TWISTED SISTER: Stay Hungry

Produced by Tom Werman

Released: 1984

Yesterday I reviewed Eddie Ojeda's album, and today it's time to look at the album that made him famous. This was one of the biggest metal albums in the world in 1984. After more than a decade as an outrageous New York club act, Twisted Sister suddenly became an outrageous arena band when the first single from this album smashed into the top end of music charts around the world. "We're Not Gonna Take It" was shout-it-out-loud, rebellious headbanging rock and roll, a three and a half minute introduction to one of the best American metal albums of the early 1980s.

For a band whose best musician was a lead singer who didn't play an instrument, Stay Hungry is a surprisingly strong album for much of its length, and only let down by a couple of real throwaway tracks towards the end. It's quite a testament to what a handful of great songs can do despite a band's musical ability.

Dee Snider was the genius behind Stay Hungry's songwriting power. Musically simple and inherently catchy, his lyrics were a step above much of what was coming out of the scene at the time. Twisted Sister songs weren't just about rebellion, they were also about empowerment. The ripping opening tune and title track gets the album off to a brilliant start, a roaring song about seeing one's dream through to the end. That's followed by the infamous "We're Not Gonna Take It", on the surface just a fist-in-the-air anthem that any band could write, but Snider's meaningful lyrics rise above the norm. Then comes the album's real highlights. The first is "Burn in Hell", a track that drips with a real malevolence that makes it rate to this day as one of the best metal songs of the decade. Twisted Sister never topped this although the ensemble piece that follows certainly came close.

Twisted Sister may have been lumped in with bands like Quiet Riot and Kiss, but try finding a track like "Horror-Teria (The Beginning)" on any album by those bands. Part one is simply nasty as Snider half-narrates the tale of a sicko child-killer over a slow, buzzing, single guitar riff while part two erupts into frustration and rage as justice goes awry. "I Wanna Rock" and "The Price" round out the six tracks that make this album legendary, the first a basic glam rock fist-pumper and the second a strong power ballad that again transcends the norm thanks to Snider's lyrics.

After this, Stay Hungry slides quite a lot with the next two songs not really up to the standard of the others, and Ojeda practically recycles his solo from "The Price" for "The Beast". "SMF" (for Sick Motherfucker) is ok, and only just, but the first six songs are so good that it doesn't really matter that the rest are pretty ordinary.

While it is a little dated these days, Stay Hungry is a triumph of songwriting over technical skill and proof that the ugliest motherfuckers in the world could have a big hit record if they put their mind to it.

1. Stay Hungry


2. We're Not Gonna Take It


3. Burn In Hell


4. Horror-Teria (The Beginning) i. Captain Howdy ii. Street Justice


5. I Wanna Rock


6. The Price


7. Don't Let Me Down


8. The Beast


9. SMF

Rating: 78%