Review: Erik Grönwall – Bad Bones
Greenwall Entertainment – May 22nd, 2026
Reviewer – Jason Hopper
Erik Grönwall is one of my favorite new singers of the last 20 years. His work with H.E.A.T. took a great band and made them legendary. After being recruited by Skid Row, he went on to make their third best album with 2022’s ‘The Gang’s All Here‘. Expectations were high for what he would be doing next, with Erik finding he had enough experience and clout to give another solo record a shot, his first since his debut in 2010.
Three singles have been released so far: ‘Bad Bones’, ‘Born To Break’, and my personal favorite ‘Praying For A Miracle’. The first two singles have a Skid Row mixed with pop radio vibe. Both are great but could have used more aggression. However, these songs are outliers as most of the album does not veer in this direction. ‘Praying For A Miracle’ is more in line with the material he did with H.E.A.T. and exactly what I wanted to hear from him. It’s catchy as hell, with a chorus that will stick in your head for days.
As alluded to, Erik’s style leans towards his time with H.E.A.T. Tracks like ‘Save Me’, ‘Twisted Lullaby’, and ‘Lost For Life’ are all up-tempo, fun rockers with Erik giving it his all and sounding like he’s having a blast.
The album has two ballads, but they are quite different from each other. ‘Who’s The Winner’ is piano driven and heavily influenced by Queen. If I was not familiar with that band and you told me this was a cover, I would believe you. The type of ballad that has quiet parts interspersed with big, boisterous moments. The very definition of rock ballad.
‘Written In The Scars’ is a cleverly titled acoustic ditty with pained lyrics emoted perfectly by Erik. His vocal control and pointed enunciations showcase a vulnerability that few rock singers can pull off. The way the song builds is remarkable and its abrupt, serene ending is perfect and beautiful. The most well-arranged song on the album.
So where does this album rank amongst his work with H.E.A.T. and Skid Row? Being that the albums he released with them were top of their class, this new release is below them. It’s a strong album, but the holdback for me is the lack of flashiness. All the instruments are played well, but a bit run of the mill. Truth be told, this album is great because Erik is the lead singer. Anyone else taking on this album and it would have sounded like your average Frontiers Records release. A great sounding record but nothing that makes the album a standout in the genre.
This is an auto purchase for fans of Erik, who can make nursery rhymes sound like grandiose masterpieces. The man never phones it in, and his voice has a hypnotic way of drawing in the listener. I’m glad he was able to overcome his health obstacles to grant us another album, but here’s hoping he collaborates with some top-notch artists who can tear it up on his next release.
Track list:
- Born To Break
- Bad Bones
- Praying For A Miracle
- Who’s The Winner
- Lost For Life
- Twisted Lullaby
- Save Me
- Hell & Back
- How High
- Written In The Scars
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