The extended introduction to opener ‘Wrecking Machine’ works brilliantly well, building the anticipation before the vocals kick in and reminds you in no uncertain terms just how good Babylon A.D. was back in the day and on the basis of the opening track. how good they still are here and now in 2024. This is a record that sounds just like the band back in the day, full of fire, wonderfully heavy and firing on all cylinders: with guitar and vocals that haven’t lost a thing over the decades. Some bands come back with a bang, it seems that Babylon has just gone nuclear.
Babylon A.D. for those not already in the know, produced two of my favourite albums at the end of the 80’s and start of the 90’s. Records that I’d comfortably pit against any Hard Rock band of that era. Whilst the debut got some attention it was largely and criminally overlooked with scant promotion by Arista except for a spot on the Robocop 2 movie. There was far more to the band than that featured song though, and when the second record hit four years later I was equally blown away by the grittier, bluesier sound. The songs were gold. They still are.
‘Rome wasn’t Built in a Day’ reminds me of those records, particularly the second. There’s a ‘cool’ that so few bands ever capture present here in practically every note. There’s great guitar, crunching drums, inspired bass and no fear of leaving ‘space’ in the songs, that have a dynamic that most would kill for. And whilst I’ve loved pretty much everything these guys have put out since those first two records, there’s something different here, something inspired and something that you very rarely find. Babylon A.D. you see has managed to recapture their youth again but without sounding cheesy or contrived, and that’s something you hardly ever find.
So after that incredible opening with ‘Wrecking Machine’ (the first single and surely one of the songs of the year) we get stuck into ‘Rome’ and just like that saying it’s hard to think that these songs we just thrown down, they are so superbly sculpted. The opening signature riff of ‘Pain’ is so good I’d frame it and put it over the fireplace. It’s a song that builds slowly and grows in stature as Derek casts out his vocal over the chugging riff. In a way the sound harks back to the early demos that I loved so much, it’s a cool mid-tempo rocker that packs a punch in spite of it’s deceptively laid back groove.
Interestingly so early on comes an enigmatic demi-ballad ‘Sometimes Love is Hell’ that starts downcast and then grows brighter in the pre-chorus before a stark refrain. The more you listen the more this one grows on you. It’s a wonderfully bittersweet love story that fixes on the challenges we go through in love. The two guitar solos are wonderful fits and integral to what is an incredibly fine, yet stark song.
The mood is immediately picked up by the Hard Rocking groove of title track ‘Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day’ which is a great track, a mid-tempo rocker that runs away to a cool chorus. It’s just what you’d hope from the band. ‘Looking For a Heartbeat’ that follows is another slower number but really reminiscent of the early sound of the band and despite it lyrically being almost as bleak as ‘Sometimes Love is Hell’, somehow you feel more hope.
Interestingly ‘I Will Never Break Never Break Again’ adds a third slow tempo song as we hit half way, this time more barren, opening with just guitar and voice. It’s probably the most powerful of the three musings on lost love, a strong theme here. The songwriting is stunning with the forlorn refrain, lovely light orchestration and then… man that sparse guitar break fits so beautifully well before Derek’s voice hits a crescendo and the harder guitar underlines it all. The last two minutes of the song show why Babylon A.D. just had more in the tank than a lot of their contemporaries.
In a way the second half of the album is a more straightforward affair. ‘White Hot Bullet’ is a great rocker with a huge stomp and groove; whilst ‘Crashed into the Sun’ starts with a similar guitar from ‘Desperate’ from the first album, and drifts along beautifully underwritten with some great guitar. It’s the guitar on this album that really elevates the songs and along with Dereks distinctive vocals they sound wonderful. It’s also worth mentioning though how great the new rhythm section sounds with some wonderfully creative and loud when it needs to be bass guitar and some sizzling drums that show a very different more metal feel than Jamey.
‘Face of God’ is another slower number, taking us up to four so far. It’s a huge feature of the album and one that I must admit when they sound this good I don’t mid. ‘Face of God’ is the epic amongst them. A real ‘cigarette lighter’ moment that’s up there with their best, and man I love those guitars that crash through as Derek delivers the performance of the record.
All to soon though we’re seeing the finish line and it’s a case of a great record holding back some of the best for last. Penultimate track ‘Shut Up’ is a bass-driven, guitar fueled gem. Like ‘Face of God’ before it it’s one of my picks of the album. This is the music that used to excite me back in the day and here in 2024 I feel like that 17 year old kid again! I’d buy the album just for those two and the opener!
The last word though goes to the intriguingly titled ‘Super Beast’ which just goes for it – it’s a song that just goes for it build off a great riff the drums just kick it to another level. As instrumentals go its a great fun way to end was truly is a remarkable album.
Babylon A.D. has delivered a real gem here. It’s a record where everything is on point and built to last. If you think that they were just a minor player back in the day then this is a reminder that they should have been huge. Derek Davis, 35 years after their debut still has one of the best voices in Rock and Roll – I’d put him up there along with John Corabi, Glenn Hughes and Ron Young and he knocks it out of the park here! Guitarists Ron Freschi and John Matthews also shine, the guitar work here is clever, soulful and inventive. When you have a collection of songs as good as this you just need to hear it!
9.5 / 10
