So look, November 20th, 1991. Skid Row were headlining the NEC in Birmingham. I am 16 years and a couple of months old. They’d taken over from Bon Jovi and Poison as my obsession. My band. Me and my best mate were at our first gig.
Fast forward 33 years, and we’ve been to millions together since, but everything from that moment to this website, all came from that evening. I’d wager to you right now that rock ‘n roll has never been as dangerous as it was that night. Hell, if we could have bottled that moment in time, we would have. I remember you, you might say.
This is by way of saying that “Child Within The Man” is not just a normal album to me. It’s like seeing your first love again. Only this time she’s older, wiser, and married to a bloke called Brett (OK I might have mixed my metaphors here and verged into real life…)
But the point is Sebastian Bach can never and will never be just “any” rock star, he’s the one who carried our dreams, and our rebellion, he’s the one who taught us that “Bowie’s just a knife”.
As a consequence, I was dreading this his first record for a decade, I’ll be honest. No matter how many times his PR lady told me the record was ace and she “couldn’t wait” for me to hear it (I’ll bet there’s a press release somewhere that claims that “Chinese Democracy” is better than “Appetite….”) I was never sure. The cover alone worried you.
Don’t judge the music by the cover, or something. “….Man” is brilliant.
The way the opening thunders it’s like he’s making up for lost time. The voice still sounds dangerous, though, “straight up dangerous” as the lyrics to “Everybody Bleeds” say. The title for the record comes from this one too.
And “what have we got to lose?” it says.
Nothing. Let’s go.
John 5 adds the riff for “Freedom”, and the drums are pure Skid Row. “we’re kicking ass and taking names” he spits. This time he means it. That’s true for all of this. “(Hold On) To The Dream” fools you into thinking it’s a ballad, before being genuinely heavy metal.
“What Do I Got To Lose” is a real fists up in the air thing co-written with Myles Kennedy. You can see this being played if he does live shows again.
“Hard Darkness” appropriately has a darker edge, and modern metal, and the way he sings with such venom is special.
Orianthi appears on the soaring arena rocker “Future Of Youth” (are they still gone wild?) and if we haven’t said it yet, then the phrase “soaring arena rocker” could apply to any of these. They make it look so easy – which I am sure it is not.
“Vendetta” has a class, and a chorus made for slogans, but it highlights the band here beyond any doubt.
Another guest – Steve Stevens, Billy Idol’s right-hand man – is here for “F.U”, punky and trashy, it makes sure all the Bach bases are covered.
There’s none of the glam rock I might have thought would be here, no rattlesnakes shaking anywhere. Instead, this is a walk down some dark, heavy roads. “Crucify Me” carries the weight of the world on its shoulders, while “About To Break” provides a little light relief, in a way – certainly musically – and if this is not the album for an “I Remember You” rehash, then it’s certainly lighter in tone.
And if there is a ballad to end this – a huge great OTT thing that sounds like it belongs on Broadway – then “To Live Again” has an air of redemption about it.
“One thing is for certain we don’t get a second chance” he sings at one point, and the symbolism is too easy. You do. It’s what you make of it, and on “Child Within The Man” Sebastian Bach sounds way better than you thought he could in 2024.
And look, I like Lzzy Hale as much as anyone else, but come on. There’s only one person for the job of singing “18 And Life”, right?
I probably shouldn’t end this by saying something as crass as Bach is back, but its my website and you can’t stop me.
Rating 9/10
