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Rating: THE REVIEW
This "Thickskin" as many will know was the first album without Sebastian Bach on vocals, as he decided to leave the band due to various clashes with the other band members after the release of "Subhuman Race". The void left by Bach was enormous, "frontmen" like him are really hard to find. The band began the search for a new singer and the choice fell on Johnny Solinger. There was also a change behind the drums, with Rob Affuso being replaced by Phil Varone. "Thickskin" saw the light in 2003, a good eight years after the last album of unreleased tracks. Despite the lineup changes, the album is a good one. Nothing new, but it can still be listened to years later without too many expectations.
"Ghost" is definitely the album's highlight, to be cranked up on the stereo. It gets stuck in your head impressively and it's impossible not to try singing along. Solinger’s performance is excellent, he's not Bach, but he also makes a good impression behind the microphone. "Born A Beggar" deserves the same appreciation as "Ghost", with an excellent riff accompanying the track. "Thick is the Skin", an "extended" version of the album title, takes us back to the times of "Slave to the Grind", a great performance by the whole band. "Lamb" is another standout track of the album. It would also sound great on a "Slave to the Grind" or "Subhuman Race". A great performance by Solinger and amazing solos from the duo Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scott Hill, always impeccable. There are also two beautiful ballads, "One Light" and "See You Around". Solinger navigates them well, but in this type of song, the absence of someone like Bach is truly felt. Unfortunately, and I emphasize UNFORTUNATELY, the band decides to "reinterpret" a classic like "I Remember You". The result is embarrassing, the song is completely transformed, shifting from a slow to an almost punk version, unlistenable. The only track to absolutely skip, to avoid ruining a masterpiece of the genre.
In conclusion, an interesting album, played without the slightest flaw. Probably Sebastian Bach would have given a different soul to the record, without taking anything away from Johnny Solinger,
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Summary by Bot
Thickskin is Skid Row’s first album without Sebastian Bach, featuring Johnny Solinger on vocals. Despite lineup changes, it delivers solid hard rock with standout tracks like "Ghost" and "Born A Beggar." While Solinger impresses, the reworked classic "I Remember You" is disappointingly punk and best skipped. Overall, a well-played album showing the band’s resilience.Tracklist Lyrics
Skid Row
Skid Row is an American hard rock/heavy metal band formed in New Jersey in 1986 by bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave "The Snake" Sabo. They broke through with their 1989 self‑titled debut and 1991’s Slave to the Grind, fronted by Sebastian Bach. Later releases featured vocalist Johnny Solinger and leaned into punkier and modern hard rock elements.09 Reviews
