Album Of The Week: Slave To The Grind by Skid Row

For this week’s album of the week, I chose one of my all time favorite Skid Row records that features Sebastian Bach as the lead singer. The album was revolutionary at the time because every glam band was still trying to release their typical glam rock sounding albums in 1991. Instead, Skid Row decided to change with the times and they went heavier which would ultimately pay off because Slave To The Grind is still one of the heaviest albums from them. With grunge trying to take over the scene, it was a natural move for any metal band in order to adapt. There is a lot of debate as to what metal album was the first to clock in at number one on the billboard charts, but Slave To The Grind was the first heavy metal album to come in at number one during the soundscan era. The band featured the aforementioned Bach on vocals, Rachel Bolan on Bass, Dave “The Snake” Sabo and Scotti Hill on guitars, and Rob Affuso on Drums. The album artwork was actually taken from a painting that Sebastian Bach’s father had done and the band used it.

Monkey Business is the first track on the record and it was the band’s first single. It starts off very methodical with a simple blues riff as Sebastian is singing at the same time until the song explodes with a triumphant scream from Bach. The song is very much social commentary on how people in the city lived at the time that bothered the band. Slave To The Grind starts off with Rachel’s hard charging, chugging bass riff before it becomes a steam roller destroying everything in it’s sights. It’s one of the heaviest tracks on the record and it was the reason I decided to buy the album. The Threat is the next track on the album that showcases what Dave and Scotti can do on guitar. One of my favorite lines in the song is, “I wasn’t put here to be treated like some disease you hoped would go away if left alone. Yeah, you can sweep me under the carpet, but I’ll still infect your need to use me as a stepping stone.” It’s another song that challenges what society thinks of us metal heads. Quicksand Jesus is a very cool power ballad that to me showcases how Sebastian Bach has one of the greatest voice in metal. Psycho Love has one of the coolest breakdowns where it sounds like it belongs in a horror movie at about the 1:38 mark besides being another track that is very bass driven.

Depending on what version of the album you purchased you either received Beggar’s Day as a track or the track I prefer called Get The Fuck Out. If it’s the first one I mentioned then you bought the clean version of the album instead of this balls out track that feels like it would be a show closer, but it’s more of an anthem to tell people that try to rule your life. Livin On A Chain Gang is a hard as hell blues driven song that explores social issues plaguing America at the time. Creepshow is one of my least favorite tracks on the record even though it’s heavy and blues driven. In A Darkened Room is one of the greatest ballads that Skid Row ever wrote which also shows Sebastian showing off what he can do. Riot Act is a total beserker, bat sh** punk rock influenced crazy song about telling the system to go F*** itself. Mudkicker is the next track on the album and it’s as metal as it gets on this record with the sludgy hard charging guitar riffs.

Wasted Time is the last song on the record and it was also the third single released off the album. It has that metal ballad feel to it while Sebastian claimed the song was written about Steven Adler of Guns N Roses. Slave To The Grind being a heavier record was definitely the best decision the band made because it made them more legitimate even though they didn’t need to prove they were in my opinion.  The album ended up going two times platinum in the US and unfortunately after their next album, the band would say goodbye to Sebastian Bach, but for now we have this album to remember how great they once were. I am giving this record four stars out of five.