Author of the book Survival Of The Fittest: Heavy Metal in the 1990s, Greg Prato, joins James Van Osdol to discuss the very sudden shift from heavy metal to grunge music in the ‘90s.

Listen to the 10 minute chat at WGNRadio.com.

Since its inception in the late 1960's, heavy metal has experienced quite a few ups and downs in popularity. But there was one specific decade that sticks out as the most troubling - the 1990's. In what seemed like one fell swoop, a style of metal that had been popular for much of the 1980's was rendered obsolete, and in its place, was a much more real, raw, and unique approach - detected in several new metal-based "sub-genres”. Add to it several changes in the music industry and media, and it appeared as if traditional metal may have met its expiration date… before several bands (and a certain traveling festival tour) helped put headbanging rock back on track.

Written by journalist/author Greg Prato, Survival Of The Fittest: Heavy Metal In The 1990's is the first book to focus entirely on this decade. Set in an oral history format, 'Survival' features over 80 interviews conducted exclusively for this book, including current or past members of Pantera, Sepultura, Fear Factory, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Def Leppard, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament, Dream Theater, King's X, Extreme, Winger, Cinderella, Living Colour, Faith No More, Primus, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, White Zombie, Stone Temple Pilots, Kyuss, Danzig, Clutch, Life of Agony, Biohazard, Type O Negative, Within Temptation, Cradle of Filth, Death, Coal Chamber, and System of a Down (among many others), as well as Eddie Trunk, Riki Rachtman, and Lonn Friend. Also featured is a foreword penned by Pantera bassist Rex Brown.

Greg Prato is a Long Island, New York-based journalist, who has written for Rolling Stone and Guitar Player, and has authored such books as Iron Maiden: '80 '81, The Faith No More & Mr. Bungle Companion, The Eric Carr Story, and Grunge is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music. Survival of the Fittest is his 16th book overall.

Available as a paperback version [616 pages, $24.99], a Kindle download [$9.99], and a Nook download [$9.99], Survival Of The Fittest helps put the '90s and heavy metal all into perspective.

Read an exclusive excerpt here.