I am not quite sure as to how many would be interested in a live album my Sebastian Bach. Just between us –and there is no need to beat around the bush- I don’t know if there are any interested parties when it comes down to a studio release by the same artist. And just to be clear and fair, I believe that the same applies to his former band, Skid Row, that is trying hard to persuade us all these years that they can make it on their own…unsuccessfully! The truth is that the music fans have turned their backs on both of them and quite rightfully so as all the solo Bach albums and the Skid Row ones pale compared to the first couple of Skid Row records. Even Sebastian Bach himself seems to believe so and he proves it with “Abachalypse Now”.
What do we mean with the last sentence is that this is a two-c.d. album that captures two concerts (bach to bach, anyone?) in Hellfest and L.A. Out of the 12 songs in total –as the set list of the two shows is more or less the same- 8 of them are cued of the aforementioned first two Skid Row albums…I rest my case! Just for the record, we must say that Sebastian Bach’s energy and mood are clearly at a high level but although we dig the fact that this is a virtually intact live album without much studio fixing, the production is mediocre and raw while it’s not the best thing to listen to Bach stopping the show (twice, that is) so as to motivate the crowd as if it was unscheduled (it is evident that it was part of the show, though). In regards with the takes of the classic songs, let’s just say that they are below par as Bach’s voice is worn out and like Paul Stanley he doesn’t do anything to…adjust the songs to more suitable pitch notes!
The essence of the whole thing is that both parties –Skid Row and Bach- should patch things up and go ahead with the much anticipated reunion…otherwise, they will be forever stuck in a mediocre sonic realm.
Highlight: There is also a special CD/DVD edition for all the (female, mainly) fans out there.
