Under the Blade

Under the Blade is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Twisted Sister, released in September 1982 by Secret Records. The group had a following in the New York metropolitan area since the 1970s, but was turned down by most American labels. They relocated to the UK, in the midst of a heavy metal resurgence, and produced the album with UFO/Waysted bassist Pete Way. Featuring a raw, unpolished sound, many of the songs are rerecordings of demos the band had been playing since their club days.

The band caught the attention of Martin Hooker, the president of Secret Records, a small British label that was mainly a punk outlet, who signed them and released the EP Ruff Cutts (1982) in anticipation of their debut studio album. Under the Blade was released only in Europe, and was a minor success that peaked at No. 70 on the UK Albums Chart. No singles were released from the album, and Secret went bankrupt not long after. The album was remixed and rereleased, in the U.S. for the first time, by Atlantic Records on June 13, 1985.

While not as successful as the band's following albums, Under the Blade was well received by contemporary critics. The album has become a fan favorite, as many are partial to its aggressive and hard-hitting sound. For the same reason, the remixed re-release by Atlantic Records has been criticized for sounding too "poppy" and lacking the charm of the original. Regardless, the album is seen as one of the best in Twisted Sister's discography and metal in general.