Sebastian Bach is back with a vengeance on his new solo album, Kicking & Screaming. If the ex-Skid Row singer sounds pissed on this record, maybe it’s because of the recent separation from his wife of 18 years, or constantly being asked if he’ll reunite with Skid Row (he won’t), or even having his New Jersey home destroyed by Hurricane Irene. Could be anything.
The first single is “Kicking & Screaming,” and it is the best song on this record. Bach’s got 21-year-old Nick Sterling ripping it up on guitar with his raunchy riffs and walking leads that play off of drummer Bobby Jarzombek’s breakneck beats.
Guitarist John 5 guests on “Tunnelvision,” while “Dance On The Grave” was what started it all for Nick Sterling. Bach found the six-stringer advertising an amplifier in a guitar magazine. He decided to look up the Arizona native online, where he found the riff that would be used for “Dance On Your Grave.”
Ballads on the release are “I’m Alive” and “Dream Forever,” which expresses the angst in Bach’s head, bringing him to another place of facing his demons with his divorce. The last track is “Wishin’,” which is about finding what we need to make the world a better place.
Kicking & Screaming is different from Skid Row. The Skid Row days were sleazier and heavier. They offered up wider ranging cries and catchier chorus lines with gang vocals. So if you are looking into this record thinking of Skid Row, you won’t be overly excited. Instead you’ll find better guitar melodies thanks to Sterling and ageless wails from Bach.
In A Word: Aggressive
