I know, I know, these guys were pretty big following the release of their debut in January 1989. SKID ROW was a huge success spawning three Top 20 hits: 18 and Life, I Remember You, and Youth Gone Wild while selling over five million copies and reaching number 6 on the Billboard Album Chart. It was also a HUGE hit with me and my drinkin’ buddies in the NAVY. WE FREAKIN’ LOVED THESE GUYS!

I still do. I believe their first three albums are as strong as any metal bands first three albums including releases by Metallica, Megadeth, Black Sabbath and other legends. I believe SKID ROW, their most successful release, is the weakest of the three while SLAVE TO THE GRIND and SUBHUMAN RACE are groundbreaking, ball shaking, earth quaking, ear shattering slabs of metal masterworks.

While SLAVE TO THE GRIND became the very first heavy metal album…