SEBASTIAN BACH – Give ‘Em Hell [Japan Edition] (2014)

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“Give ‘Em Hell” is the upcoming fifth solo studio album by ex- Skid Row frontman SEBASTIAN BACH to be released in Europe by Frontiers Records this Friday.
I don’t know if Bach will ever rejoin Skid Row for a full on reunion but, I’ll tell you one thing, if he continues to release solo albums of this quality then I won’t care because this new work is a fabulous listen.

For hard rock stalwarts, Sebastian Bach is one of those legends. His distinctive voice is one of the most cherished in the history of Rock, and although some legends seem to lose their energy over time, he has never lost his focus and attitude.
I liked his previous album Kicking & Screaming, but this “Give ‘Em Hell” raises it three notches further and it might be something to do with who he has recruited to help him write and record. Firstly, on bass, we have none other than Mr Duff McKagan (Velvet Revolver, Guns N’ Roses).
Not to be outdone, there are three great guitarists involved. John 5 (Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie), the awesome Steve Stevens (Billy Idol, Atomic Playboys) and Devin Bronson (Avril Lavigne, Pink) and it is their riffs and solos that lift this album beyond good.
Last, but certainly not least, is drummer Bobby Jarzombek (Halford, Riot, Fates Warning) who lays down some pretty thunderous stick work. Sebastian himself is in better voice than I’ve heard for a long time and, together, they have made an album that is pretty heavy, full of hooks and great playing but, most importantly, melody, but it’s certainly not stuck in the past.

Additionally, this is what I liked most on this new record compared to previous Sebastian Bach albums; there is an increase in vocal harmonies on this new material. Bob Marlette (Rob Zombie, Black Sabbath) has once again returned to produce and, on top of the great songwriting, everything sounds huge.
I know they are good friends with Axl Rose, but Bach and his cohorts have released something that the modern day ‘tribute’ Guns ‘N Roses couldn’t even dream about. If you love this type of Eighties inspired hard rock / metal, then the groove these songs have are going to kick you into tomorrow.

“Give ‘Em Hell” is one of those rare albums that is immediate but also improves with each listen (and I only needed two spins). It’s a heavy rock album that is going to make a BBQ or summer festival feel like bliss.
From the opening notes of “Hell Inside My Head” this caught my attention and, within a couple of minutes, you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and I really don’t think there is a filler track here. All are solid numbers.
“Temptation” has a chorus that will have you singing for all your worth (indeed, most of the songs do), “Push Away” has a guitar solo that screams absolute quality and “Gun To A Knife Fight” is one of a handful of tracks that really wouldn’t sound out of place on ‘Slave To The Grind’.

There’s also a terrific cover of April Wine’s “Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game” really melodious and full of charm. This Japanese version (released two weeks ago) features as bonus track an acoustic version of this song, with Sebastian sounding like he used to do in 1988.
Stop worrying about Skid Row, if that happens it happens, embrace Sebastian Bach instead because “Give ‘Em Hell” is the best thing he’s done for ages.
KILLER.

01. Hell Inside My Head
02. Harmony
03. All My Friends Are Dead
04. Temptation
05. Push Away
06. Dominator
07. Had Enough
08. Gun To A Knife Fight
09. Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game
10. Taking Back Tomorrow
11. Disengaged
12. Forget You
13. Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game (Acoustic) [Japan bonus]

Sebastian Bach – vocals
Duff McKagan – bass
Devin Bronson – guitar
Bobby Jarzombek – drums, percussion
Guest musicians:
John 5 – guitar
Steve Stevens – guitar

Pre-Order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Give-em-Hell-Sebastian-Bach
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