BABYLON A.D. - Live@XXV
April 8, 2015, 8 years ago
(Apocalypse)
Hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Babylon A.D. released their self-titled debut on Arista Records. And to celebrate, they’ve issued a brand new live album. Always thought this Bay Area band should have been bigger, but to their credit, and unlike many hair metal contemporaries (L.A. Guns, Faster Pussycat, Bang Tango) who are still touring with only a fraction of the original lineup intact; Babylon A.D. is still the same five guys it was back in 1989. Perhaps most importantly, vocalist Derek Davis is as strong as he ever was.
Following the format utilized on Live In Your Face (1998), Live@XXV is culled together from four separate gigs as opposed to one complete show. For this 13-track CD, mobile recording was utilized in Newark and Concord, CA, Denver, CO, as well as Nottingham, England. While the audio quality is pretty consistent throughout, it’s easy to tell that the set list has been spliced together. Unlike arenas which are rather standard in construction, nightclubs come in all shapes and sizes, each offering its own unique sound. Fidelity variances aside, it’s the songs that matter most and hearing under-rated gems “Hammer Swings Down”, “Maryanne”, and “Desperate” pumping through the speakers once again brings back many a fond memory. Rounding out this ass kickin’ affair is a pair of cover tunes: “Rock The Nation” by Montrose, and “Lights Out London” by UFO. Now, the boys in Babylon A.D. are preparing to board the Monsters Of Rock Cruise; good on ‘em.