Rapid Fire Reviews: Sebastian Bach

What a year it’s been so far for solo records and it continues with another superb release, this time from former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach. The charismatic singer from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada returns with his fifth solo album, Child within the Man, a follow-up to 2014’s Give 'Em Hell.  His former bandmates Skid Row put out a terrific LP back in 2022, The Gang’s All Here, so I was eager to see and hear how this album would stack up against it. One thing’s for sure, Bach’s powerful and distinctive vocals are just as amazing as back in his Skid Row days.

The album opens up with the awesome “Everybody Bleeds”, which was the second single. It’s got a vintage vibe while delivering a reinvigorated hard rock sound. Bach is in top form here. “Freedom” follows, a high-octane rocker with a catchy riff. Next up is “(Hold On) To the Dream”, the third single and a highlight of the LP. It may very well be my favourite track on this record, but only time will tell. “What Do I Got to Lose?” was the song that got the ball rolling late last year, the first single. It sounds just as great now as it did when I first heard it, even after the excitement of hearing a new song in such a long time has waned. “Hard Darkness” is an apt title as it’s a darker, heavier song with a metal edge. “Future of Youth” features tremendous guitars while “Vendetta” fires on all cylinders with its metal sensibilities. “F.U.” doesn’t stand for what you think it does; it’s an anthemic, kick-ass rock tune with a splendid guitar solo that’s simply one of my faves on the record. “Crucify Me” just crushes it, an all-around cool headbanging tune, while “About to Break” has a Joe Satriani feel on guitar and is one of the best songs on the LP. “To Live Again” closes the set, a softer tune and the closest we get to a bona fide ballad on this album. I dig it a lot.

After a couple of spins, I can already say that Child Within the Man is a strong contender for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list. Is it on par with Skid Row’s 2022 offering? You bet your ass it is! As much as I loved Erik Grönwall singing for Skid Row, Bach reminds us with this new record why he’s a phenomenal vocalist who deserves to be recognized as one of the all-time greats such as Freddie Mercury, Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford, and Bruce Dickinson. Child Within the Man is all killer, no filler. You won’t find a skippable track here. It’s a pure hard rock delight from top to bottom. Bach has a sound of his own that doesn’t sound like just another Skid Row album. Although, I wouldn’t have minded an old school ballad just for old times sake. In any case, this is easily Bach’s best album in over twenty years.

Sebastian Bach Online: https://www.sebastianbach.com/ 

Short Story Time: Cellar Door

Happy May the Fourth! It’s the first Saturday of the month, so you know what that means: it’s Short Story Time! Now that I’m done with my horror short stories, I’m shaking things up a bit and I’ll be sharing my novellas for FREE over the next four months. First published as part of my 2010 collection The Bitternest Chronicles, now a stand-alone novella, I give you Cellar Door. Here’s the synopsis:

“Justis Samson, a court proofreader, picks up white noise on the recording of a transcript that he is proofreading. He hears a girl say ‘Help’ and ‘Find Cellar Door’ on it. He begins to dig deeper and discovers troubling details about a little girl that went missing in Bitternest. He embarks on an investigation to uncover the truth and answer the ultimate question: ‘What is Cellar Door?’”

You can download it as a free PDF right here. If you’ve missed the previous installments of Short Story Time, you can download each tale at the links below. Until next month, keep it spooky!

“A Madman’s Atonement” is a story about a serial killer in Bitternest. That’s all I’ll say about it. It’s become a fan-favourite over the years and I’m damn proud of this one.

“Beyond the Doomed Cave", is a Bradburyesque Gothic coming-of-age tale about a witch in a churchyard.

“Silently It Creeps” is a short and nasty, creepy little tale about the monster under the bed.

“The Chilling Hour” is a tale about Nick Kubrick, a horror DJ who investigates and debunks supernatural myths in his spare time in the foggy city of Bitternest, Louisiana. He would go on to star in his own novel, Nocturnal Offerings, a few years later.

“The Errand” is a tale about a man who goes through the woods of Bitternest to run an errand and will see the course of his life altered forever.

“Hershell’s Motel” is a strange tale about an unusual motel where, you guessed it, bizarre things happen.

“The Rattling Man” is a coming of age Halloween tale. Do you believe in the bogeyman? Do you believe in the Rattling Man? Find out who or what he is!

“Crimson Nightmares” is my take on the “Halloween” movie series. Written and initially published digitally back in 2011, this 106-page novella picks up 33 years after the events of the second "Halloween" film from 1981, the night when Michael Myers terrorized Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and the residents of Haddonfield, Illinois. It follows little Lindsey Wallace, the little girl Laurie Strode babysat in the first “Halloween” (1978) film, who is all grown-up now and bears the scars of that terrible night to this day. She has moved to my fictitious town of Bitternest, Louisiana to get away from her past and has been leading a quiet life, that is until something inside Michael Myers snaps and he comes looking for her on Halloween. Add to that a killer clown with an agenda of his own and it’s a Halloween you won’t soon forget. It’ll be a showdown for the ages when Michael Myers comes to the eerie city of Bitternest.

“The Bypassed Mind”, a romantic suspense/fantasy story with some hypnosis thrown in for good measure that was directly inspired by the late, great Richard Matheson's novel Bid Time Return also adapted as the film "Somewhere in Time".

“Breaking and Entering”, the story of a man who enters people’s homes just for kicks, never stealing anything, just to see what goes on behind closed doors. One day he’ll stumble upon something that will change his life forever…

“Scapegoat”, a tale about the Curse of the Cubs, the love of baseball, some time travel, and a whole lot of nostalgia. Even if you're not into baseball, this fantasy tale filled with mystery is sure to entertain you.

Last but not least, fans of Conan and Dungeons & Dragons can also download a PDF of the first two tales of the ongoing adventures of my Sword & Sorcery character AMOK right here. 

May Bandcamp Friday Be with You!

It’s that time of the month once more, Bandcamp Friday is here! Sadly, it seems that the enthusiasm for BC Friday has greatly waned over the last several months. I’ve decided that for the rest of the year, I won’t be writing anymore Bandcamp Friday roundup articles after this one. I’m very busy these days and the time I have to dedicate to the blog is minimal. I’d rather focus my energy and time elsewhere if only a fraction of my readers chooses to read and encourage bands on that special Friday.

It might just be that the concept has run its course. Started as an initiative from Bandcamp about four years ago as a way to help artists during the pandemic when they could no longer play live and saw their earnings significantly diminished. So, in the meantime, until who knows when, show some love to those hard-working artists as Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels for a full 24 hours. Here are my five picks to help you find some cool tunes and albums for the month of May.

First off, War Grave, a British heavy metal five-piece band, released a stunning self-titled debut EP last week. A blend of traditional metal and thrash metal, if you like it old school, then they’ll hit the spot for you. Read my thoughts about it here and pick up the EP over here.

Second, Freeways released their sophomore LP last week, Dark Sky Sanctuary, and it’s a thing of beauty. If hard rock and/or classic rock is your thing, then look no further, Freeways have got you covered. They are the best at what they do and they’re fellow Canucks on top of that! Read my thoughts on it here and purchase it right here.

Third, out today, master of horror John Carpenter along with his son Cody and godson Daniel Davies are unleashing the fourth volume in their Lost Themes series, titled Noir. Judging by the two singles released thus far, it’ll be another phenomenal set of synthwave instrumentals. I, for one, can’t wait to listen to the full thing. You can pick it up here.  

Fourth, also out today, from the mighty Ripple Music, The Watchers make a triumphant return after a six-year absence with their most metal album yet, Nyctophilia. It’s a solid affair from top to bottom that’s sure to please long-time fans as well as newcomers to the band. You can read my thoughts on it here and show them some love over here.

Fifth, releasing next week, The Hazytones’ third LP, Wild Fever, is their best yet, in this humble reviewer’s opinion. If you dig old school doom, rock ‘n’ roll, and stoner rock, you’re gonna love it. You can read the interview I conducted with them here and you’ll soon be able to pre-order Wild Fever over here.

That’s it, folks! Open your wallets, if not today, then any other day and buy some independent music, you’ll be encouraging a hard-working band and allowing them to make more great music for us. 2024 continues to be a stellar year for rock and metal in all their iterations. Enjoy the tunes and I’ll catch you later. Excelsior!