Dog Eat Dog was the third music album by American glam metal band Warrant. It was released on August 25 1992 on the Columbia label of Sony Music.

The album achieved "gold" status in the United States, but was significantly less successful in a commercial sense than the band's first two albums. It is, nonetheless, regarded by most critics as Warrant's strongest record, and a favorite among many devoted fans.

Musical style

While not a fundamental departure from the band's brand of melodic heavy metal, Dog Eat Dog exhibited a heavier and darker sound than that found on the first two Warrant records. Parts of the record are ambitious and experimental, blending hair metal, progressive metal and alternative rock elements. The album was, above all, a showcase for the songwriting talents of vocalist Jani Lane.

Production and marketing

Warrant began recording bass and drums for Dog Eat Dog in Los Angeles, California in February 1992. Overdubs were recorded at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida, in March 1992. The record was mixed in at Scream Studios in Studio City, California in April 1992 with producer Michael Wagener.

Apparently conscious of the widely circulated rumour that Joey Allen and Erik Turner had not played on the first two Warrant records, the band had Wagener include a statement in the liner notes that "no artist, except those listed, performed on this album in any capacity whatsoever". In this context, it is interesting that guitarist Rick Steier, formerly of Kingdom Come, apparently joined the band soon after the recording of the album. Jani Lane wrote in the liner notes: "This album is dedicated to Joey Allen, one of the most under-rated guitarists in rock today."

Shortly after the release of the album, Lane discovered that a large framed poster of Warrant had been removed from the foyer in Columbia Records in Los Angeles and had been replaced by a poster of Seattle band Alice in Chains. It was at this moment, according to Lane, that he realised that "the proverbial writing [was] on the wall" for the band . In the absence of support from the band's label, radio and MTV, and without a major tour to support the record, sales of the album were sluggish.

Songs

The album's themes include sex ("Machine Gun", "Bonfire"), voyeurism ("Hole in My Wall"), environmental destruction ("April 2031"), homicidal psychopathy ("Andy Warhol Was Right"), drug addiction ("All My Bridges Are Burning"), materialism ("Hollywood (So Far, So Good)"), and lost relationships ("Bitter Pill", "Let It Rain").

The song "Bitter Pill" features an operatic interlude, performed in German by the "Moron Fish & Tackle Choir". The makeshift "Choir" consisted of security guards, engineers, janitors, and others who had been available at or near the recording studio.

"Sad Theresa" had previously been recorded by Jani Lane and Steven Sweet's old band Plain Jane.

Track listing

1. "Machine Gun"
2. "The Hole in My Wall"
3. "April 2031"
4. "Andy Warhol Was Right"
5. "Bonfire"
6. "The Bitter Pill"
7. "Hollywood (So Far, So Good)"
8. "All My Bridges Are Burning"
9. "Quicksand"
10. "Let It Rain"
11. "Inside Out"
12. "Sad Theresa"
13. "Lincolns, Mercurys and Fords"**

**Japanese version only

Trivia

• The record's title was inspired by Detroit rock musician Ted Nugent, who wrote a song of the same name.
• Hardcore punk band Dog Eat Dog named their debut album Warrant in a joking 'retaliation' for the title of this album.

Singles

• Machine Gun
• Bitter Pill

References