Old-school metal acts bring the noise

WATCHING Sebastian Bach - the estranged ex-lead singer of Skid Row, not the German classical music composer - rock Kallang Theatre on Wednesday night felt a bit like running into a long-lost friend: you dig the familiarity, recognise the face, then do a double take as you start scrutinising the details.

As the frontman of one of the world's biggest heavy metal band from 1987 to 1996, the Canadian native was a household name. His voice/scream was what propelled Skid Row to the top of the charts with power ballads like I Remember You and 18 and Life, and the band hasn't being able to replicate that level of commercial success since his departure.

Three decades in, Bach has finally made his way to our shores - "I've waited 30 years", he repeatedly told the crowd - but as a solo artist billed as "the original voice of Skid Row".