Quiet Riot Metal Health is the third album from these long running American rockers. There were 2 albums rleased before this but they were only released in Japan. This is their first album released in America which saw the band shoot to megastar status almost immediately.
From the first few seconds of this you know you’re in for something special with the title track “Bang your Head”. Great, powerful riffs and Kevin DuBrow’s voice is absolutely magic. You can feel the power and the gravel in those vocal chords thats for sure. Second up is the cover of Slade’s “Cum Feel the Noize” which after the first two songs you already know these mofo’s mean business!
This is pure party metal, with massive sing along potential. The lads were on a winner here. The third song is a bit of a jazzy power ballad. Good song, but not much for the headbangers, but proves they are well rounded musicians. Also this would hve gone down a treat with the older crowd back then as well. Sounds very 70’s to me.
The next couple of songs (“Slick Black Caddilac” and “Love’s a Bitch”)are good songs, but they’re not the ear worms that started off the album. I kind of feel its a bit of an anti-climax after the the first two tracks. Things heat up a bit with “Breathless”… Actually its more of the same but a bit heavier, just enough to push it back into the realms of heaviness and shred that I want to see! Also, Love the spacey bass tone on this song!
“Run For Cover” puts the metal to the level with a nice up tempo number. “Battle Axe” is a pretty cool guitar based instrumental … I get the feeling that’s on here to prove how much they didn’t need Randy Rhodes, but either way its cool and then “Let’s Get Crazy” which again is another howler for DuBrow, with a great sleazy hard rock feel to it.
Overall, this is a great album. There’s a couple of arena fillers and some more Deep Cuts type songs that whilst they’re great don’t provide the same adrenaline rush that “Bang Your Head” and “Cum Feel the Noize” provide. I feel like this may have a been a bit of hangover from the 1970’s but for a band that really didn’t release anything in the USA until 1983 some of the stuff is a little dated. I still like it though!
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