| Slave to the Grind | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by 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, hard rock | |||
| Length | 48:41 (Explicit) 50:01 (Clean) |
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| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Michael Wagener, Dave Sabo | |||
| Skid Row chronology | ||||
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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 debut at #1[1] on the Billboard 200 during the SoundScan era.
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 move towards a heavier sound. 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 (remake of Caravaggio's Burial of St. Lucy(1608)), yet has people using modern technological gadgets. John F. Kennedy is in the crowd.
Contents |
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [2] |
Allmusic gave 'Slave to the Grind a rating of four and a half out of five stars, and said the album was "one of the best—and heaviest—examples of mainstream hard rock/heavy metal".[2]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Monkey Business" | Rachel Bolan, Dave Sabo | 4:20 |
| 2. | "Slave to the Grind" | Sebastian Bach, Bolan, Sabo | 3:31 |
| 3. | "The Threat" | Bolan, Sabo | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Quicksand Jesus" | Bolan, Sabo | 5:26 |
| 5. | "Psycho Love" | Bolan | 3:58 |
| 6. | "Get the Fuck Out" | Bolan, Sabo | 2:42 |
| 7. | "Livin' on a Chain Gang" | Bolan, Sabo | 4:00 |
| 8. | "Creepshow" | Bolan, Rob Affuso, Scotti Hill | 3:59 |
| 9. | "In a Darkened Room" | Bach, Bolan, Sabo | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Riot Act" | Bolan, Sabo | 2:42 |
| 11. | "Mudkicker" | Bach, Bolan, Sabo | 3:56 |
| 12. | "Wasted Time" | Bach, Bolan, Sabo | 5:50 |
| Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[3] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[4] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
|
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
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| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | 3 |
| Austria Albums Chart | 16 |
| Canada Albums Chart | 8 |
| Japan Albums Chart | 3 |
| Norway Albums Chart | 12 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 9 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 15 |
| UK Albums Chart[5] | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard 200[6] | 1 |
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Monkey Business" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 13 |
| UK Singles Chart | 19 | ||
| "Slave to the Grind" | UK Singles Chart | 43 | |
| "Wasted Time" | Billboard Hot 100 | 88 | |
| Mainstream Rock Tracks | 30 | ||
| UK Singles Chart | 20 | ||
| "In a Darkened Room" | Switzerland | 27 |
The following songs were written and demoed for the album, not included.
| Preceded by Niggaz4Life by N.W.A. |
Billboard 200 number-one album June 29 - July 5, 1991 |
Succeeded by For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge by Van Halen |
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