Album Review — Skid Row — The Gang’s All Here — earMUSIC
Skid Row has returned with their first full-length album since 2006’s “Revolutions Per Minute,” recorded with late singer, Johnny Solinger. R.I.P. SINGO! A lot has happened with the band in those sixteen (16) years. They replaced three singers, recorded a couple of critically acclaimed EP’s, toured, recorded tunes, scrapped those, wrote more tunes and had a fire lit under their ass by way of a video on YouTube. It’s early 2022, they’ve just let go of ZP Theart; the second singer to replace Johnny Solinger since April 2015. The band is at a crossroads having started recording with Producer, Nick Raskulinecz when ZP was let go. Rachel Bolan sits down to watch YouTube videos sent by a friend of singer Erik Grönwall and quickly realizes he could have a V8!
Skid Row had seen Erik when his former band H.E.A.T. toured with Skid Row overseas a few years prior. Grönwall’s YouTube channel showcases his vocal range with everyone from Dio to Bon Jovi to John Fogerty to Freddie Mercury and Queen. Rachel sends the videos to Snake Sabo then conference with Nick Raskulinecz, Scotti Hill and Rob Hammersmith to get their opinion & it is quickly apparent that Erik Grönwall IS the guy to front Skid Row…hopefully for the rest of their career!!!
I’ve been fan of band since I got the debut for Christmas in 1989 from my brother Stermi. My two favorite Skid Row albums are “Subhuman Race” and “Thickskin.” I was leery after what’s his name got canned and the band returned for the never-ending KISS Farewell Tour of 2000 but ol’ Singo won me over on August 28th 2000 at the Kansas Coliseum in Wichita, KS. & again on July 26th 2003 at Wheatland Jam at Lake Afton outside Goddard, KS. when they shared the bill with Vince Neil and Poison. It was made even better when I got to spend time with the band before-and-after the show. I couldn’t have met a bunch of more down-to-earth guys that Singo, Snake, Scotti, Phil Varone and Rachel Bolan.
I was sad to see Solinger let go in 2015 but intrigued by what Tony Harnell could bring to the band. Great singer but not for Skid Row…next! In came ZP Theart and he fit judging by what I saw on YouTube & I couldn’t wait for the 3rd installment of “United World Rebellion” but it wasn’t in the cards & he was let go earlier this year. In strolls Erik Grönwall in February 2022 and he grabbed the frontman position by the balls & I don’t think he ever let go of it! It’s fate, destiny and meant to be. Thank you, Testify and Amen!
Skid Row
The Gang’s All Here
October 14th 2022
earMUSIC
Erik Grönwall – vocals
Snake Sabo – guitars
Scotti Hill – guitars
Rachel Bolan – bass
Rob Hammersmith – drums
TRACK LISTING:
01. Hell or High Water
02. The Gang’s All Here
03. Not Dead Yet
04. Time Bomb
05. Resurrected
06. Nowhere Fast
07. When the Lights Come On
08. Tear It Down
09. October’s Song
10. World’s on Fire
“Tear It Down Webisode Series:”
Let’s get this show on the road…here comes the all-new Skid fuckin’ Row!!!
01. Hell or High Water – A very strong start to the album. Nasty riffage, Skid Row’s trademark gang background vocals and slammin’ drums with a taste of Bonham on the bass drum drive this track. The guitar tone on the breakdown is smooth as silk but beware the tune comes back strong after the breakdown leading to a rippin’ solo! No doubt about it, Erik has some pipes! One thing that always stood out about the bands songs were the lyrics. More often than not, they are thought provoking and this song carries that tradition on. Listen around the 2:25 mark for a tip of the cap to Psycho Love’s 2:04 minute mark breakdown. What’s old is new again and I digg it!!!
02. The Gang’s All Here – BEWARE…that lil’ temptress “tricky little Vicky” is back! Rachel Bolan on da bass laying down a groovy foundation for this toe tapper. All the classic elements that define the band are here but with a fresh approach. “The Gang’s All Here” was the perfect choice for album title and lead-off single for a new generation of Skid Row fans plus us Skid Row-OG’s!!!
03. Not Dead Yet – “Not dead yet…Don’t throw dirt on an open casket!” is one helluva lyrical statement that hits me in my core with all I’m dealing with in my personal life! Erik shines vocally here displaying the full range of his monster vocal ability. IMO, you’ll find Scotti and Snake’s best fret work on this song. Rob and Rachel lay down a primal concrete sledge of a foundation for the band to go off on. Dime, Vinnie and the boys would be proud! Getcha pull!
04. Time Bomb – Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick…Boom! Holy shit, this cut has it all; aggression, attitude, a strong message and more Pantera-esque groove! An absolute beast rhythmically with Rob and Rachel prominently turned up in the mix. The solos are pure fire. Another track that hits me in my core with all I’m dealing with in my personal life! Check the video out which Rachel co-directed, it is the perfect complement to the song.
05. Resurrected – Dare I say the band brings it down a little on this song but that isn’t a bad thing as it gives the listener a chance to catch their breath. I love the dueling guitar solos, always have with Skid Row, it’s a trademark although I feel that neither Snake or Scotti get enough credit for their fretwork. What a shame considering there are boring wankers from their era who receive far too much attention n’ credit for playing 1000 bumble bee notes per minute but lack emotion & soul in their playing! Keep up the great work, Mr. Sabo and Mr. Hill!!!
06. Nowhere Fast – The pace picks back up here. Chunky guitars lead the charge of this slow build stomper. It has one helluva catchy chorus with Skids trademark backing vocals. Erik lets it soar at the 1:11 mark. Really diggin’ the changes that go on between the 1:11 to 1:48 mark, such stellar songwriting and performance on display!
07. When the Lights Come On – Rachel getting more licks in as the track starts sparingly vocally for the first 30 seconds before taking a trip back to their self-titled 1989 mindset. Digg the retro vibe of this one. Yet another bitchin’ solo. The track should come with a warning label that at the 3:33 mark, do not have this cranked in your headphones because Erik will pierce your ears…damn dude, how tight were you holding your balls to hit that scream? 😉 The band locks into a solid outro groove to bring the song to a close.
08. Tear It Down – The second single from the album is a headbanger. “Turned on the devilvision It took away my breath. But I won’t let it sell me. That I was “scared to death”” is such a great reminder to not take ANYTHING the mainstream media (MSM) force feeds you. The news is a dying art form…the day of real unbiased journalism is long dead; we will never be allowed to think for ourselves with the MSM. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Hugh Downs, Barbara Walters and Dan Rather. Hell, even Mr. Rather is nothing more than a corporate shill these days, selling his integrity to keep up with the Jones’ and making fat bank! Sad but true!
WAKE UP AMERICA…the MSM is fuckin’ us up the ass without lube so when another Civil War breaks out the politician’s bank rolling the bloodletting will protect them. Good luck with that, you sellouts! Seems like a United World Rebellion is just what we need! Wake up…stand up…take back your lives and our country!!!
“Big brother’s watching. He’s everywhere but does he realize, the revolution’s in the air?”
09. October’s Song – I’ve seen Snake and Rachel talk in interviews online that Snake had this riff for over 10 years that he’d play as an exercise at soundcheck. Thankfully, the band and producer Nick Raskulinecz convinced Snake to lay it down on tape, finally. Gorgeous riff and tone, Snake! The mellowest cut on the album shows Erik’s soulful side. This would make a gorgeous video if done right.
10. World’s on Fire – After nine previous kickass tunes, I’m dreading that this is the final tune of the album. Parting is such sweet sorrow! Here, Skid Row does not go out with a whimper but rather a scorched-earth finale! More dueling guitar solos…tasty! Erik’s last Halford-esque scream burns for the last 10+ seconds of the song and leaves me wanting more of what Skid Row in 2022 has to offer but have no fear, they are already working on the follow-up to “The Gang’s All Here!”
In conclusion, Skid Row is back, on record and on the road!!! In reality, they never left, they just took a few detours but with the addition of singer Erik Grönwall and producer Nick Raskulinecz, they’ve lit a fire under the asses of Skid Row that’s been missing since the end of the “Slave To The Grind” World Tour on February 6th 1993, in my opinion.
Alright, I’m going to address the elephant in the room. No, that’s not a shot at their former singer from 1987-1996 that I refuse to name. Who am I kidding, yes it is but only because he deserves shots being taken at him! Personally, I’d love to see the band either have Erik replace their former singers’ vocals or re-record the three albums and one EP they did with the nameless one! I feel Erik will be in the band until they decide to hang it up and after seeing them live, his voice is perfect for those tunes. This album proves that because this feels like the natural bridge between 1989’s self-titled debut album and 1991’s “Slave to the Grind.”
Great album, gents! Dare I say “…and the award for Album Of The Year goes to *insert drumroll* ‘The Gang’s All Here’ by Skid Row!” Bravo…Bravo!
SKID ROW ON TOUR:
10/11 — Perry, GA — Georgia National Fair
10/13 — Kingston, NY — Ulster PAC
10/14 — Bethlehem, PA — Wild Creek Casino
10/19 — Wolverhampton, UK — KK’s Steel Mill
10/20 — Brighton, UK — Chalk
10/21 — Cardiff, UK — Y Plass – Cardiff Uni
10/23 — Bristol, UK — 02 Academy
10/24 — London, UK — 02 Forum
10/25 — Nottingham, UK — Rock City
10/27 — Manchester, UK — 02 Ritz
10/28 — Sheffield, UK — 02 Academy
10/29 — Liverpool, UK — Grand Central Hall
10/31 — Glasgow, UK — Academy
11/1 — Newcastle, UK — Northumbria Uni
11/3 — Cambridge, UK — Junction
11/4 — Great Yarmouth, UK — HRH Festival Indoors
11/6 — Antwerp, BE — Zappa
11/8 — Drachten, NL — Iduna
11/9 — Hamburg, DE — Fabrik
11/10 — Oberhausen, DE — Turbinenhalle 2
11/12 — Giswil, CH — UR Rock Festival
11/13 — Bruchsal, DE — Fabrik
11/14 — Munich, DE — Backstage (Werk)
11/16 — Savigny Le Temple, FR — L’Empreinte
11/18 — Norwich, UK — Waterfront
12/7 — Adelaide, AU — The Gov
12/9 — Brisbane, AU — Triffid
12/10 — Sydney, AU — Max Watts
12/11 — Melbourne, AU — 170 Russell
Visit Skid Row on the web:
www.skidrow.com
www.facebook.com/officialskidrow
www.instagram.com/officialskidrow
www.twitter.com/skidrow
Pre-order Skid Row’s “The Gang’s All Here” HERE:
Pre-order Skid Row’s “The Gang’s All Here” HERE:
SHOP Skid Row’s “The Gang’s All Here Merch HERE:
SHOP Skid Row’s “The Gang’s All Here Merch HERE:
THANK YOU to SKID ROW, earMUSIC and Atom Splitter!!!
Category: Reviews
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Excellent review! And I’d also really love to hear them re-record some past stuff with Erik doing vocals. I’m not sure about the 1st couple albums but I feel some of their recent stuff really flew under the radar. I’d love to hear songs like Ghost and See You around redone.
Fingers crossed that Erik sticks around for the long haul with this band and 10-15 years from now we’ve got a few albums from them and we see them really bursting their popularity. I mean, adding Erik has really given them a huge advantage over the rest of their contemporaries in that they’ve now got this fresh energy and talent that can really wail. Will be interesting to see where this goes.
Thank you for reading my review and for the feedback. It is much appreciated!
I agree on hearing Erik sing some of the Solinger material and I’ve watched interviews where he said he’d like to do at least one tune from each Solinger album & EP.
Ghost, See You Around and New Generation have my vote for sure!