THE RODS (Heavy Metal Legends – USA) – High Roller Records to re-issue 2 more albums “Let Them Eat Metal” and “Heavier Than Thou” #therods

OVERVIEW
THE RODS – “Let Them Eat Metal” (Re-Release)
Label: High Roller Records
Release date: 3. Dec. 2021
Format: LP
Distribution: Soulfood

 

Just a matter of weeks after THE RODS’ “Live” album had appeared in the shops the band – guitarist/vocalist David ‘Rock’ Feinstein, drummer Carl Canedy and bassist Garry Bordonaro – were back in the studio working on their next LP. Titled “Let Them Eat Metal” and released later in 1984, the New Yorkers’ sixth album was again issued by Combat in the States and widely distributed across Europe through a network of deals with Music For Nations and Roadrunner.
“Let Them Eat Metal” saw THE RODS back at Music America studios in New York, familiar to them from their work with producer Ashley Howe, and the album was once again was produced by Canedy and Feinstein with long-time collaborator Chris Bubacz sitting in the engineer’s chair. Upon its release, UK magazine Metal Forces described the “Let Them Eat Metal”’s eight cuts as “amongst the strongest they’ve ever written.”
The album was also remarkable for its sleeve. Aside from “Wild Dogs” all their previous releases had featured a photo of the band on the front cover. For “Let Them Eat Metal” though they opted to go for an eye-catching pseudo-art photo of a model literally, well, eating metal. “Comic book now but risqué for the times,” is how Feinstein describes it today, but in America in particular the artwork caused something of a stir at a time when the PMRC and censorship were starting to raise their heads.
“I think ‘Let Them Eat Metal’ is a really good Rods album with some great songs on it, and they were fun to play, too,” says Canedy. And you can’t really argue with that!

Original transfer by Marcus Mossmann at PHONOGRAPHIC ARTIFACTS. Audio restoration and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in November 2020. Cutting by SST Germany on Neumann machines for optimal quality on all levels.

HRR 814, ltd 600, 250 x black, 250 x grimace purple + 100 x bone/ purple splatter vinyl (HRR mail order exclusive), 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, 4 page insert, poster

TRACKLIST

1. Let Them Eat Metal
2. White Lightning
3. Nuclear Skies
4. Rock Warriors

5. Bad Blood
6. She’s So Tight
7. Got the Fire Burnin’
8. I’m a Rocker
9. She’s Such a Bitch

LINE-UP

David “Rock” Feinstein: Guitars and Vocals
Carl Canedy: Drums and Vocals
Garry Bordonaro: Bass and Vocals

 

THE RODS – “Heavier Than Thou” (Re-Release)
Label: High Roller Records
Release date: 3. Dec. 2021
Format: LP & CD
Distribution: Soulfood

Although things had been pretty quiet since THE RODS had released “Let Them Eat Metal” in 1984, “Heavier Than Thou” was in effect the band’s second release of 1986. Earlier in the year had come “Hollywood”, an album of songs which didn’t fit the band’s usual template and which featured a singer, Rick Caudle, fronting the more familiar line-up of guitarist/vocalist David ‘Rock’ Feinstein, drummer Carl Canedy and bassist Garry Bordonaro. “Hollywood” was released under the name Canedy, Feinstein, Bordonaro and Caudle.
“Heavier Than Thou”, the band’s seventh ‘proper’ album, saw THE RODS back on familiar musical territory, although by now Bordonaro had left the band. His replacement was Craig Gruber, who had been a bandmate of Feinstein back in Elf days and who’d been with THE RODS for a short while before Bordonaro had joined in January 1981 (Bordonaro does however feature on the song ‘Make Me A Believer’). Perhaps more interestingly, THE RODS had now become a four-piece with the addition of Shmoulik Avigal, a vocalist of some note who’d previously fronted Horizon and Picture. Canedy recalls that Shmoulik accompanied him to the studio one day. At the drummer’s suggestion he’d sung a Rods’ song, and Feinstein was astounded: “that’s unbelievable! We’ve got to have him sing the whole album.” And he did.
“Heavier Than Thou” boasts an interesting collection of songs, and it was “Crossfire” that radio stations picked up on. But just when things were starting to look up their label in the States, Passport, folded, and overnight the band lost all the headway they’d made. THE RODS never actually split up, they just took an extended break; but twenty-five years would pass before a new album – the aptly-titled “Vengeance” – appeared in the shops.

Original transfer by Marcus Mossmann at PHONOGRAPHIC ARTIFACTS. Audio restoration and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in November 2020. Cutting by SST Germany on Neumann machines for optimal quality on all levels

HRR 815LP, ltd 600, 250 x black, 250 x silver + 100 x swamp green/ silver splatter vinyl (HRR mailorder exclusive), 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, 4 page insert, poster

HRR 815CD, slipcase, poster

TRACKLIST

01. Heavier Than Thou
02. Make Me a Believer
03. Angels Never Run
04. Crossfire
05. I’m Gonna Rock
06. She’s in Trouble
07. Born to Rock
08. Chains of Love
09. Communication Breakdown
10. Fool for Your Love
11. Cold Sweat and Blood
12. The Music Man

CD-Bonus tracks:

13. Life on the Edge (outtake)
14. Communication Breakdown + Whole Lotta Led (live)
15. Evil Woman – Rabid Thunder Drum Solo (live)
16. Witches Brew (live)
 

LINE-UP
Shmoulik Avigal – Lead Vocals
David “Rock” Feinstein – Guitars and Vocals
Carl Canedy – Drums, Keyboards, Rhythm Guitar, Guitars Synth. and Vocals “She’s in Trouble”
Craig Gruber – Bass

Band Links:
Official Website
Facebook