ALBUM REVIEW: Lynch Mob – Babylon

Lynch Mob was formed in 1989 after George Lynch parted ways with his former band Dokken. Their debut release “Wicked Sensation” was met with critical and fan acclaim and went on to be certified gold in sales by the RIAA. The band would continue on through the years with a cast of talented players joining Lynch throughout their musical journey over the course of six more studio albums. “Babylon” is Lynch Mob’s eighth studio album overall and the first since 2017’s “The Brotherhood”.

So the press release tells us. In that press release George goes on to say:

“There’s been so many iterations of Lynch Mob since the first line-up in 1989 of Oni Logan, Mick Brown, Anthony Esposito, and myself. Putting Lynch Mob together was just an extension of what I’d always strived for in a band: the best possible musicians, chemistry, and brotherhood. My bands have not only been my best friends, but also family. When we come up together and work hard and struggle together, we create a bond that lasts a lifetime. I think that’s the thing I love the most about my musical journey…creating music in the studio, stepping on stage, and sharing that bond with my friends through music. Thank you to everyone who has been in my band. I really feel it’s ours”

So 6 years after the last release and 3 years after George discarded the name he’s back with a new Lynch Mob album with long time off and on drummer Jimmy D’Anda and new members Gabriel Colon – vocals and Jaron Gulino – bass, both of whom have just stepped onboard. So whilst it’s great to talk about a continuation of the band one thing we are missing here is Oni Logan and his lyrical and vocal contributions.

It doesn’t really matter what the band, it’s always hard to replace a vocalist, and whilst of course Robert Mason filled the Oni Logan spot admirably for a number of years, there have been a handful of other vocalists who haven’t left a lasting impression on Lynch Mob (not that they weren’t great singers).  You feel that Colon therefore is part of that pack of ‘other’ singers and whilst he sounds great here, it’s hard to definitively sees this as a Lynch Mob record rather than just another Lynch-led project.

So yes, we do get that ‘Lynch Mob’ sound – that guitar fueled Hard Rocking style, that takes in a touch of Blues. At first listen you can’t help feel that by and large this is an album that should please the faithful and coming so close to Dokken’s release you can help but wonder at the timing and purely for that reason compare the two. The more you play this one though the more I was convinced that when Lynch puts his mind to it he really can deliver the goods.

You have to also remember that Lynch has released 5 Lynch Mob albums, 3 solo records, a couple of Lynch and Pilsen, 2 Sweet and Lynch, 3 KXM,  a T&N, and Ultraphonix, 2 End Machine and a Dirty Shirly record since Don’s last Dokken outing with ‘Broken Bones’ in 2012. That’s a staggering 20 records since 2012 plus countless other contributions.

Opening with ‘Erase’ you immediately feel that the there’s a ‘sound’ trying to be recreated here and it works, the guitars are on point and the sound is solid, it’s a great track and draws you in but for me Colon’s vocals are just a little gritty with a sleazier, rather than bluesier, Josh Todd feel. I’m not saying I don’t like them just that they’re not Oni Logan I guess! The positive aspect of that is in a way it refreshes the sound uncoupling it from the strict 80’s/90’s feel of the band’s formative years.

‘Caught Up’ whilst it has more sparkle, a groove that threatens and a real sense of balled up energy about to be unleashes – that unleashing occurs in a fiery solo.

‘I’m Ready’ adds a real deliberate stomp and sports an almost Halenesque opening, and ‘How You Fall’ pushes that previously cruising foot to the floor.

After that burst along the highway ‘Million Miles Away’ reins it all in, it’s a ballad cut from the finest cloth and one that has the requisite soul and passion.

‘Let It Go’ is the only track here that never really connected, it’s a decent song but not quite the quality of the rest of the record. But it’s soon made up for: the riffing of ‘Firemaster’ and laid back ‘eastern hypnotic’ vibe even sounds a little AIC meets Gunners and ‘The Synner’ crawls like AIC meets STP, both work wonderfully well.

That just leaves the title track ‘Babylon’ to take us out. And we go out with a hefty epic that straddles that 80’s/90’s bedrock and the new world of modern rock. This has it all, wonderful guitar of course but also a real majesty and the vision of  Sabbath jamming with Alter Bridge.

I’ve always been a big fan of Lynch and Lynch Mob and 2023 sees them both in fine form. There’s a slight modernizing of the sound but we’re miles away from historical overreach. One of the most promising albums of the year that after a few plays I’m sure you’ll agree overdelivers.