The group that put San Diego on the musical map, Stone Temple Pilots released their debut album with no fanfare, and caught the public's eye only after touring for a year. CORE's sound--relentlessly pounding guitars, a heavy bottom and a singer whose vocal style bled with some unseen pain--played perfectly into the swell of grunge that had been building up in the mainstream for two years before its release. Topically, CORE went beyond the the usual sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll fare associated with hard rock. The drill instructor intro that singer Weiland chants off at the beginning of "Dead & Bloated" is a disgusted swipe at the rivers of apathy coursing through America. The enigmatic singer often donned a dress on stage to drive home the point of the anti-rape song "Sex Type Thing." Guitarist Dean DeLeo's playing grinds and swirls, pulling the listener to and fro on a crunchy carpet of distortion. Brother Robert's bass rumbles and pops thunderously, as drummer Eric Kretz matches him with unbridled ferocity. STP click spectacularly on the consecutive tandem of "Sin" and "Naked Sunday," taking on the political hot-button of religion. "Sin" addresses the danger of blind piety that leaves no room for compassion, while "Naked Sunday" deals with the quest for God and the uncertainty of such spiritual pursuits. Pretty heavy stuff for a group that should be more concerned with living the stereotypical rock 'n' roll lifestyle.

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