The Contrarians Presents: Skid Row’s Most Contrarian Album

Sean Kelly graces the contrarians once again with a great review and discourse on the album Subhuman Race by Skid Row.
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The Contrarians is a show where one of us jumps in the hot seat picks a dark horse album from a band as that band's best album. The guest host will argue against them with facts, stats and all around truth, subjective and objective!
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[@thecontrarians2438]

Let us know what you think! Is there a more contrarian Skid Row album? Support us on Patreon or Ko-Fi: www.patreon.com/contrarians ko-fi.com/thecontrarians

[@GoNorthDesign]

It took me sooooooooo long to warm up to SUBHUMAN RACE. One of the first few records from my favourite 80s bands to really throw me for a loop in the 90s. (The previous being The Cult's 1994 S/T). Today, I love the super weighty sound. "Into Another" could have been a hit 4 years prior. FOR THE FANS: seek out the fan-made "SUBHUMAN BEINGS TOUR" DVD from their June 25, 1995 show in Tokyo. 23 songs, and a killer live mix of their first 3 albums.

[@quantumparadox2518]

From the first time I heard it I told all my hard rock/metal loving friends that this is indeed without a doubt the best Skid Row album. All three of the Bach records are all great and you can hear the progression in each one. If they could have kept it together they still could be making great records

[@kevinm5957]

Love the first three Skid Row albums. Great job by Sean. Love the enthusiasm and knowledge.

[@mccarthyd6603]

Great job guys! Remember being pretty dissapointed when this came out....but going to have to go revisit on vinyl. Although....Into Another is along with Quicksand Jesus 2 of my favorite songs of all-time!!!! You need to have Sean on more for future episodes....guy is awesome on these panels....smart, funny and really knows the recording process... Cheers👍

[@dmac3316]

Cool vid. I’ve always liked this album. Into Another is one of my favourite Skid Row songs and still a frequent addition to my playlists.

[@larsschneider2378]

Love the album. Bought it when it came out and loved it ever since. I think it might be my favorite Skid Row record by now, I still listen to it regularly. And I think it has aged really well - actually way better than some of the "real" alternative rock from that era. Great analysis!

[@theplayersclub1126]

My favorite skid row album hands down... I love Bob rock's production

[@jimmycampbell78]

Great album. Skid Row’s heaviest- and coolest. It still stands up extremely well, its aged much better than a lot of 80s and 90s music. When I saw this youtube video post I went and listened to Subhuman Race again and it still kicked a$ $.

[@gwts1171]

I didn't know Sean had a new book coming out - cool! I've been listening to a lot of Crash Kelly recently, too. Thanks to Martin & Sean - Great episode, guys!

[@rcopen]

Such a great album🤘🤘🤘 I love the first two albums but this is hands down my favorite 🤘

[@reedl2353]

I have loved every KZbin music discussion video on which Sean has made an appearance. After a previous show I purchased Blood On The Ice, now I need to grab Don't Call It Hair Metal. Sean and Martin are the perfect combination of easy comradery, historical perspective, and musical knowledge. Also, I love Subhuman Race, and have since the first time that I heard it. It's heavy, it's punky, it's catchy... It's only "problems" are that it's diverse (the hard rock audience often punishes stylistic diversity) and that it became instantly pigeonholed as their "grunge" album. Was there a single legacy band that "went grunge" and succeeded? The song "Breakin' Down" appeared on the soundtrack of the angels vs. demons movie "The Prophecy". The movie was not a hit, and the association did the album no good. I remember Sebastian complaining in interviews about how the failure of the movie tanked their album. Obviously not correct, but it certainly didn't help. Too bad on both counts, because I also love "The Prophecy".

[@theplayersclub1126]

this was a great watch!!! man, Sean has great insight and perspective and a great communicator....THANK YOU

[@darkhymnsfromthecoldnorth]

Good talk, fellas. I still have never heard this album.

[@taranguapo]

Get on it!!

[@taranguapo]

Definitely my favorite Skid album!!! Wish they woulda made another just like this... Or anything with the classic lineup haha. Obviously love the first 2 as well but this album just kicks ASS!

[@mikeklingenberg3644]

I was a HUGE champion for this album when it came out and I was a Sophomore in High School!! It was really rough still being a fan of these bands as a high schooler at that time as everyone had abandoned that style and thought it was absolutely uncool. I felt pretty isolated but didn't care cause, at the time I thought it was more important to stick to your guns and be a diehard fan. Any way.... Great album that actually sonically still holds up to this day and I'm glad I got to see them on this tour with Sebastian Bach cause I'm pretty sure we are never gonna get that reunion. Great show guys.

[@LeatherRebel75]

For the longest time, I could not get into this album. I would try to listen to it, and I would go, "Where are the hooks?! There are no hooks!" But I tried listening to Subhuman Race again recently, and it finally started to hit for me after more than twenty-five years. I loved Slave to the Grind from the first listen, but Subhuman Race took a long time for me to get.

[@yahcobshaul9713]

This one has always been my fave from Skidrow! Thanx for the breakdown! 💯🖤✊🏿

[@IraSiegel]

This is an *_excellent_* and underrated record. Great episode with my favorite guest. BEAT YOURSELF BLIND! 🤘🏻

[@IcewindTom]

Incredible episode guys!

[@ZKAttack]

Breakin' Down is one of the best ballads of all time

[@sharingansasuke5]

This is a good ass album that’s very underrated A few skid row members don’t like it because they were at eachothers throats when it was recorded, but it’s awesome. Skid row would’ve easily survived the grunge movement, if they didn’t fall apart internally. Great video! I’m glad this album is getting some of its deserved praise. Grunge was harsh on older groups! Also Rob affuso did say this was his favorite skid row record to drum on, which is awesome.

[@nancygreece]

By far my favourite Skid Row album. It's darker and heavier than their other albums and I love that. And Sebastian's vocals are crazy in Subhuman Race, he proves he is the best rock singer ever ... 🤘🤘🔥🔥

[@patrickreeves4650]

go the album on release day... as a fan from the start, and having read metal edge for a good year before the record came out, it wasn't a surprise that the album was incredibly heavy. in addition, knowing they spent a year with pantera and soundgarden before the making, it wasn't a stretch. the album will always be my favorite. so many memories to subhuman race. i used to walk to my job my junior year of high school jamming the record, and always felt that breakin down was brilliant. its sad that the band hates the record, and sebastian seems to be the only one that champions the record. they have every right to how they feel, and they have given us so much great music...

[@rossmudie9298]

One of my favourite albums, massively underrated. They may hate it and have hated making it but it'll always be a masterpiece to me. 🤘🤘

[@ndesdsadfd]

Always liked that album from the day it dropped. Maybe it's not as good as Slave To The Grind but a great record, indeed. Their heaviest.

[@millionvivy]

Actually, the only Skid Row album i really like lol. My enemy, Eileen, Frozen, Breakdown, Iron Will...great tunes. Into Another is the one song that stands out tho.

[@wernermoritz882]

Show suggestion: it would be very interesting how the taste of the individual members of the contrarians changed and developed. To me it seems very odd that someone for example appreciates a band like Whitesnake and at the same time a band like The Damned, there must be an interesting story behind such taste clashes. That‘d be a fun show! Keep up the good work, guys! 👍

[@VantagePointrocks]

Remember the anticipation to get a new album Skid Row after, what then, seemed like an age since Slave to the Grind. Then when listening to it for the first time wondering half way through when it was going to end as it was so monotonous and plodding. Was a long time until I went back and gave it a second listen, and while it has grown on me slightly I still find it hard to fathom how the drop off in quality of the song writing from the first two albums to this was so big.

[@sinbysin666]

Is the album cover a reference to Adolescents' debut?

[@mickward7769]

For nostalgia reasons I'd go the debut but actually prefer Subhuman over their sophomore but all three are killer records in fact My Enemy was up there with their best IMO \m/ And more Sean Kelly on Contrarians please Martin, his enthusiasm and energy are delightfully engaging and will be off to purchase his new book next week thanks both of you!

[@matthewatherton6537]

While Slave to the Grind will always be their high watermark, I prefer Subhuman Race over the debut.

[@VendettaAustralia]

My favourite Skid Row album

[@TJJamesmusic]

The Johnny sucknger era is way more contrarian than this, one of the worst vocalists live I’ve ever seen. Love original Skid Row and the new Eric era. It took Skid Row 26 years to find a singer as amazing as Sebastian period. I still bought all the records. Great show, love Martin so much. Great job to both of you.

[@rossmudie9298]

Thickskin was a great record, Imagine seb or erik sing those songs, hell yeah 🤘🤘

[@user-fd9pk2zn6i]

Love to see an episode on love is for suckers from twisted sister

[@thecontrarians2438]

we did one!

[@kevinsmith7-7-7]

Eddie Trunk's Favorite Skid Row Album

[@samhouston1979]

regarding why this hasn’t certified…i know that i never heard anything about this album when it came out at the time & it was basically still pre internet

[@seangerant653]

Firesign.........Frozen.......demos ....like these better then on the lp !!!

[@Elsidu13]

I loved the band. There best album was "Slave to the Grind"

[@yasserwallaby5835]

To me the album started strong, then lost momentum twice because I think Eileen and Frozen are very dull, but it picked up again with Face Against My Soul, and ended with a bang with Ironwill

[@romansingleton8831]

I always liked this album. One criticism I have is 2-3 songs less would have made it more concise. Not saying 56 minutes is too long for a great record but a couple of the songs could have been saved for something else.

[@samhouston1979]

their last album is in their top three though

[@MarcusFerg21]

I’m hoping Martin will stop referring to it as Hair Metal.

[@MartinPopoff]

No chance of that.

[@mirko1382]

This a great album though I feel that Sebatian's vocals didn't suite the sound of the album. If they didn't have the 90's production to it, it would have been a much better album. John Corabi would have been a better fit for this album.

[@iancocks9408]

I liked the songs on 40 seasons best of. The whole subhuman album does not really work for me. Skid row started at the top and got a bit worse on each album. Apart from the latest.

[@jasonmarchant4525]

they remixed the subhuman race songs on that album to make them more like their first 2 albums

[@iancocks9408]

@@jasonmarchant4525 I didn’t really notice a difference I must have another listen to the best of and subhuman race.

[@Glendoras]

I had not heard the remixes so just checked em out. The sound is a lot warmer and more analog/rootsy, really like those remixes. I think Subhuman race is a decent album, but it would probably be in favor if all songs was remixed like that. The original mix sounds pretty dated, very mid 90’s. But I still like it.

[@samhouston1979]

they took too long between the 2nd & 3rd records

[@rossmudie9298]

They toured and toured then suffered burnout.

[@crushingalldeceivers]

Horrible album in my opinion.

[@willd4731]

By far one of the worst albums ever to follow up a great album of all time.

[@theplayersclub1126]

booooo!

[@jimmycampbell78]

Nope 🤣

[@jasonmarchant4525]

It's not that bad. there are some good songs on there