Review by Richard Henry for MPM
We are six years since the last Lynch Mob album, and yet again it’s all change, drummer Jimmy D’Anda has played on and off with the band, however vocalist Gabriel Colon and bass player Jaron Gulino are brand new on this album with the only permanent member, of course that’s guitarist George Lynch! So, let’s get stuck into this one and see what the new Lynch Mob has to offer!
Erase – Almost like a 60s spy movie kind of guitar part, the first thing I am thinking is organic, this sounds like a band in a room, nice rasp to Gabriels’s vocals, this has a real almost like 70s rock sort of vibe to it, the vocals though really make the difference, not being so clean adds a lot of power to it all, I like that lift into the chorus, the descending bass line as well, well you know within five seconds it is indeed George playing, much cleaner guitar sound than I am used to but it really brings out all the dynamics in his playing and the solo almost seems like it goes through four parts, massive nod to Goin Down at the end of that solo, bit of a spoken word section before it lifts back up into that chorus again
Time after Time – Nice arpeggiated guitar intro part to this, again it just sounds so organic and live feeling, and when the bass and drums hit in you really feel that nice driving riff to the verse, that lift into the chorus is just pure Lynch Mob I have heard that happen so many times, it lifts the whole track into the chorus, this is just a proper head nodder of a track, I love the way it drops right down in the middle and chills out, when vocal refrains flying round and George backed way off and playing some nice melodic lines before it starts to lift and goes back into the chorus, I was actually expecting a solo but not on this track, letting the song take control instead of the playing!
Caught Up – That’s a classic Mob riff to start this before we get a bouncy feeling verse riff and a real swagger to the vocal part, some nice harmony vocals as well adding to it, before it just slams into that prechorus, some nice low vocals added to bulk up the sound before it shifts up into the chorus, the vocal actually reminds me of Myles Kennedy with a bit more grit and more like the way he sings with Slash than Alter Bridge, that a nasty riff in that middle part and a great groove to go with it, proper nasty solo there, just full of grit, but again pretty short before it breaks into the riff and groove before slamming into the chorus again!
I’m Ready – That’s Van Halen Panama, the start of this one, it 100% reminds me of it straight away! It has that early VH vibe, even in the verse it has a real hair metal vibe to it, that verse riff though, when it gets into the prechorus it opens and starts to sound more like Lynch Mob and when you hit the chorus it gets even heavier and it sounds like George, again the solo is more in a major vibe like the verse, some nice tapping licks in there, the it drops down and builds up again into the chorus, a strange one for me this track!
How You Fall – Almost Mr. Scary vies at the start of this and then we drop to a dirty bass line and the vocals being spit out by Gabriel, this is a real up-tempo rocker of a track, when that double bass kicks in and the vocals climb you wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking Priest, I like this heavier feel on this one its different to the tracks before it, an almost blues based start to that solo before we hit what Mr. Lynch is known for, with a bit more flash being added into the second half of the solo, then when the melody and the harmony vocals come in we are in top gear, then back into the slamming chorus! This one is the best track so far, excellent!
Million Miles Away – Slow drum beat with a sustained guitar harmony and then clean guitar creeps in with almost like a synthy drone in the background, Gabriel coming down in range and showing a lot of depth to this vocal, then he absolutely soars when you get into the chorus and it just lifts the track so much, really powerful vocal, and the band is just grooving underneath and letting the vocal shine, really nice guitar part in the verse, simple but massively effective, when you get into the middle the vocals go stratospheric before George just shows why he is a legend, bluesy, soulful, tasty then it builds and builds and just gets even better before we slip into that chorus again with George playing melody parts round the vocal and all the time it feels the track is evolving and building, this one I could have let go on another few mins, great track!
Let it Go – That’s a dirty riff there, swagger is the best way to describe the riff the groove and the vocal, full of attitude as well, then it climbs into an almost Beatles vibe harmony part before we hit the chorus which just goes classic 70s rock, then it slips back down into that verse groove again, it’s just got so much vibe to it, then into a really nasty Hendrix style riff in the middle, there’s so much groove on this song, now I was expecting a solo in the middle but instead the songs keeps breathing and we get more of an outro solo that brings the track to a close, just attitude and swagger!
Fire Master – Eastern vibe riff, Gates of Babylon style by Rainbow, now that’s a cool breakdown into the verse where the bass is covering that same vibe with an interesting drum beat, before the prechorus adds loads of vocals to it as it builds up into a classic Lynch Mob chorus, that’s a nice solo, full of phrasing, blues runs and squeals, that solo alone is just classic George, that arpeggio part and that final run at the end is worth the price of admission, the chorus is just class, then another solo that runs over the outro vocal part is just brilliant, absolutely love this track!
The Synner – Oh yes, that’s another down and dirty riff there, again is so groovy and the rhythm section are just locked in, the vocal gets down and dirty as well following what the band is doing, I love the little guitar tapped noise over the chorus and the doubled vocals just brings that chorus to life! It’s the verse though, that groove is so good, this is a classic George solo, full of motifs, melody and then a load of flash, cool tapping part there at the end of it as well, then into a cool riff on its own with a harmony and then into the chorus, swagger is the word of the day!
Babylon – That’s an interesting riff at the start, straight away with the eastern vibe, especially when that drum beat comes in, there are so many guitar parts at the same time, loads of layers, I like the little parts in between the vocal lines, then the wall of guitars come in, again this guy reminds me of Myles Kennedy, when we hit the chorus the vocal is excellent, also the bass sound and the way its driving the track is so prominent in the verse, that middle section where the vocals get doubled is awesome and then a break and George absolutely screams on that solo, again he unloads the toolbox but always keeps that blues edge that underpins everything as flashy as he can get, love the break with the tremolo guitars and the sustained notes, before we hit the chorus again, another solo comes in while the vocals are singing Babylon, I for one will never complain about too many guitar solos, especially not from Mr. Lynch, what was that three mins at the end, yes please, what a way to close out the album, a really epic ending!
9 out of 10
Great album, different to a lot of the previous albums but still retains that sound you are used to, from aggressive to the more melodic, the playing is of course fantastic but you also notice that not all the tracks have solos, letting the songs speak for themselves, great vocals and a solid rhythm section compliment this release, why not a 10, well for me “I’m Ready” felt a bit out of place and that’s the only reason for the 9, but you make up your own mind, highly recommended!
Line-up:
Gabriel Colón: Vocals
George Lynch: Guitars
Jimmy D’anda: Drums
Jaron Gulino: Bass
Social Media:
facebook.com/LynchMobBand
Buy or Stream: https://orcd.co/lynchbabylon
