DEE SNIDER – For The Love Of Metal Live! [CD & DVD]

Live albums are typically for die-hard fans.  They are a collection of hits presented in a slightly different way.  They are not typically something you’re going to pick up if it’s your first time listening to an artist.  However, what if you haven’t followed Dee Snider since his Twister Sister days?  What if you didn’t know he had solo career and other band material?  What if you didn’t know that in 2018 Dee released his first true Heavy Metal album For the Love of Metal and it totally kicked ass?  Die-hard fans and casual fans, this may just be the right DVD/CD collection for you.  For The Love of Metal Live! is the perfect mix of Snider’s recent solo album, Twister Sister hits, witty and sarcastic Dee banter, with a cover and new song thrown in for good measure.

CD Audio

The CD is a collection of various shows and performances across the World.  It’s not clear where each performance is from (except when Dee addresses the Bloodstock Festival crowd).  The sound quality is excellent.  You can hear slight changes when a different venue performance is being presented, but it’s not distracting.  Hearing Snider perform live with songs from For The Love of Metal, will most certainly invoke a greater appreciation for that album.   Songs like “Lies Are a Business,” “American Made,” and “I Am The Hurricane” were clearly meant to be played live.

Dee’s backing band is tight and powerful on these performances, as well as the Twisted Sister tracks.  In fact, Snider sounds better than ever on such classics as “Under The Blade,”  “We’re Not Going to Take It,”  and “I Wanna Rock.”  His current interpretations would fit perfectly on his last solo album.  Dee shows his versatility on his cover of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.”  Maybe they should have chosen him over Axl?

It was nice to hear the inclusion of Twisted Sister B-side favorite “The Fire Still Burns,” as well as the Widowmaker track “Ready to Fall.”  If you don’t know Snider’s work with Widowmaker, be sure to check it out.  “Prove Me Wrong” is s new studio track that seemingly sets the stage for Dee’s next solo album.

DVD Video

The video quality is superb, whether you are seeing Snider on a festival stage or on a club stage.  Each song performance cuts between multiple live shows the band played.  Every fifteen seconds or so, it cuts to a different show or back to one.  It does raise the question, which show is the audio from?  That could possibly be clarified with the physical media materials (for which we do not have available at time of publication).

Overall the performances are entertaining to watch and some of the non-music highlights are when Dee gets on the microphone to chat with the crowd.  There is also backstage footage included on the DVD and a sit down interview with Snider while on tour.  Die-hard fans are probably not going to hear anything new especially if you saw the pressers Dee did for his last album or if you saw the Twisted Sister documentary.  Snider is still an interesting guy to listen too.

The Verdict

For the Love of Metal Live! is a great performance whether you are listening to the audio or watching the video.  Somehow Dee Snider delivers more energy and vocal power the older he gets.

TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at NOON & MIDNIGHT (EST) / 6:00 & 18:00 (CET) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS UPCOMING RELEASE!!!

Tracklist

1. Lies are a Business
2. Tomorrow’s No Concern
3. You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll
4. The BEast
5. American Made
6. Under The Blade
7. The Kids Are Back
8. Become the Storm
9. We’re Not Gonna Take It
10. I Am the Hurricane
11. Burn in Hell
12. I Wanna Rock
13. For the Love of Metal
14. Highway to Hell
15. Ready to Fall
16. The Fire Still Burns
17. Roll Over You
18. Prove Me Wrong