Review SEBASTIAN BACH “Child Within the Man”

It’s been a while since former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach released a solo album. Almost 10 years ago “Give ‘Em Hell” saw the light of day and since then it has been rather quiet, at least as far as releases are concerned. Of course, Bach was part of musicals and several TV productions, but own music was rare for years. The radio silence will end on May 10th when Bach will release “Child Within The Man”.

It was Bach, in collaboration with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette (Alter Bridge, Mammoth WVH), who set the basic pattern for the album. and the team was completed by Devin Bronson (guitars), Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums).

The album is done with a true collaborative approach as the guys teamed up in Florida to write, work and record the album. The result is a lively and upbeat longplayer with songs that may not make your jaw drop, but are certainly great hard rock with a broader approach to music. This doesn’t mean that Bach cruises through different genres. However, there is the modern sounding “What Do I Got to Lose”, co-written by Myles Kennedy. The song carries some of the typical Kennedy trademark sounds and is still 100% hard rock a la Sebastian Bach.

The old Skid Row days are reflected in songs like the pounding “(Hold On) To The Dream” and it is the crushing “Everything Bleeds” that kicks off the album. The darker “Vendetta” adds another spice to the album before “F.U.” kicks in. The song is one of the best on the album and comes with a lot of firepower as the title suggests.

“Crucify Me” could easily be associated with 90’s hard rock before “About to Break” stands for the soulful moments on this longplayer with emotions getting even more attention on “To Live Again”. Especially the closer is a tear-jerker that would have fit better in the middle of the tracklist, while a more powerful ending would connect better to the mighty opener.

“Child Within The Man” is Bach’s way to connect with his musical roots and it’s his passion for rock music that leads to some good songs. His voice is in good shape and the production is excellent. However, the final spark that turns a good album into a great release is missing.