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Babylon - Babylon CD (album) cover

BABYLON

Babylon

 

Symphonic Prog

3.92 | 137 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

BrufordFreak
5 stars This has been a wonderful find thanks to ProgArchives. Though definitely a band that gets its inspiration and chops from VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR and GENESIS, they did an amazing job of making songs for this album that are fresh, interesting, and memorable--even hauntingly so.

1. "The Mote God's Eye" (sounds like VDGG with Peter HAMMILL's theatric voice but with a GENESIS "Cinema Show" like structure and instrumental sound--especially in the instrumental sections. Lead singer "Dorrocus" is an extraordinary force of theatrics--carved much in the same mold as perahps the greatest prog epic storyteller of all, Peter GABRIEL. His voice and styling is almost an exact copy of Matthew PARMENTER. Awesome song, though it cuts out as if it was originally much longer. (10/10)

2. "Before the Fall" (10:56) puts DOROCCUS and the band in total Gabriel-era GENESIS land. The arpeggiated guitar chords in foundation, the drum sound and style, the keyboard leads are so GENESIS 1973! Even the volume pedal controlled guitar leads are pure Steve HACKETT. And the more delicate vocal approach is so different from the previous song--illustrative of what a talent this man was! The song's shift at 4:30 is also right out of the GENESIS playbook--even if the fast-flanged guitar is less Hackett. Again, at 5:45 there is another shift that is so GENESIS! And yet this remains fresh and so enjoyable! Much better than listening to any of FISH-era MARILLION's stuff. If there is a flaw with this song--and the album as a whole--it is the quiet, almost muddy mix of the sound. (9/10)

3. "Dreamfish" (9:15) is another song emulating Peter GABRIEL-era GENESIS--though some of it feels as if it could be later--Wind and Wuthering or even And Then There Were Three. DOROCCUS' vocal performance is closer to Peter HAMMILL or even RUSH's Geddy LEE this time round. If this were a GENESIS song it would have been one of the songs cut from public viewing as it just doesn't muster enough cohesiveness or flow--it feels unfinished or rushed. This despite the fact that the lyrics and story are interesting. (8/10)

4. "Cathedral of the Mary Ruin" (7:40) is actually my favorite song on the album because of its originality. Though a Matthew PARMENTER-like voice and vocal performance comes from Dorrocus, the song's fast, staccato piano-based nature and the way the tempo is imitated/matched by Dorrocus' vocal are mesmerizing. The band sounds so tight, so virtuosic on this one. And so original. It ends a little weakly, but, man those first three minutes are incredible! (10/10)

Though this is a rather short album, it packs quite a punch. Also, the complexity of its compositions and high quality of its musicianship, as well as the amazing theatric talent of lead singer Dorroccus make this album to my mind a pure masterpiece. It's too bad that we heard no more from this talented band after this lone release. Definitely one of those gems hidden in obscurity.

BrufordFreak | 5/5 |

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