Pictured: Singer Sebastian Bach. Photo Credit: Lizzy Cupcake.

Pictured: Singer Sebastian Bach. Photo Credit: Lizzy Cupcake.

It’s well-established that Sebastian Bach knows how to rock. The blond-haired former Skid Row frontman — known for hits like “18 and Life,” “I Remember You” and “Wasted Time” — has been singing his heart out for the better part of three decades, with no signs of slowing down. That’s plainly evident with his latest album, Give ‘Em Hell, which debuted in North America on April 22 and in Europe on April 18. Produced by the legendary Bob Marlette — who’s worked with heavy metal legends including Rob Zombie, Black Sabbath and Shinedown — the album is 49 minutes of pure, old-fashioned scream-your-lungs-out energy, quite the feat considering Bach is now 46-years-old.

“I put emotion into everything I do,” Bach says. “I pour my heart into it.”

The first album since 2011’s Kicking & Screaming, Bach says he feels Give ‘Em Hell is his best yet. It is also, he explains, more personal in several ways.

In one of the biggest changes in Bach’s life, he stopped drinking in spring 2013, when girlfriend Minnie Gupta gave him an ultimatum to either stop or lose her. Now, Give ‘Em Hell is the first album he’s recorded sober.

“I’m 46-years-old,” he says. “It’s not good health-wise when you’re almost 50 and getting drunk every single night.”

Personal tragedy has also had an influence. In August 2011, Bach’s New Jersey home was damaged by Hurricane Irene and declared uninhabitable. Several Skid Row artifacts, including master tapes, were destroyed. If that wasn’t enough, he also got divorced, and had friends pass away from drugs and alcohol — all in the span of just a couple of years. The result is the sobriquet “All My Friends Are Dead,” one of the album’s most haunting tracks. Dealing with the subject of moving on after someone has passed away — and the depression that can come with it — the power ballad perfectly captures the regret one can feel during such times with mournful vocals and deliberate guitar chords that build up in tempo but never explode into all-out fury.

But Give ‘Em Hell isn’t an album to dwell exclusively on negativity. “There’s a saying in America: ‘Give ‘em hell’ is kind of an expression to give something your all,” Bach explains. “That’s what I did with this album.”

That expression of giving one’s all is certainly apparent on the vocal-heavy album, with minimal electronic influences. “Dominator” is four-and-a-half minutes of pure adrenaline. There’s the slightly faster, rawer cover of April Wine’s “Rock N’ Roll Is A Vicious Game.” And then, of course, there’s “Had Enough,” probably the most low-key track on the album that deals with the theme of lost love. It’s a throwback to the 1980s, when soaring vocals sought to pierce the heavens amid a conflict-ridden sonic landscape of clashing guitars, rapid-fire drums and powerful bass lines.

Bach’s favorite piece from the album is its fourth track, “Temptation,” which he wrote with John Lowery (John 5), Johnny Chromatic and Bob Marlette. The music video for the power ballad — which shows Bach exhibiting some of his greatest vocal range on the entire album — features a variety of heavy metal staples (musicians including Bach rocking out, candles, a woman in a bikini, and everyone wearing black) and debuted on YouTube April 2, where it has already garnered more than 290,000 views

“I love ‘Temptation,’” Bach says. “I love the sexual nature of it. It really turns me on!”

Give ‘Em Hell debuted at number 72 on the Billboard chart (and number three on the Hard Rock Albums chart), one spot better than Kicking & Screaming. It’s a solid start for a man some have described as being hard to work with due to his desire for collaborators to always give a proverbial 110 percent.

With all that he’s been up to lately, reporters and some fans have been asking repeatedly if Bach will ever get back together with his former Skid Row bandmates. Bach himself has remained mum on the subject.

“Interviews can be like a minefield,” he jokes when describing occasional interactions with reporters.

Theoretical Skid Row reunions aside, what is impressive is Bach’s ability for his voice to remain so lithe after a career that’s lasted longer than a large percentage of the world has been alive.

“I drink a lot of water,” Bach explains when revealing his secrets for keeping his vocal chords limber. “There’s also a vocal scale called bel canto. It’s an old Italian word. Everyone uses it, including Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, and Christina Aguilera. After that, I might sing to some old Journey records. Then I’m ready to rock!”

As part of promotion for Give ‘Em Hell, Bach says he’ll be embarking on a world tour of about 60 shows in 2014. He also says he has a book for HarperCollins that he’s working on.

“It’ll be a biography, and be out this year,” Bach explains.

And he’s still doing more. Besides his album and tour, Bach will be competing on ABC’s Sing Your Face Off this summer, along with basketball star Landry Fields, comedian Jon Lovitz, singer China Anne McClain and actress Lisa Rinna. As part of the show, he’ll be taking on the identity of an iconic music performer, mimicking not only their appearance but also their vocal performances.

“I’m the only rock singer on the show,” he says. “I have my own style, and it’s not necessarily an advantage. There’s acting involved [in mimicking others’ performances]. It’s not an easy task.”

With all he has in the works, perhaps the title of his latest album is apt: Sebastian Bach really is giving ‘em hell. Age be damned.

“Sing Your Face Off” premieres Saturday, May 31 at 9/8 p.m. central on ABC. In addition to Sebastian Bach, the show also features John Barrowman, Debbie Gibson, Darrell Hammond, Landry Fields, Jon Lovitz, China Anne McClain and Lisa Rinna.


Video Courtesy of Frontiers Records.


Video Courtesy of Sebastian Bach.