The Rods

The Rods ranked among the overlooked working-class heavy metal acts from America during the 1980s, frequently likened to Motörhead over their experienced three-piece configuration, their ordinary nearly punk-styled straightforward presentation, and their bold, extremely amplified music performed at maximum volume. Mainstream recognition largely eluded the group throughout its run, and their straightforward songwriting approach rarely expanded the boundaries of heavy metal, yet the band maintained commitment to its direct assault and cultivated a loyal cult audience that persisted well into the following century. Their strongest creative period arrived with the first two records, The Rods in 1981 and Wild Dogs in 1982; following a 2008 reunion, the trio displayed intensified volume and sharper guitar work across the later releases Vengeance in 2011 and Brotherhood of Metal in 2019.

Originating from upstate New York, the Rods formed in the late 1970s under vocalist and guitarist David Feinstein, who had first tasted recognition nearly ten years prior as a participant in blues-rock outfit Elf after an invitation from his cousin, singer Ronnie James Dio. Feinstein departed Elf soon after their self-titled 1973 debut appeared, prior to the ensemble evolving into the earliest version of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, and accepted employment with the wildlife conservation department in upstate New York. A jam session with local drummer Carl Canedy and bassist Joey DeMaio, who would later join Manowar, in the short-lived David Feinstein's Thunder drew him back to performing. The Rods took official shape in 1979 once bassist Stephen Starmer joined Feinstein and Canedy. The diligent trio built an extensive catalog of original material and, instead of awaiting industry interest, independently recorded and pressed one thousand copies of their debut album in 1980, titling the effort Rock Hard.

Arista Records noticed Rock Hard, signed the Rods, and reissued the debut with several fresh tracks featuring new bassist Garry Bordonaro as the self-titled major-label album in 1981. That record presented a lean, ornament-free heavy rock approach featuring occasional early speed metal leanings, an unexpected melodic sensibility, and clear echoes of 1970s icons such as Deep Purple and Rainbow alongside 1980s peers including Riot and Y&T. Stronger notice and favorable coverage arrived in England than domestically, which led Arista to send the band to the U.K. for opening dates on Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast tour before retaining them to cut the follow-up, Wild Dogs. Issued in 1982, this album likewise received warm British reception yet performed no better stateside, prompting Arista, an imprint lacking deep hard rock expertise, to release the Rods upon their return.

Shrapnel Records promptly extended a fresh agreement, and the aptly titled In the Raw from 1983 marked the group's independent return with a markedly rawer sound, described in some accounts as essentially demo recordings. Their subsequent "less is more" phase continued with a quickly compiled live album that offered little benefit, while 1984's Let Them Eat Metal, now on the emerging thrash label Combat, generated more discussion from its provocative artwork than its contents. Drummer Carl Canedy simultaneously began producing outside projects and captured several future thrash landmarks including Anthrax's Spreading the Disease, Exciter's Violence & Force, and Overkill's Feel the Fire. Prospects for the Rods dimmed, and uncertainty followed the 1986 appearance of the mysterious hard rock album Hollywood credited to Canedy, Feinstein, Bordonaro & Caudle, with Rick Caudle handling lead vocals while Feinstein concentrated on guitar. Later that year the fifth Rods album, Heavier Than Thou, surfaced on independent Passport Records; Feinstein and Canedy now collaborated with bassist Craig Gruber, formerly of Elf and Rainbow, and new vocalist Shmoulik Avigal, previously with the Dutch metal band Picture, on what became an overlooked final statement.

All participants soon shifted to separate, generally understated endeavors, with Canedy emphasizing production duties and Feinstein performing in various underground acts, most prominently A la Rock which issued an album in 1990, before turning to restaurant ownership in New York City. Thus the guitarist's 2000 solo album arrived as an unanticipated return, followed by the formation of the power metal project Feinstein whose 2003 release Third Wish appeared. Still more unforeseen was the 2008 reunion of the classic lineup of Feinstein, Bordonaro, and Canedy for a performance at Metal Rock Fest in Lillehammer, Norway. The band subsequently entered the studio for the first time in over two decades, issuing their sixth studio album as the Rods, Vengeance, in 2011 which included a guest contribution from Ronnie James Dio. An arrangement with the German metal imprint Steamhammer yielded 2019's Brotherhood of Metal, revealing a heavier and darker direction from the group.