Ten - Babylon
Frontiers Records
Melodic Hard-Rock
10 songs (58'36)
Release year: 2000
Frontiers Records
Reviewed by Claus
Album of the month

This is a near perfect disc for me - sure it is one of those cds that is easy-digested, really doesn't include anything "new" and honestly isn't much more than an old-fashioned hard rock album. But the fact is, that TEN is one of those bands that never make themselves out to be anything more than that - they play melodic hard rock, and they are proud of doing it! "Babylon" is only the band's fifth studio disc, however, they have already accomplished more than a lot of bands that have been around for ages. They are number one in Japan (which says a lot...), and in the rest of the World they are heralded as one of the best a.o.r./melodic metal acts around. They unite the best of the 70's basic hard rock with the more excuisit melodic metal style of the eighties, adding a touch of the nineties heavy feel to it, and of course providing it with a stellar production worthy of the year 2000. A truly great album, and one with a lyrical concept added to it.

Actually, the concept tends to get too much in the way of the music, as the tracks are divided each others by some "stupid" talk, that should exemplify the storybook, but to me don't do much other than bother me. That aside, Gary Hughes once more proves himself as one of the great songwriters of our time, with an ear for melody that almost transcends what anyone else is capable of. This is HUGE! Songs like the fantastic opener "The Stranger", the superb "Black Hearted Woman" or my personal fave, the grandiose ballad "Valentine" are all amazingly wellwritten and wellperformed by a band that kicks some major ass to most others. Guitarhero Vinny Burns really lets it all rip with his fantastic soloing, and on the heaviest song of the album, "Thunder In Heaven", this guy is simply put BRILLIANT! Ten is one of my fave bands within this melodic style, and "Babylon" is a great album, that doesn't change my mind on that! If it wasn't for the irritating "talk-sections" in between the songs, and the song "Timeless" reminding just a tad too much of Pet shop Boy's "It's A Sin", this would have blown me all the way....

Killing Songs :
Valentine, The Stranger, Thunder In Heaven
Claus quoted 95 / 100
Other albums by Ten that we have reviewed:
Ten - The Twilight Chronicles reviewed by Mike and quoted 70 / 100
Ten - Return To Evermore reviewed by Mike and quoted 82 / 100
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