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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
│ │
│ │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + W.A.S.P. - Babylon + │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Aug-01-2011 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2009 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......The_Patriarch Songs........09 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.waspnation.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : W.A.S.P. Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Babylon Label : Demolition ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While in the process of exploring W.A.S.P.Æs ║ │
│║ supremely competent 80s albums, I noticed their ║ │
│║ 2009 opus, Babylon, and decided to go for it. As ║ │
│║ always with bands whoÆve been around for over ║ │
│║ three decades now, there was one obvious fear ║ │
│║ concerning this album: would it just be a ║ │
│║ washed-up effort by a has-been band? Would ║ │
│║ Blackie LawlessÆ numerous vocal and songwriting ║ │
│║ talents have grown tired with the years? IÆm ║ │
│║ glad to say that, although this album doesnÆt ║ │
│║ quite reach the quality of their first five ║ │
│║ masterpieces, itÆs an impressively kickass ║ │
│║ effort. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Any fears of the bandÆs decline are put to rest ║ │
│║ with the massive rocking opener, Crazy. This is ║ │
│║ one of those heavy metal anthems which just ║ │
│║ force you to sing along and appreciate the full ║ │
│║ energy that our beloved genre has to offer. ║ │
│║ Blackie Lawless is, as usual, the shining star ║ │
│║ of the overall sound, providing his profound and ║ │
│║ powerful vocal delivery as well as the ║ │
│║ impressive guitar work, along with Doug Blair. ║ │
│║ The middle of the song features an excellent ║ │
│║ solo, perfectly placed as an epic transition to ║ │
│║ some more riffs and the last chorus. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ As the album progresses, the template of its ║ │
│║ opener is used, with some (occasionally ║ │
│║ significant) modifications, for the follow-up ║ │
│║ tracks. Babylon in its entirety is essentially ║ │
│║ classic heavy metal with a variation on the ║ │
│║ usual W.A.S.P. sound. The album is almost devoid ║ │
│║ of any of the extremely epic and emotional ║ │
│║ ballads which make albums like The Crimson Idol ║ │
│║ so damn excellent. The W.A.S.P. atmosphere, ║ │
│║ however, is in full force, and several other ║ │
│║ highlights, such as BabylonÆs Burning, remind ║ │
│║ with incredible accuracy of the bandÆs rich ║ │
│║ heritage. Similar to Crazy in its utter ║ │
│║ catchiness and heaviness, it adds a new level of ║ │
│║ epic reminiscent of the bandÆs earliest days ║ │
│║ and, at some levels, even takes it further than ║ │
│║ ever before. IÆm glad to say that the entire ║ │
│║ band seems as fully dedicated here as they were ║ │
│║ during their glorious beginnings. The dedication ║ │
│║ is visible in the overall effort, mainly driven ║ │
│║ by the advanced and memorable guitar work (solos ║ │
│║ abound almost everywhere), as well as by the ║ │
│║ timeless voice of Blackie. Other elements, such ║ │
│║ as the drumming, the subtle keyboards and the ║ │
│║ bass, sound just as good and work with the music ║ │
│║ as they should. This is in good part due to the ║ │
│║ production, which allows everything to be heard ║ │
│║ to perfection and gives the album an added level ║ │
│║ of heaviness, although that does give away the ║ │
│║ modern mixing technology absent from 80s ║ │
│║ classics. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ On the slow side of things, which, compared to ║ │
│║ past albums, isnÆt as significant, there are ║ │
│║ Into the Fire and the especially slow Godless ║ │
│║ Run. The first is a strong ballad in traditional ║ │
│║ W.A.S.P. style, with intricate riffs and an ║ │
│║ emotionally charged vocal delivery. After this, ║ │
│║ however, the album starts to lose a little bit ║ │
│║ of steam. Thunder RedÆs a decent song, with some ║ │
│║ memorable riffs around the middle and the end, ║ │
│║ but it tends to be something of a monotonous ║ │
│║ drag by W.A.S.P. standards, while Godless Run is ║ │
│║ rather plodding and pointless despite some good ║ │
│║ riffs and vocals. Seas of Fire is much better, ║ │
│║ with pounding drumming backing an instantly ║ │
│║ recognizable, mid-tempo song which is a definite ║ │
│║ highlight, although not quite on par with Crazy ║ │
│║ or BabylonÆs Burning. The album ends with a ║ │
│║ cover of Chuck Berry, Promised Land, which ║ │
│║ doesnÆt fit with the rest of the album at all, ║ │
│║ either musically or lyrically, and sounds ║ │
│║ straight out of the 50s (BlackieÆs performance ║ │
│║ is somewhat reminiscent of Elvis). Including ║ │
│║ this track wasnÆt the best of ideas, but at ║ │
│║ least itÆs not actively irritating. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ One thing that Babylon has in full supply is a ║ │
│║ powerful atmosphere, this time around based on ║ │
│║ the apocalyptic themes that drench the lyrics ║ │
│║ almost everywhere. Although the bandÆs usual ║ │
│║ brand of lyrics focusing on love and passion is ║ │
│║ still somewhat present, the former subject takes ║ │
│║ precedence. It deals with a very biblical ║ │
│║ apocalypse, with a heavy emphasis on fire and ║ │
│║ the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The subject ║ │
│║ is tackled quite well and it makes the lyrics ║ │
│║ interesting to follow. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Babylon isnÆt a fluke, but itÆs not perfect ║ │
│║ either. With a couple of almost forgettable ║ │
│║ tracks and a misplaced cover, itÆs dragged down ║ │
│║ a bit. Still, the quality material far outweighs ║ │
│║ the clunkers and this is certainly worth hearing ║ │
│║ since the W.A.S.P. trademark sound and high ║ │
│║ quality is still present. IÆd even go as far as ║ │
│║ calling this album a highly desirable modern ║ │
│║ heavy metal effort, despite its shortcomings. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Crazy [05:10] │
│ 02 - Live to Die Another Day [04:41] │
│ 03 - Babylon's Burning [05:01] │
│ 04 - Burn [04:51] │
│ 05 - Into the Fire [05:54] │
│ 06 - Thunder Red [04:21] │
│ 07 - Seas of Fire [04:34] │
│ 08 - Godless Run [05:43] │
│ 09 - Promised Land [03:15] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [43:30 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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│ │
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