THE ALBUM SOME FANS JUST DIDN'T
Skid Row's "Subhuman Race" received very mixed reactions from the fans. I have to say that this is understandable. The album is more aggressive than their previous two albums, "SKID ROW" and "Slave to the Grind". The album has some beautiful and brilliant moments. I think the problem with it was it kept veering toward negativity in the lyrics and occassionally launched a full frontal assault with the guitars in a way Skid fans were not used to. It may have helped some if the songs had been presented in a different order. The album starts with "My Enemy" in which both the guitars and Sebastian Bach (Skid's vocalist) growl relentlessly. The lyrics are somewhat aggressive, for example, "You can be my enemy and I don't care". It may have been wise to ease folks in to the more aggressive songs by starting with something like "Firesign", which has a more familiar Skid Row sound to it. Some interesting highlights to this album include "Beat Yourself Blind", in which Sebastian Bach is given the opportunity to show his vocal diversity (although it is again not the typical "Skid Row" sound) and Dave "The Snake" Sabo's beautiful ballad "Breakin' Down". "Eileen", "Face Against My Soul", "Into Another", and "Medicine Jar" are more like the style the Skid's fans were used to. "Frozen" is interesting nonsense. "Bonehead", "Remains To Be Seen", "Subhuman Race", and "Ironwill" are bending towards negativity again. I still rate the album an above average four stars. It is a very good album, I think it just takes a little getting used to. The vocals and presentation are wonderful. I think any Skid Row fan who gives the album a chance will end up loving it. In addition to "SKID ROW" and "Slave to the Grind", fans of Sebastian Bach's vocals can hear him sing two of these songs plus a whole lot of others on his new solo album "Bring 'Em Bach Alive", live and better than ever!
I HADN'T BOUGHT A SKID ROW ALBUM SINCE 1992'S B-SIDES OURSELVES WHEN I PICKED UP 1998'S 40 SEASONS-THE BEST OF SKID ROW. I gave a listen to the songs from Subhuman Race(an album I had been told was bad. Follow yourselves people) and i was so impressed i bought the album the same day. WOW. Heavier which may upset the "I Remember You" crowd but this album is amazing. Lyrically, a major progression has taken place. Songs like "Frozen" and "Firesign" are great examples of that lyricism at work. "Breakin' Down" a song written by "Snake" Sabo should satisfy the ballad crowd as should "Eileen". The album is a bit of a departure for the band but is still down and dirty rock and roll, just like when the band started. Rock on MOTHER TRUCKERS!
GET
As a child of the 80's, I love glam-metal hair bands and continue to listen to my favorites on a daily basis. Skid Row has always been a favorite of mine and, while Subhuman Race is very different from their first two albums, it is absolutely one of the best CD's I own. Heavier? Yes. The songs keep coming one after another. This isn't glam by any means! "Breakin Down" is my favorite song and I agree with the person whose review said it should have been released as a single...it would have blown us all away!
With this album, Skid Row shed all of the pop side of their 1st two releases to become an unrelenting, furious metal band. Gone are slickly stacked choruses and song-structures that relied on just one central riff per song. Here instead the songs are varied and unpredictable and refreshingly original, without losing the signature sound of their previous two albums. Rob Affuso is a revelation here, anchoring the songs with truly creative, muscular pounding. And Bach sings with a reckless abandon that sounds freer and more spontaneous, partly because of the reduced emphasis on vocal harmonies with little vocal contributions from the rest of the band.
Like many great albums, this one takes a few listens to get used to because of its sheer originality. The tunes are still melodic and memorable and songs are filled with a number of varied riffs. The only minor missteps are some lazy fade-out endings (Beat Yourself Blind) and one tuneless chorus (Frozen, which cannot be salvaged despite Bach's best efforts).
The production is also rawer than previous efforts, although not a huge departure in terms of the band's overall sound. Bob Rock, who slicked up the package on Metallica's post-80s efforts, kept a loose hand on this one and maintaned a good focus on the band sound with no outside musicians/instruments added.
All in all, very consistent and rewarding album. If you're a fun of melodic metal music (as opposed to rap and screamers) then this album is highly recommended.
but not many albums are. Better than their debut album...which was solid. Only GREAT song on here is Beat Yourself Blind...but this album is rock solid pretty much throughout. Other standout tracks include...My Enemy, Frozen, Breakin Down, Into Another.
