Under the Blade [Original recording remastered]

Twisted Sister | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 2, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Spitfire
• ASIN: B00001QEFU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,683 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)

2. Bad Boys (Of Rock 'n' Roll)

3. Run for Your Life

4. Sin After Sin

5. Shoot 'Em Down

6. Destroyer

7. Under the Blade

8. Tear It Loose

9. I'll Never Grow Up Now!

10. Day of the Rocker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars for the music, -2 stars for the remastering job., January 25, 2006

By 

A. Kanish - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Under the Blade (Audio CD)

I was fortunate enough to buy the original Secret Records release on vinyl as an import from Italy back in the 80s and I am so happy that I still have it because I really don't like what was done to this album in the remastering process. All of the raw intensity has been stripped away in favor of way too much reverb on the drums and vocals, ostensibly to "clean up" the sound. UTB was not a clean-sounding album to begin with and that was part of why it succeeded so well. Sadly, this happens with way too many remasters -- reverb effects or drum triggers that did not exist in the original production are added supposedly to modernize the production and, in every case where this is done, it detracts from what made the album so great so many years ago. I don't know if a CD has ever been released with the original mixes of these tunes, so you may have no choice but to hear it only in its remastered form. Fortunately the tunes are great and, if you've never heard what the original mix sounded like, you won't know what you're missing anyway so definitely buy it on the strength of the tunes. Me...I'll stick to my vinyl copy thank you very much.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stay Hungry pales in comparison to this one!, September 5, 2005

By 

Gina M. Johnson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Under the Blade (Audio CD)

I probably should have said it in my first review, but I'm really a 14 year old kid using my mom's account.

My older sister had the album Stay Hungry when I was little, and I found myself listening to it quite a bit. Last Christmas I got my own copy of it, and this got me interested to see what other music Dee Snider and the gang had come out with. So, I found this album, Under the Blade. The title track caught my interest the first time I listened to the 30-second preview, and once I got my hands on the CD I found "Under the Blade" to be my all-time favorite Twisted Sister song. My other favorites on this album are "Run for your Life", "Bad Boys (of Rock N Roll)", and "Shoot Em Down".

The one and only thing that disappointed me about this album was the sound (or lack thereof) that the snare drum made. Just imagine if that sound was replaced with the roaring snare sound that they had on Love is for Suckers! It's good regardless of the snare, but I think it might have been better if they got a louder sound for when they remastered it. Everything else, I think, is top notch, except for the lyrics that were included. Like I said in my last review for Love is for Suckers, the lyrics are missing lines, have wrong words etc.

Despite these two points, Twisted Sister's debut album made it to the top of my favorites list. I think Under the Blade far outdoes Stay Hungry, even though that was TS's biggest hit.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Twisted Sister's Most Metal Release., March 7, 2009

By 

James Simpson "James Simpson" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Under the Blade (Audio CD)

Most people today remember Twisted Sister as the spearhead of the Hair Metal movement with there poppy bubble gum Hard Rock anthems all over Rock radio. In truth the band dates back to the 70s and began life, first as a general Hard Rock Glam act before vocalist Dee Snider arrived and introduced the music of Judas Priest, Ac/Dc, Black Sabbath and the NWOBHM.

This debut is far removed from what will follow two albums later with 1983's breakthrough album, "Stay Hungry", containing a sound that was raw and mean, stripped down and primal. The sound was Heavy Metal and if you were there in 1982, you probally would have thought this band to be the next big band in Metal.
Even if they did not rock quite as heavy as here, Twisted Sister still remained one of Metal's best loved bands of the 80s, and this was the masterpiece of there catalouge.

Each track is a classic of it's kind:

What you Don't Know, Sure Can Hurt You-Awesome Cooper inspired Heavy anthem(echoes of his "Hello Hooray!") that welcomes us into there Metal world. Rebellious and insidious, this is a perfect way to set up the heavy album. One of there best tracks.

Bad Boys of Rock and Roll-A more standard Rock and Roll anthem, this feels more akin to there sound of later but still carries the sound of there 70s influence. Good time Hard Rock and likeable enough.

Run For Your Life-Totally bad a s s song with a great melodic spoken intro by Snider that recalls Zeppelin before the song gets heavy and speeds up to the level of Priest brutality. Another all time classic.

Sin After Sin-Terrific OTTer(as in "Over the Top") is clearly titled as a tribute to the Priest masterpiece of 1977 of the same name. And the song very much recalls the same sound from those 70s records, clearly showing the band was capable of such. One of my favorite song sof theres', it's also one of there heaviest and rocks with actual purpose in it's tale of embracing a sin filled life.

Shoot Em Down-Cool song that sort of rocks like heavy Kiss but features a more UFO inspired chorus. Pretty addictive and leagues ahead of there pop hits. Great late night driving song.

Destroyer-The title may recall the Kiss album of 1975, but this track is more at home with Metal monsters like Black Sabbath's Iron Man and Judas Priest's Sinner in it's tale of undying creature poised for destruction of all.The heaviest song on the record and the band's heaviest overall, this features one of Dee's best performances and a good use of the bass as dead weight tp carry the lurching sound of Metallic doom.

Under The Blade-Twisted Sister's best song and my personal favorite, this is the one all Manowar loving metalheads reach for first. Guitarist Jay Jay French's riff is one of his best and the lyrics are among the best the band ever wrote. Not quite the S and M classic the PMRC decreed it(even though you can HEAR where they got that from!) this follows the blade as a metaphor for death, an operation and seeing the band. Of course the way Dee sings it can make one think otherwise....

Tear It Loose-Speed metaller that is inspired by Motorhead and rocks pretty heavy. Motorhead's ace guitarist, Fast Eddie Clark, even contributed a solo to the classic. Another album standout.

Day of the Rocker-Slow and heavy with a definitely Sabbath inspired riff that tells the tale of a Rocker's lifestyle. Perhaps not the Metal maelstorm of many previous tracks, this one still has appeal and fits as a nice closer to a powerful record.

Under the Blade ranks as one of the great debuts of Heavy Metal and one of the best albums of 1982. It's one of my personal favorites, and one that is a must for fans of the NWOBHM and Traditional Metal. An absolute Metal essential that will have the committed headbanger going back for many more trips "under the blade"....