POISON released 'Native Tongue' in 1993 as the band's fourth studio album, establishing a new musical direction centred on blues-rock and introspective songwriting in contrast to their earlier party-oriented glam metal catalogue. Following guitarist C.C. DeVille's 1991 departure, the album featured Richie Kotzen on lead guitar and represented the only LP with this lineup. The shift away from the band's signature sound resulted in chart placement at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and initial sales around one million copies—figures that paled significantly against the multiplatinum achievements of earlier releases.

Drummer Rikki Rockett recently discussed the album with enthusiasm, describing it as a deliberate artistic statement made with capable musicianship and strong production oversight. He acknowledged the album's inability to match the commercial performance of prior works, attributing this to audience expectations and the prevailing music industry landscape of the early 1990s. Rockett highlighted that despite not achieving blockbuster status, the album maintained cultural presence through MTV exposure and positive critical reception, whilst noting that retrospective appreciation for the record persists among listeners. His commentary reflected satisfaction with both the creative direction taken and the execution achieved.