Haulix Recommends: Dee Snider – ‘For The Love of Metal Live’

Dee Snider for the love of metal live

In a time without live music, Dee Snider delivers the thrill of concerts in a way that doesn’t require masks or social distancing.

Rock and roll is one of the few areas in music where hits from two to four decades prior can continue to propel a career today. As a result, many artists considered game-changers in their youth often settle into being musicians who rely heavily on their catalog to drive ticket sales. After all, who doesn’t want to hear the songs of their youth sang by the artists that their parents would never let them see? 

Dee Snider could easily be one of these artists. His work with Twisted Sister revolutionized rock and roll at a time when changes were desperately needed. He’s written more than enough hits to fill a setlist and secure his legacy as a music icon, but being a has-been has never sat well with him. Snider is still on the road and in the studio, pushing his creativity the way he always has, and one gets the feeling that is how he’ll spend the rest of his life. Snider doesn’t want to live in the glory of his past self. He wants to be glorious today, and he works hard to make sure that happens.

For The Love Of Metal Live, Snider’s new live album and concert film features a collection of recordings from festival performances that showcase the metal musician’s continuing talent. The seventeen live tracks breathe new life into his classic hits, as well as deep cuts. It’s a testament to not only Snider’s work ethic but what it takes to remain relevant in music today. Snider’s delivery has never been as tight as it is here, and his band brings the material to life with just enough twists to keep longtime listeners on their toes. It’s everything you could want in a live release, and it raises the bar for other rock veterans who may consider touring in a post-COVID world.

The best surprise of all is a new studio track, “Prove Me Wrong,” which encapsulates the rock god’s feeling toward the passing of time. Snider uses the verses to reflect on his career, both the good and the bad, and refuses to let his past hold him back any longer. “It’s time to move on,” he says before adding, “they had every chance to prove me wrong.” The haters have come and gone just like they always do, but Snider has remained. He is as steadfast in his devotion to rock as ever, and the booming production drives home the notion there is nothing left to say or prove. He is who he is, and that is all he needs to be.

Whether you come for the high-quality live record and performance footage or you want to hear Snider’s new single, For The Love Of Metal Live is an essential addition to an already storied career. The album and film showcase a career musician at peak performance delivering heart and charisma to spare, and in the age of coronavirus, it’s the closest most of us will get to feeling the rush of live music in 2020.

Haulix Recommends is a recurring feature where the Haulix staff chooses one or more recent releases from their clients. Click here to discover more great music being promoted through Haulix.

James Shotwell