Grunge Albums Made By Hair Metal Bands

If you’ve ever seen any  documentaries on 80’s hair metal or read any autobiographies by rock stars from that era, you’ll know that 98% of them (and most of their fans) blame the downfall of their genre on the rise of the Seattle Grunge scene, specifically Nirvana’s sophomore album ‘’Nevermind’’ being  the last nail in the coffin. In this article I’m going to talk about some albums where the glam metal stars decided  basically to say ‘’fuck it, if you can’t beat them, join them’’ and swapped out the aqua-net hair spray, falsetto screams and leather pants for the dirty jeans, flannel shirts and yarl vocal style.

That being said though, I don’t think all of the artists mentioned here changed their sound and image to fit with the times, for some of them it was a natural progression, artists change their style up all the time, take David Bowie or Madonna for example. People grow and their tastes change.  A lot of these albums are overlooked by both grunge fans and glam metal fans. The hardcore glam metal fans probably ignored them because they think if they enjoy anything that isn’t about the devil, cocaine or tits they’ll have an allergic reaction and break out into a rash whereas the grunge fans most likely ignored them because they were made by bands who were initially glam metal at the height of their popularity, which wasn’t cool (apparently it was overlooked if you weren’t popular or successful as a glam band cough Alice In Chains cough) or they just weren’t aware these albums existed at the time.

KISS, Carnival Of Souls:

This album is a new discovery for me, I was at a friend’s housewarming recently 

and somebody said to me ‘’Have you heard when KISS tried to sound like Alice In Chains!?’’.
I was surprised, I knew a lot of bands from that era had jumped on the bandwagon but never expected KISS would have participated because of certain interviews where Gene Simmons says ‘’rock stars stopped acting like rock stars’’ in direct reference to grunge bands. They played me the song ‘’Rain’’ and immediately I knew this was a very grungy tune.  It’s low sludgy riff and self-deprecating lyrics start it off in the typical Seattle fashion, but I was even more surprised when the chorus kicked in and it was very reminiscent (almost, plagiaristic) of the AIC song ‘’Rain when I Die’’.

I wasn’t surprised at all however  to find that KISS had hired producer Toby Wright for this album, the same guy who produced AIC’s self-titled and unplugged albums, Jerry Cantrell’s 1998 solo album Boggy Depot as well as having mixing credits on Jar Of Flies, ‘’Get Born Again’’ and ‘’What The Hell Have I’’.
I guess if you want Alice In Chains vibes, Toby is probably the man to have behind the glass window.

‘’I Confess’’ is co-written by You Tube sensation/vocal coach/Sammy Hagar’s cousin, Ken Tamplin of the Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy.

 

 Other career highlights include singing ‘’Old McDonald Had A Farm’’ on Comedy Centrals, Tosh.0.

‘’I Walk Alone’’ is the first and last song Bruce Kulick (cool licks) recorded lead vocals on during his tenure with KISS. His voice sort of reminds me of Ace Frehley’s too, funnily enough. ‘’Master & Slave’’ is reminiscent of Prong’s ‘’Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck’’ and at around the 2 minute mark reminds me of Nirvana. I never, ever, EVER thought I’d say KISS reminded me of Nirvana. Not in this lifetime anyway. How little I truly ever knew KISS were capable of.

Wildside, Self-Titled:

Before you even listen to this album, looking at the cover artwork is a strong indicator of Alice In Chains influence. Once again. I have a feeling AIC are going to be mentioned a lot in this article. They have a rich glam history considering they themselves were originally a glam band called Diamond Lie and the name comes from Layne Staley’s previous glam metal band,  Alice N Chainz. Layne also sang for a band named Sleze, like… c’mon. Incase that’s not enough,  
another little known glam connection is that Jerry Cantrell was childhood friends with Vinnie Chas from Pretty Boy Floyd, 
they even played in a band together at one point.
Anyway, back to this album art...

 

 Old mate from Facelift looks like he’s worried about that Goanna taking a bite out of him.

Look at those highly saturated purple, red and orange hues! The resemblance is definitely there.

It’s also pretty clear that lead singer, Drew Hannah is channeling the hell out of Layne Staley and Chris Cornell. Take a listen to ‘’The Grave’’, it’s almost hard to believe this is the same guy who was singing ‘’Hang On Lucy’’ only 3 years earlier, he’s dropped the high scratchy ala Axl Rose vocal style for a more mature, gritty, low end tone. He can still belt out a hell of a scream when necessary though. ‘’Looking To Move’’ has a very eerie, almost spoken word verse and BDSM inspired lyrics. ‘’Life In The Grid’’ has an intro riff that sounds like Alice In Chains ‘’It Aint Like That’’ reversed and flipped upside down. This is the most accomplished turnaround of any band on this list at going completely grunge and also 10/10, absolutely nailing it. This album is early Soundgarden/Alice In Chains through and through. I love this album so much that I just bought the only copy available on Amazon.  I swear if I showed people these songs and told them it was unreleased Alice In Chains recordings, they’d believe me. This is probably one of the most criminally unknown and underrated grunge albums ever made.

Shotgun Messiah, Violent New Breed:

Technically this isn’t a grunge album, it’s an industrial hard rock album but there are some elements of grunge within it, specifically Skolds deep drawl vocal style and if anything I feel like it’s worth mentioning here because it’s the missing link between Tim Skold going from this:

 

  80’s Aerobics Instructor.

To this:

 

 Call me Raven Obsidian Blackbird McNight.

Or:

I read Oscar Wilde and sleep in a graveyard.

I’ve actually been listening to this album since my early teens, so I’m quite familiar with it. Shotgun Messiah were one of the first underground Sunset Strip bands I stumbled across (Thanks to You Tubes recommended video side bar). I always preferred the first album with Zinny Z Jan on vocals but the Skold fronted albums are still kickass and have always had a special place in my record collection. A stand out track on this album for me has always been the title track. It’s catchy, anthemic and has a very solid build up to the chorus. Not to mention Harry Cody is an incredibly underrated guitarist, the guy has some tasty leads and knows where to show them off, especially on this track. ‘’I’m a Gun’’ is another bomb tune that punches you right in the pelvis from the first second. ‘’Jihad’’ has some of my favourite lyrics on the entire album, they’re thought provoking, poetic and it has a driving riff that carries them well. ‘’Monkey Needs’’ is an absolute banger, so instead of describing it, I suggest you put it on and play it loud, right now.

 I’ve found over time that a lot of industrial music fans are and were quite aware of this album and believe it was far ahead of its time. It should be no surprise to any of us that Skold went on to work with Marilyn Manson, KMFDM and Motionless In White.

Random Fact:

Max Green, former bass player of Escape The Fate named his new band Violent New Breed after this album, he even asked Tim Skold for permission.

 

 



Warrant, Ultraphobic:

The first track ‘’Undertow’’ comes straight out of left field. This is crazy. Is this actually Warrant? I don’t know if I can believe my ears. This album is sporadically covered in dirty and sturdy riffs and it actually gets pretty grungy. It’s so weird to hear Jani Lane sing with that sort of angst, anger and aggression. I’m so used to him being super ‘’cry baby, heartbreak’’ sad or sleazy and slutty with his famously known cheesy power ballads and sexual-pastry-baking-innuendo-laced lyrics but Ultraphobic has him showing a very different side of himself. There are a lot of moments where it does throw back to the ‘’classic’’ Warrant vibe and it becomes a sort of a tug-of-war between the two sounds. Jani snaps it back to grunge periodically with a dirty snarl or guitarist Erik Turner gets it heavy again with a cool breakdown riff when it starts to get too ‘’Sunset Strip 88’’ and less ‘’Seattle 91’’. It sounds like Jani might have gargled a bit of gravel and glass before recording some of these tunes too; the man has some real grit here.

Highly saturated hues are a popular trope in grunge album art, evidently.

This isn’t a pure grunge album. It’s like if you put one of their well-known albums like ‘’Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich’’ or ‘’Cherry Pie’’ into a blender with Soundgarden’s ‘’Superunknown’’. When it occasionally throws back to their quintessential sound, I don’t enjoy it as much as when they’re going balls deep into the gloomy riffs and the big grunge choruses. I wish they went all of the way but I can still appreciate and respect the fact that they dipped their toes into the deep end of the Seattle sound with this record and tried something different. It’s not terrible, it’s not great and at times it’s hard to listen to but I’m happy to know it exists.

Saigon Kick, Water:

This sounds like Billy Corgan fronting Jane’s Addiction with Alice In Chains style layered vocal harmonies serving as the cherry on top.  A musical wet dream for me. ‘’One Step Closer’’. Absolute banger. Next up is the best cover of David Bowie’s ‘’Space Oddity’’ that I’ve ever heard. Seriously, they absolutely nailed it in every single facet, opportunity and constellation. It’s quite literally, out of this world.  I swear I can hear the guitarist play the famous lead hook from Jimi Hendrix’s ‘’Voodoo Child’’ very, very faintly down in the mix in the final seconds of the song too. I think that’s pretty clever, a nice little touch.

The title track ‘’Water’’ has a laid back vibe. Reminiscent of the Alice In Chains EP, Jar Of Flies. I really like the sampling of the water sounds and the addition of those beautiful soul singers. This isn’t really a song. It’s piece of art.

‘’Torture’’ is anything but. The riff has some serious fire power. It’s like if Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde had a go at alternative rock and married it with their own style. ‘’Fields Of Rape’’ was actually what they wanted to name the album but the record label wouldn’t let them, it was deemed too offensive. It’s lyrics are a powerful outcry against the terrible things that young girls and women in Bosnia, Africa deal with on a daily basis. It’s great musically as well, the chorus is huge and the melody is beautiful. ‘’I Love You’’ is like the high school prom section of the album. I don’t care though, I actually want to slow dance to this song. It’s an adorable love song, through and through. I relish in its romantic intrigue. ‘’Sgt Steve’’ takes a very unexpected Bowie-istic, Beatles-esque twist (and shout). The man in question, Sgt Steve is character not unlike Major Tom. But unlike the universally iconic character Major Tom, Sgt Steve is a fucking prick. He is an unhygienic, physically abusive, religious and homophobic school teacher who is attacked and murdered by his students.  ‘’My Heart’’ is laced with Alice In Chains styled ‘’Hey-aye-ahs’’ coupled with a heavy driving riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Jane’s Addiction album. This album is full of curve balls and ‘’On And On’’ is no exception. It starts with a reggae verse which proceeds  into an INXS meets Duran Duran build that then bursts into a poppy, post-punk chorus that has Jason Bieler sounding like the lovechild of Morrissey and Robert Smith (Ha! Those two hate each other in real life). ‘’The Way’’ is basically Mother Love Bone jamming in a garage with Stone Temple Pilots after a few cans of Budweiser and a pack of Marlboro Reds.

 ‘’RED’’ has a redolent ‘’Fever’’ Peggy Lee/’’Tainted Love’’ Soft Cell  trait sped up as an eclectic lead hook verse  with a show tune melody thrown over the top. The chorus could have been a Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day collaborating with Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys. The solo is straight up biting Brian Setzer from the Stray Cats steeze and there’s even a bit of scat singing in there too. ‘’Close To You’’ has tribalistic tendencies, it’s a huge jungle rhythm that sounds like it’s drummer Phil Varone beating the drums with his huge penis.

Random Fact:

Who needs signature drum sticks when you have a replica of your own dick for sale, piercing and all?

Phil Varone starred on ‘’Sex Rehab with Dr Drew’’ and has his own line of sex toys.

The verse is basically the sound of Jim Morrison swaggering, sleazing and warbling his way through an Amazonian village with Billy Corgan popping his head out of a hut window every now and then to champion the chorus. The quality of song writing is yet to slow down or let down. ‘’When You Were Mine’’ has some more refreshing Beatles piquancy in a similar vein to ‘’Let It Be’’ or even something by Elton John. ‘’Reprise’’ is a fitting end to an amazing album.

A focused yet versatile album. Even though there are so many different elements in Water (Ha! Elements...water...yeah, never mind) it still never loses its consistency or gets patchy all the while being sporadic and offhanded. It maintains soulful compositions with strong arrangements; colourful vocal palettes and creative lyrics every part of the way, the words really tell a story, paint a picture and prompt the listener to feel and envision what they’re about.