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The Rods: Rattle The Cage
Click to Purchase The Rods - Rattle The Cage at Amazon

The Rods: Rattle The Cage

Traditional Heavy Metal Rock
5.0/5.0

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AFM Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.01.2024 | Released: 19.01.2024

The Rods. They are American heavy metal legends. By definition, they're a classic power trio. The Rods were founded in 1980 by David "Rock" Feinstein* (g,v) (Feinstein had played in Elf with his cousin Ronnie James Dio.), Steven Starmer (b,v), and Carl Canedy (d,v). They appeared at entrance of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWoBHM), making their own impressive impact on their native soil. Rock Hard (19800, then reissued as The Rods in 1981, Wild Dogs (1982), In the Raw (1983), The Rods (Live) (1983), and Let Them Eat Metal (1984) are all considered classics. Find them on vinyl if you can. The Rods would go on to tour with the greats of the golden age of heavy metal: Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Anvil, and Raven, to drop some names. The band would disband in 1986.

The Rods - Click For Larger Image

The Rods

Twenty-two years later the band would reunite to play the Metal Rock Fest in Lillehammer, Norway. The first studio album in 25 years, Vengeance, introduced the band to a new generation of fans in 2011. Brotherhood Of Metal followed in 2019. Now, with new bass player Freddy Villano, The Rods offer their latest, Rattle The Cage.


Considering Rattle The Cage, this is traditional "keep it true" heavy metal. Readers and listeners know this classic genre. Roaring riffs, heavy rock rhythm and groove, guitar and vocal harmony, and ripping solos. Essentially, any Rods album is an old school lesson in how to play heavy metal. You'll find this with Now And Forever, Rattle The Cage, Wolves At The Door, or Can't Slow Down. Alternatively, The Rods put the pedal to the metal with Metal Highways, a speed metal tune. An epic metal anthem arrives with Cry Out Loud: check out the somber breakdown at four minutes led by the bass line. The bass groove is also predominant in the heavy metal rocker, Play It Loud. Which, when you get this album, you should absolutely do.

All in all, with Rattle The Cage, The Rods demonstrate that they are still a crafty and formidable force in traditional heavy metal. Bang your head and pump your fist. This rocks. Easily recommended.




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The Take Away

With Rattle The Cage, The Rods demonstrate that they are still a crafty and formidable force in traditional heavy metal. Bang your head and pump your fist. This rocks. Easily recommended.

Purchase The Rods - Rattle The Cage at Amazon
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