Customer Reviews

Babylon Rockets

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't express you my satisfaction in listening a fresh sound of what I grew up listening too in the 80's!! This album shows that rock n' roll, the real one, will never die, no matter what decade or millenium we are! Motley Crüe, Rage Against The Machine, Whitesnake, are just some of the influences of these fantastic guys!! OK, the visual is worst than Motley Crüe and Poison together, but forget about labels and visuals and go straight to what matters most!! ROCK N' ROLL!! Well written heavy songs and excellent ballads will makes you wish for more!! If you're a die hard 80's hard rock fan like me, buy it, you won't regret!!

Oh, really nice Anime cover!

Looks to be the Swedish glam rocker's first release.It's decent.Better cuts included "Twenty Four Seven",their Dead Or Alive cover "You Spin Me Around-Like A Record"(anyone else remember those guys?),"Myself Esteem",the ass-kicking "Poison Envy","Hitchin' A Ride" and "Neon Kicks"(nice rippin' guitar solo).The disc's power ballad "Hardcore" isn't half-bad either.Line-up:Tin Star-guitar&lead vocals,Snoopy-lead guitar&vocals,Rod Teilmann-bass&vocals and Slim Pete-drums.Comes with a twelve page color booklet with song lyrics.Might appeal to some fans of Faster Pussycat,Hanoi Rocks,Jetboy and Motley Crue.

2003's Babylon Rockets is the debut album from Swedish hard rockers Gemini Five. I remember seeing this album in stores a few years back and passing it over due to the manga-looking cover art. Amazon kept recommending it to me based on my interest in bands like Hardcore Superstar and the Last Vegas, so I decided to give it a try.

It turns out Gemini Five play a modern, melodic version of the Sunset Strip hair metal I so enjoyed as a kid. They took that tried and true formula of party anthems and power ballads, removed most of the image-related silliness, and added a thoroughly European sense of melody and class, not to mention a great and infectious overall energy. Motley Crue is the obvious basis for the band's sound, but I hear a lot of KISS, Hanoi Rocks and LA Guns as well. Highlights include the raucous "Get It Off," "Neon Kicks" and the title track, plus of course the turbo-charged cover of the Dead or Alive single "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)."

Babylon Rockets is just a good, fun rock n' roll album, and that's more than enough for me in this age of Creed and Coldplay. If you grew up rocking to bands like Motley Crue and Ratt and still love that kind of music, you need to check these guys out. If you like what you hear, look into bands like Hardcore Superstar, Babylon Bombs and Endeverafter. They're all keeping the party rock flame burning.

Edition Notes: Deadline reissued Babylon Rockets in 2005, adding a pair of videos. It's the easiest version of the album to find, and the videos are a cool bonus.

This CD is great, originally found this band on the soundtrack for Getaway in Stockholm, reminds me of old school glam rock with a harder edge.

The Good

"Babylon Rockets" gets its energy from blazing licks and furious chugga-chugga riffing. Vocalist Tin Star is the quintessential glam frontman with his playful and cocksure vocal delivery. "TwentyFourSeven" has a catchy melodic chorus and addictive hooks that tell the story of rockstar lifestyle. Gemini Five included a glamed-up cover version of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me (Like a Record)" on their latest release. It's stacked with fuzzy guitar tones and strong keyboard pulsations.

"Get It Off" will draw you in with its up tempo riffs, power chord bridge, and high-pitched vocals. "Hardcore" starts off with subtle single note picking and soft vocals that give way to mild distortion. A driving riff dominates "Automaticool", an ode to the rock legends that inspired Gemini Five to play rock and roll. "Chemicals Between Us" is a dark acoustic ballad that explores how drugs can destroy people and their relationships.

The Bad

European audiences and American audiences differ greatly on the acceptance of this style of music. Sadly, its time has past in the states.

The Verdict

Even though Babylon Rockets is chock-full of high-energy riffs, catchy and fun song hooks, and lots of great guitar riffing, Gemini Five aren't exactly offing anything new in the way of their genre. You've heard it all before.