My image of Twisted Sister was pretty much busted by their debut record. So much of what I thought was true about them seemed to not actually be true about them, at least on that first record. However, listening to this, I feel like the initial impression was maybe a little more correct than I believed after listening to the debut, in part because the two songs that formed that initial impression are on this record. You know which songs I’m talking about.

Twisted Sister are grittier than I ever imagined and I think that’s something that gets lost in their ridiculous costumes and their teen-baiting lyrics of their biggest hits. I want to stress that This is hair metal really – it’s much more glam metal in that there is camp but they are still playing music that is recognizably “metal” (at least it was in the 1970s); for example the chorus vocals sound like men who are not very good singers shouting along, rather than polished, layered singing that belongs in a pop song.

But though I admire their (relative) grit and I admire Snider’s defense of freedom of expression before Congress, I don’t like this music. It’s big, it’s dumb and it’s passe for 1984. Moreover, the stuff that isn’t passe sounds too much like other bands. For example, Iron Maiden should sue them over “The Beast.” I’m kidding – it’s not that derivative.

It’s one of those records which is fine an all, but which is for teenage boys who aren’t aware of the actually scary music that is being at the exact same time, which will really terrify your parents and will actually expose you to musical ideas that will expand your mind.

Rather listen to this than hair metal though. For sure.

6/10

I’d also much rather listen to Thrash Metal or anything else that doesn’t sound like it was made in the late 1970s though it was recorded in 1984.