twisted Sister, nor the make-up, but for the energy he continues to have & for never resting on his haunches. The man is always moving forward & is inspirational. He's one of the few musicians I likely would be completely numb meeting. I remember seeing him appear on an episode of Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares" & I just about cried when he entered on his motorbike. That's how high I put him. This album is Dee turned up all the way to 11 & more. He has not let us down. I particularly love the lyrics on this album. They might be some of his best, & I don't casually say that. "It's that time again / did you think it would end? ... Gonna ride until I'm done / as long as I'm breathing" from "I Gotta Rock (Again)" is the anthem of an older rocker that any aging rock star might write, but you feel its from the gut when he sings it. He also sings it like its his last song ever & he's going out in flames ... twisting flames, of course. He also speaks to the feelings of the moment without referencing 2020/2021 explicitly & the depression so many are facing. He instead tells everyone to go after their dreams, being optimistic like nobody's business, really telling folks to reach in & pull something out & do something in their life. I wish more musicians sang songs like this, over x loves y, x fucks y. "You think the world is against you / you never had a chance / the bastards won't let you through ... reach beyond / you're always reaching / you're not done" he sings in "Down But Never Out". "What is your life / choose a path / decide what you will do / anger & strife / won't get you where you need ... All of the things you need / are inside you ... The rules are there for breaking" in "All Or Nothing More." From a guy who has seen some wicked lows, a career that has gone seriously up & equally down, it doesn't feel cliche but straight from the heart as he knows it & has experienced it. Also, having read his autobio & seen interviews with him, I get the feeling the guy might be one of the most optimistic folks in rock. Also, he speaks of individuality so much on this album, its a bit shocking. Its almost the same feeling when Lady Gaga sings to her little monsters in "Born This Way". Just do it, be yourself, be true to yourself. "You've given me a reason / to tell it like it is / its open season / I aim & don't list / no hidden meanings / my words are meant to burn ... You must have thought I was someone else / I don't give a shit about your love of self" in "Open Season." I don't know what inspired these songs, but there's a real emotional angst through the album that just grabs you. Maybe they aren't based on his own experiences, just the world he's seeing on the news, which might be the case listening to "Silent Battles" that seems to imply the heated temperature in America today, but dang, he's a great writer. Yet, based on my musical tastes, I have a problem with this album & its the same problem I had with his last album: the music. Every song sounds largely the same & its all heavy face pounding riffs that never leave homebase very much. One song sounds like another musically. If it wasn't for the vocals I think they seriously would just mesh together. There's no real melody that sticks with you, or what there is is thanks to Dee. Hooks are minimal. I miss the dynamics of Sister, or even Widowmaker, where years later I don't forget those songs. The music here has no real personality & could be any band out there, just playing as fast as possible. This is what I felt with the last album. While Dee is singing his heart out, I actually got bored musically pretty fast into the 12 songs. So, while these might be some of his best lyrics, I actually don't want to listen to the album to many more times due to the music. Oh, another solo with no real feel. Oh, another chunky riff that sounds so much like the last song. Oh, some more double bass. Double bass is used far too much far too often. See my reviews of Black Tongue for a band that uses double bass extremely well. I get the feeling Dee is trying to sound like what is on the radio, but I walk away feeling like I've heard everything before. Also, the screaming background vocals I could have done with out, as I'm reminded of all the music I particularly don't like. So, I'll keep the lyrics, you can have the guitars. Actually, I'll take an a cappella version of the album.
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