Slave to the Grind

Infobox Album
Name = Slave to the Grind
Type = studio
Artist = Skid Row


Released = June 11, 1991
Recorded = 1990–1991 at New River Studios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Scream Studios in Studio City, California
Genre = Heavy metal
Length = 50:01
Label = Atlantic
Producer = Michael Wagener, Dave Sabo
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:os47gjwrj6iv~T1 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/skidrow/albums/album/208366/review/6068237/slave_to_the_grind link]
Last album = "Skid Row"
(1989)
This album = "Slave to the Grind"
(1991)
Next album = "B-Side Ourselves"
(1992)

"Slave to the Grind" is Skid Row's second album, released on June 11, 1991. "Slave to the Grind" is notable for being the first heavy metal album to hit #1 during the SoundScan era, and many other metal albums followed, such as "The Black Album" by Metallica, and "Far Beyond Driven" by Pantera. This caused many metal fans to wonder about past chart positions by past albums due to SoundScan being more accurate. Although it hit first in the SoundScan era, it only sold just over 4 million albums worldwide as of the end of 1996.

Two different versions were released: the original version, and the "clean" (censored) version. The clean version replaced the song "Get the Fuck Out" with the less-offensive "Beggar's Day".

"Slave to the Grind" marked the band's shift towards a heavier sound, now clearly identifiable as heavy metal, with songs such as the title track and "Mudkicker" bordering on thrash. The lyrics were more complex, criticizing modern ways of life, authority, politics, drugs, and organized religion, among other topics.

Sebastian Bach's father painted the cover art, which is actually a long mural, continued inside the album's booklet. It is set in the medieval era, yet features people using technological gadgets of the present day.

Track listing

#"Monkey Business" (Rachel Bolan, Dave Sabo) – 4:17
#"Slave to the Grind" (Sebastian Bach, Bolan, Sabo) – 3:31
#"The Threat" (Bolan, Sabo) – 3:47
#"Quicksand Jesus" (Bolan, Sabo) – 5:21
#"Psycho Love" (Bolan) – 3:58
#"Get the Fuck Out" (Sabo) – 2:42
#*On the censored version this track was replaced by "Beggar's Day" (Bolan, Sabo) – 4:02
#"Livin' on a Chain Gang" (Bolan, Sabo) – 3:56
#"Creepshow" (Rob Affuso, Bolan, Scotti Hill) – 3:56
#"In a Darkened Room" (Bach, Bolan, Sabo) – 4:57
#"Riot Act" (Bolan, Sabo) – 2:40
#"Mudkicker" (Bach, Bolan, Hill) – 3:50
#"Wasted Time" (Bach, Bolan, Sabo) – 5:46

Personnel

*Sebastian Bach – vocals
*Dave Sabo – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, producer
*Scotti Hill – lead guitar, rhythm guitar
*Rachel Bolan – bass
*Rob Affuso – drums, percussion

Other credits

*Riley J. Connell – assistant engineer
*George Marino – mastering
*Michael Wagener – producer, mixing
*Bob Defrin – art direction
*Craig Doubet – assistant engineer

Charts

Album

ingles

References

Notes

1. http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,164054,00.html