by Greg Prato
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.