Stabbing Westward

When Trent Reznor opened the door to commercial viability for industrial rock, tons of bands tried to cash in, but few were able to attract the attention of the record-buying public as much as Stabbing Westward did in the mid-'90s (albeit for a very short time). With MTV airplay and high-profile touring spots (and arguably as the first band to really nail down that industrial/glam look), the band was able to go gold and maintain a fairly happy time with Columbia Records, which is represented on this collection. They weren't as visceral as Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails or as extreme as Marilyn Manson, but they managed to find the right balance between heavy distortion and danceable pop/rock melodies. With tracks like "What Do I Have to Do?" and "Torn Apart," it's a good place to start for rookies of angsty industro-goth-glam dance music. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide