Bound, Gagged and Blindfolded

1. When Pain Comes to Surface
2. Dissolve
3. Race of Hate
4. Paleface
5. Down
6. Promised
7. Stumble
8. The Art of Suffering
9. Ten Seconds

Line-Up

Steev Esquival - Bass, Vocals

Mike Roberts - Guitar

Gary Wendt - Guitar

Paul Hopkins - Drums

There's not denying that Buond, Gagged and Blindfolded is one of the best debut's I've heard, but then again, how could it not be? Having a multitude of advantages due to previous band experience (Defiance, among many others), being located in the cradle of metal (the Bay Area), and an ability to write and perform some of the best industrial metal I've heard, Skinlab are destined for something big. While many could argue that BGB is a guitarists show, everybody shines here, and my ears are particularly drawn to Hopkins's drum performance, a powerful display which also highlights the fact that this guy didn't grow up solely on blastbeats. It's this sense of synocpation coupled with the incredibly heavy tones and Esquival's powerful voice which keep this disc spinning. I swear, there's not a weak spot on the album, my only complaint being that even at almost 45 minutes, the album seems short! Strong points are definitely When Pain Comes to Surface and the slow yet movement oriented Race of Hate, yet as I said before, every track is strong, offering something different to the listener. One of the more important metal albums of the 1990s.
9 out of 10

Eyesore

1. So Far from the Truth
2. Noah
3. Raza Odiada (Pito Wilson)
4. When Pain Comes to Surface (Demo Version)
5. Paleface (Live)

Line-Up

Steev Esquival - Bass, Vocals

Mike Roberts - Guitar

Scott Sargeant - Guitar

Paul Hopkins - Drums

Basically a stop-gap to appease fans, the limited Eyesore E.P. (5,000 hand-numbered copies) contains an early version of So Far from the Truth, the original track Noah (written to celebrate the birth of Steev's son) and a cover of Brujeria's Raza Odiada. I'm not the biggest fan of E.P.s, but there's enough here in my opinion to be worth checking out.

Disembody: The New Flesh

1. So Far from the Truth
2. Know Your Enemies
3. No Sympathy (for the Devil)
4. Scapegoat
5. Breathe
6. I Name my Pain
7. Excellerate
8. Coward
9. Second Skin: New Flesh
10. Looks Can Be Deceiving

Line-Up

Steev Esquival - Bass, Vocals

Snake - Guitar

Scott Sargeant - Guitar

Paul Hopkins - Drums

Having seen Skinlab perform most of the tracks from this album live four times now, I feel that I have a better understanding of what the band was trying to accomplish here. Not quite as fine-tuned or oppressing as the debut (on purpose), Disembody finds Skinlab shedding the remnants of their past and forming an album as indicative of the impending apocalypse as anything else you can find. A sonic feast, Snake and Scott Sargeant are masters of creating just layers of ambiance with their axes. The two work together as a team above the hyper-competant rhythms present here, with the drums being showcased more than on BGB. Impressive before, Hopkins has really developed his own style, creating memorable patterns which fuse technicality and power while retaining fluidity. With guitars tuned down to A sharp, there isn't much room for bass tones, but thanks to another sterling Andy Sneap production job, Esquivel is far from buried in the mix, instead offering a solid base of sludge for either guitarist to soar over, while vocally things seem more confident over a wider spectrum. Once again Skinlab are able to convey their tales of deception, reality and rage through 45 minutes of industrial-tinged heaviness. If I can offer anything in terms of a decscription, let me just say this is a true "album", with tracks reaching mania (SFftT) to almost ethereal states (I Name my Pain). Ultimately, a highly successful album which is sure to remain in heavy rotation for me in the future.
9 out of 10