Sebastian Bach – Kicking & Screaming
SEBASTIAN BACH
KICKING & SCREAMING
Released on September 27, 2011 (Frontiers Records)
Chart Position #73
CD Track List:
01. Kicking & Screaming
02. My Own Worst Enemy
03. TunnelVision
04. Dance On Your Grave
05. Caught In A Dream
06. As Long As I Got The Music
07. I’m Alive
08. Dirty Power
09. Live The Life
10. Dream Forever
11. One Good Reason
12. Lost In The Light
13. Wishin’
Deluxe Version Bonus Track:
14. Jumpin’ Off The Wagon
iTunes Bonus Track:
14. Ain’t There Yet
Band Members:
Sebastian Bach – vocals
Nick Sterling – guitar, bass and backing vocals
Bobby Jarzombek – drums, percussion and backing vocals
Additional Musicians:
John 5 – guitar (3)
Production:
Produced by Bob Marlette.
Review:
Sebastian Bach must be pissed off — judging by the way he screams and snarls throughout his latest album Kicking & Screaming. And the guy has every right to be annoyed as he separated with his wife, is constantly hounded about reuniting with Skid Row and most recently had his home devastated by Hurricane Irene. One shining light for Bach however is that this new album is better than his previous release Angel Down, mainly due to wonderkid guitarist Nick Sterling who adds a bit more melody to his riffing. By no means is Kicking & Screaming a mellow album, but it has eased up on the full-on metal moments that sometimes surfaced on Angel Down — resulting in this CD bringing Bach closer to his roots.
The opening track and first single “Kicking & Screaming” may be the best song Sebastian Bach has recorded since 1991. Drummer Bobby Jarzombek sounds like he is trying to destroy his rig throughout the song and the ‘screaming’ chorus has been stuck in my head ever since the music video surfaced a few weeks back. Bach himself sounds strained at times here, and maybe years of living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle are beginning to take their tool, but the song works on every level. “TunnelVision”, with a guest appearance from guitarist John 5, continues the unrelenting assault of Kicking & Screaming with some hints of modern rock radio while “Caught In A Dream” and “As Long As I Got The Music” have hit single written all over them.
The ballad “I’m Alive” changes the pace of the album and easily rivals Angel Down‘s “By Your Side”, but the accelerator is pushed through the floor again on one of the album’s stand-out tracks “Dirty Power”. The album’s second ballad “Dream Forever” is by far the best and would have been a Top 10 hit in the Skid Row era while the ’80s throwback “Wishin'” wraps the entire album up perfectly.
I’m one of the few who wasn’t sold on Angel Down, but I’m sold now. Sebastian Bach has kept the metal sound but infused it with much more melody and variety this time around — meaning Kicking & Screaming has much more to offer than Bach‘s previous solo release. Sebastian Bach may do and say some controversial things, but you have to admire the guy — his love for hard rock/metal is as genuine as a young kid salivating in a candy store. Kicking & Screaming totally lives up to its name, and can be accurately described as a great rock album made for the fans… by a fan. There is little doubt that this CD will be named the best of the year by many hard rock fans — which brings up the question, Skid Row who??
www.sebastianbach.com – www.facebook.com/sebastianbach – www.frontiers.it
Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, September 2011
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