THE RODS "Brotherhood of Metal" Album Review
This album lives and breathes the spirit of old school 80's metal. The Rods aren't trying to re-invent the wheel with this release, but for a band that has been cranking out metal for nearly 40 years there's a whole lot to love about "Brotherhood Of Metal". As with previous Rods albums you pretty much know what you're gonna get when you lay the needle down, straight up, in your face heavy metal!
"Brotherhood Of Metal" displays an enthusiasm for the old school. The title tracks' piano opening anthem sets the tone early, easing the listener in before breaking into a full on metal assault.
"Smoke On The Horizon" is an in your face, hard driving tune with some killer drum work from Carl Canedy. "1982" a history lesson in all thing The Rods referencing "Wild Dogs" album from 1982, Motorhead, Randy Rhoads, Ozzy, Metallica and more. Chances are if you like even one track on here , you're gonna like them all.
Other standout tracks on the album include “The Devil Made Me Do It”, “Evil In Me” and “Tyrant King”.
Feinstein and the boys are still playing with passion and conviction. Nearly forty years in and the band hasn't lost a step.
"Brotherhood of Metal" is 11 tracks or (12 even if you pick the vinyl version with the bonus track "Crank It Up") and as always Spv/Steamhammer have done an excellent job with their vinyl packaging. And the album artwork, well it's just badass!
"Brotherhood of Metal" It's throw back kick ass, metal!
Available HERE
Format:
- CD DigiPak - 2 LP (incl. bonus track), double gatefold, 180g red vinyl, printed inner sleeves + CD (in paper sleeve) TRACKLISTING: 01. Brotherhood Of Metal 7:28 02. Everybody's Rockin' 3:57 03. Smoke On The Horizon 4:47 04. Louder Than Loud 4:15 05. Tyrant King 4:38 06. Party All Night 2:49 07. Tonight We Ride 4:40 08. 1982 5:16 09. Hell On Earth 4:20 10. The Devil Made Me Do It 3:54 11. Evil In Me 6:26 Vinyl bonus track: 12. Crank It Up (35 Years) 3:35 INFO / BIO (English):
Some statements are so unambiguous that they require no further explanation: “If you like the first song, then the odds are you’ll like the whole album. It’s balls-to-the-wall heavy metal, song after song. No ballads and nothing your mom will be humming,” promises Carl Canedy, drummer of legendary US metal act The Rods. Canedy is referring to the album’s eponymously titled opener: Brotherhood Of Metal. Both the song and the album title reflect the musicians’ attitude to life, and what is more: it’s the general philosophy of this exceptional band: “David, Garry and I are still close friends all these years later, we’re a band of brothers and proud that we’re heavier than ever and making great Rods music for the fans.”
Spring 1980 saw the foundation of the group surrounding vocalist/guitarist David ‘Rock’ Feinstein, a cousin of the unforgotten Ronnie James Dio and former member of their joint band, Elf. “I had seen David and Ronnie for years. My band and Elf shared a rehearsal hall for a time so we would see each other periodically,” says Canedy, looking back. “I had been a fan of his and Elf and apparently he liked my drumming, which seemed to mesh perfectly with his style of playing. After just one rehearsal The Rods sound was born. Garry joining the band was the missing element”. Six years and five albums later, The Rods decided to go separate ways in 1986 and disappeared from the scene for more than twenty years, rising again like a phoenix from the ashes in 2011 with their outstanding comeback album Vengeance. Canedy: “In the early days, we wanted to play every dive that would have us. We’ve moved on from that, thankfully. However, we still love recording and performing as much as we ever have!”
The American drummer talks about the latest Rods album, Brotherhood Of Metal, which is scheduled for release on Steamhammer/SPV on 7 June 2019 and will be available on Digipak CD, vinyl gatefold double LP and for digital download. The three musicians Feinstein, Canedy and bassist Garry Bordonaro have recorded eleven songs (a twelfth track will be included as a bonus track on the vinyl edition), in other words in exactly the same line-up that cut their 1982 cult release Wild Dogs. “When we’re together it’s clear that we have a strong bond. That hasn’t changed since then. What has changed is that we now have families and adult children. Other than that, it’s still the same as it was. Only now our kids come to the concerts. It’s still weird for me to hear my daughter start singing a Rods song out of the blue. I never imagined that would ever happen.”
The reasons for the enthusiasm within and outside the family are obvious: Vengeance marked the return of one of the most authentic American metal bands of the early eighties, Brotherhood Of Metal is a highlight of the second leg of their career. Recorded at the Barn Castle and the Nire Studio, engineered by Lonnie Park, Carl Canedy and Eric Chesek, the album features spectacular cover artwork courtesy of Belgian artist Eric Philippe and brings a breath of fresh air to the band’s classic metal.
The title track ‘Brotherhood Of Metal’ has turned into a veritable Rods anthem (Canedy: “I‘m hoping to hear the fans sing with us when we perform it live.“), ‘Party All Night Long’ is probably one of the most unusual tracks of their career, and ‘1982’ is a retrospective of their own band history. The new album is rounded off by typically haunting Rods numbers such as ‘Tyrant King’ and ‘Tonight We Ride’.
As Canedy characterises the recording so aptly: “We know who we are as a band and have stayed true to our roots musically. Of course, that being said, we’ve matured as songwriters and that is clearly evident on this record.”
