You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll

Album Review

From the solid sales of their independently released debut album, 1982's Under the Blade, New York's Twisted Sister were finally rewarded with a major record label contract, courtesy of Atlantic, who issued their first domestic release, You Can't Stop Rock & Roll, a year later. The album followed the same raw heavy metal direction of their debut, and was even more consistent from a songwriting and performance standpoint. Several of Twisted Sister's best anthems reside here — the title track (which was one of the band's first videos to be aired on MTV), as well as "The Kids Are Back," "We're Gonna Make It," and "I Am (I'm Me)." But besides a ballad that vocalist Dee Snider wrote especially for his wife, "You're Not Alone (Suzette's Song)," the album is comprised of 100 percent heavy metal — "Like a Knife in the Back," "Ride to Live, Live to Ride," "I've Had Enough," and "I'll Take You Alive." The 1999 CD reissue included three bonus tracks not included on the original: "One Man Woman," "Four Barrel Heart of Love," and "Feel the Power." Eventually certified gold in the U.S., You Can't Stop Rock & Roll set the stage perfectly for their next release, 1984's breakthrough Stay Hungry.