“Child Within the Man” by Sebastian Bach (Reigning Phoenix Music)
Sebastian Bach’s latest solo album, “Child Within the Man,” is a reminder that every once in a while, a man and a moment meet.
This is that time for Bach and his former band Skid Row. The vintage-sounding album has everything that made Bach a force and offers a tantalizing glimpse into what he could bring to a reunited Skid Row.
Together, Bach and Skid Row were fixtures of hard rock radio in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with songs like “Youth Gone Wild,” “18 And Life” and “I Remember You.” But since parting ways in 1996, neither has had anything close to the level of success they had together.
The lead singer job in Skid Row is currently vacant; Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale is filling in on a handful of shows in the coming weeks, but she has her own career to tend to.
The timing of Bach’s solo album could not be better, and it shows a fierce performer in prime fighting form. It’s not hard to picture the opening track “Everybody Bleeds” being belted out at a packed stadium by a reunited Skid Row.
His vocals remain sharp and his songwriting talents as cunning as ever.
Bach has new, creative ammunition that he could bring to a Skid Row reunion on tracks like “Crucify Me” and “Hard Darkness.” They’re the sort of hard, tightly played rockers at which the band excelled, signs of what once was and could be again.
Bach calls in favors from Mötley Crüe guitarist John 5 on “Freedom” and guitar virtuoso Orianthi on “Future of Youth.” Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens adds a particularly combustible solo on “F.U.”
And it all ends with an honest-to-Bach, ‘80s-esque hair metal power ballad on “To Live Again,” proving that this guy remembers where he came from and where his bread is buttered. WAYNE PARRY, MDT/AP
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