Review | The Rods – Wild Dogs Unchained

Massacre Records

Ever since their comeback album ‘Vengeance’ in 2011 US power metal trio The Rods have regularly given us a taste of their musical recipe in the form of the albums ‘Brotherhood Of Metal’, ‘Live At The Rose Hall’ and last years ‘Rattle The Cage’. David ‘Rock’ Feinstein (guitar/vocals), Jerry Vilano (bass) and basher Carl Canedy never took any notice of any sort of music trend. Since the early eighties their motto has been ‘no bull, all guns blazing and let’s rock this joint’. With The Rods you know what to expect. Their music is a religious ode to heavy and power metal. Their lyrics are simple and direct. No lovely dovely nonsense, but songs about brotherhood, music, steel and thunder and belief in yourself. Straight in your face, honest and as direct as can be. It is a limited strategy, but it has worked out fine for the trio as they are still here doing what they do and love best.

REVISITING THE PAST

On their latest opus ‘Wild Dogs Unchained’ The Rods are revisiting their own past. The boys decided that together with a bunch of new and fresh songs it was time to look to their older repertoire. They picked two songs to re-record. Album closer ,,Hurricane’’ was once the opener for their old album ‘In The Raw’. The 2025 version obviously has a much better production and sounds more forceful in comparison with the original. So that is already a plus. Also, the current title-track is a remake of an oldie. Again, a more powerful version is presented here and the fact that the two ‘oldies’ in a new metal jacket show a significant improvement is symbolic for the whole album. The intensity and high octave energy on ‘Wild Dogs Unchained’ just can not be ignored or missed.

TEN ASS KICKING SONGS 

The band has come up with ten ass kicking songs. Okay, Feinstein still sounds a bit monotonous as singer and the musical recipe is simple and slightly predictable. But that is part of the style and charm of The Rods. I just love the role of Jerry Vilano’s bass parts that are just a hard kick in the guts while Canedy hits his drums out of the ball park. Feinstein’s guitar acrobatics are full of effects and crunchy as hell. From starter ,,Eyes Of A Dreamer’’ until closer ,,Hurricane’’ (crunch crunch!) this band just does not let up. I do notice here and there a bit more melody via some subtle keys that have been woven in the total sound and there is nothing wrong with that (listen to ,,Hurricane’’ in particular).

THE RODS – THE CONCLUSION

I just like this album, the rough guitars, that relentless bass and those thundering drums. ‘Wild Dogs Unchained’ is a rough and tough ride, effective, honest to the bone and heavy as fuck. Yes, it is more of the same, but the intensity and love that these guys put in their songs and sound counts for a lot in my book. You know what to do when you put this record on your turn table or CD-player. Just crank it up, let yourself go and enjoy the ride.

Release date: 5 September 2025