| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Blistering | (favourable)[3] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 8/10[4] |
| Rock Hard | 9/10[5] |
The Skull is the second studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, released in 1985. It was the follow-up to their 1984 debut Psalm 9.
Trouble gained critical recognition for The Skull and a successful tour followed. However, the album reflected singer Eric Wagner's struggles with substance abuse as well as growing turmoil within the group. This led to the departure of bassist Sean McAllister; he was replaced by Ron Holzner, who would remain with the band until their 2002 reunion. In early 1986, shortly after The Skull tour began, drummer Jeff Olson would also leave to attend college and the band regrouped with a new lineup later that year. Olson would reunite with Trouble in 1993 and play on the Plastic Green Head album, which was released two years later.
The album has been released on CD on four occasions: in 1990 by Enigma Records; in 1991 by Metal Blade; remastered using the original master tapes and reissued again by Metal Blade in 1994; remastered and reissued again by Escapi Music in October 2006, with a bonus DVD.
Track listing
All songs by Trouble.
- Side one
- "Pray for the Dead" – 5:54
- "Fear No Evil" – 4:12
- "The Wish" – 11:35
- Side two
- "The Truth Is, What Is" – 4:37
- "Wickedness of Man" – 5:46
- "Gideon" – 5:10
- "The Skull" – 5:50
Personnel
Trouble
- Eric Wagner – vocals
- Bruce Franklin – guitars
- Rick Wartell – guitars
- Sean McAllister – bass
- Jeff Olson – drums
Production
- Bill Metoyer – producer, engineer
- Eddie Schreyer – mastering at Capitol Records, Hollywood
- Brian Slagel – executive producer
References
- ^ "Gatefold of Best of Metal Blade, Vol. 1". Metal Blade Records. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Trouble - The Skull review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
- ^ Gehlke, David E. "Trouble - Psalm 9 / The Skull (Reissues)". Blistering. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
- ^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 366. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
- ^ Kühnemund, Götz (1985). "Review Album: Trouble - The Skull". Rock Hard (in German). No. 11. Retrieved 2017-10-30.