Reviews : Albums : Babylon Whores, "King Fear"

When I think of music hailing from Finland, the first bands to come to mind are Children of Bodom, Amorphis, and Sentenced. All of which are bands well established in the metal realm, bearing the earmarks of good production, innovation and thick, rich instrumentation. Although I won't argue that there are poor bands from Finland, I can't seem to think of any at the moment. Helsinki's dirty death-rockers Babylon Whores are no exception. Their unique blend of semi-radio-friendly, alterna-satanic rock is as weird and utterly slick as it seems ridiculous and implausible.

The Whores newest album, King Fear, is the only material of theirs that I have heard, and I must say I am thoroughly impressed. They have successfully captured the sound that so many bands in recent history have been aiming for and have missed. Imagine a smooth blend of Danzig, Cathedral, Helmet, To Ride, Shoot and Speak the Truth era Entombed, Cracker, Sentenced and dare I say, a little bit of Black Sabbath, executed in a very energetic yet sarcastic manner, and you might be half way there.

The overall sound of Babylon Whores' King Fear fluctuates from song to song. Some are very poppy, and others are extremely somber and cold. For example, the fourth track "Veritas" is slow and bluesy (the Cracker sound is most prevalent here), while the next track, "Skeleton Farm" is a heavy, grooving monster with definite Helmet and Cathedral influences. The dramatic shifts in mood on this album work very well to break up any monotony and knock the listener around just for kicks.

Moreover, after only a few listens, if one can get past the very grimy, nasty feel of the music, all the songs seem to grow immensely on you. Tracks like "Errata Stigmata," "Exit Eden" and "Radio Werewolf" are so catchy that it is tough not to sing along (for shame, I have caught myself on more than one occasion singing along to the chorus of "Errata Stigmata": "Say you love Satan! Say you love Satan, yeah!" and that's just embarrassing).

The guitars on King Fear are grungy, yet definitely melodic and thoughtful. Some tracks have solos, nothing shredding or crazy, just well placed and adequate. The rhythm section is also adept, yet obviously restrained. None of the songs boast of jellying one's brain or shutting down vital organs, the double bass drumming has been minimized and the bass is audible but it works mostly to give the guitar a fuller sound. The control evident in Babylon Whores' music is necessary so that they can create a rock-oriented sound. Without this, they would not be able to make such an effective record. Equally important are Ike Vil's clean vocals. They sound like a not-so-Elvis-influenced Glenn Danzig, and they work...very, very well. The music needed to be complimented by vocals that fit, and these are as good anyone could hope for.

The difference between Babylon Whores and the truckloads of bands failing to execute good death-rock is that The Whores are not afraid to play upbeat, slow or soft music. They are definitely taking a risk because if they slip even just a little bit, they will fall into the category of worthless butt-rock and lose the respect of the fan base they have worked so hard to gain. It definitely takes guts to walk the tightrope like they do, but if King Fear is the result, it definitely seems worthwhile to continue!

Standout Tracks    Fey    Skeleton Farm    Errata Stigmata

Peter Johnston