Angel Down

An undeniable vocal talent and stage presence, Bach has strangely had difficulty finding his way back to the metal audience since demise of Skid Row. After a string of questionable career moves and misguided music projects, I wasn't sure what to expect from a Bach solo cd, but the band is solid. In fact Bach borrowed the guitarist and drummer from Halford's solo band, and even enlisted his producer Roy Z., so that should give you a pretty clear idea of the direction he's chosen. The music is very heavy and Bach seems content to scream his heart out on every track. There are places I wish they would have toned it down, but overall this is the best thing he has done since Slave to the Grind, so I won't complain too much. Some of the songs are a little silly, like his Accept-oriented anthem American Metalhead, but Bach is well known for his enthusiasm, so we'll just overlook the fact that he's Canadian. Bach has also taken a lot of flack for having Axl Rose sing on no less than three songs here, and while I agree it's a strange move when trying to market yourself as a solo artist to bring in perhaps the most famous frontman in the genre to share (or perhaps steal) the spotlight, you have to remember that, for better or worse, Bach is a FAN first. This was just fun for him, whether or not it was a good decision can be debated on message boards, but those three songs are good and Axl's contributions actually made them better. Rose's voice sounds good and their two voices work surprisingly well together, especially on one of my favorites, Stuck Inside. I think it was a good move for Bach. (It wasn't a bad move for Rose either) Overall, the album is a headbanger's dream. I would have preferred a little more attention to melody, but it is still a nice big "welcome back" for Sebastian. I hope he doesn't wait another decade for the next one. --Scott