Babylon A.D. – When The World Stops

Babylon A.D.
When The World Stops
Label: Kivel Records / Apocalypse Records
Out: September 1^st, 2025
Playing time: 51:33

Babylon A.D., a band from the San Francisco Bay Area, was founded in 1987 by five high school students under the name ‘The Persuaders’. Two years later, the name was changed to Babylon A.D.. And there are still three founding members in the band. The self-titled debut album was released in 1989. To date, the band has released ten studio albums. This makes ‘When The World Stops’ the eleventh album in the band’s more than thirty-year history.

The album begins full of emotion with the title track ‘When The World Stops’. Powerful, guitar-driven Hard Rock. ‘Come On Lets Roll’ is hardly inferior to this. With a chorus that will have fans singing along loudly live. In the lyrics, the names of some Classic Hard Rock icons are named. Strong guitar solos can be heard. The tempo is slowed down a little on ‘Don’t Ask Questions’. Guitar chords and rhythmic drumming characterise this song. The crowning glory is an extremely melodic guitar solo. The ballad “Love Is Cruel” is dominated by acoustic guitars and gentle strings. And what a brilliant guitar solo it is. More melody is almost impossible. The finale is dominated by a calm piano melody. ‘Toxic Baby’ is then Hard Rock at its best. With youthful, fresh-sounding vocals. ‘I Don’t Believe In You’ is then rhythmic again. The vocals then become a little quieter. ‘Power Of Music’ is underlaid with a live atmosphere. The guitar riffs later simply sweep you away. A great hard rock anthem. ‘Torn’, introduced by the drums, is a power ballad for long stretches, although the ballade like area is occasionally abandoned a little. Somehow a hybrid of ballad and stomping Rock. But ‘The Damage Is Done’ is a real anthemic power ballad. ‘Oh Suki’ rocks a bit more again. A powerful bass line can be heard at the beginning. The closing track ‘Sadness Madness’ also tends somewhere between ballad and anthem.

‘When The World Stops’ is a varied Classic Rock album. The sound alternates between hard and soft with many anthemic melodies. Sing-along choruses and strong guitar solos make for a lot of listening fun. An album that can be recommended to every fan of eighties Stadium Rock.

Babylon A.D. – When The World Stops: https://youtu.be/mlyu7PSfu1w?si=MJFDkyI_SmWAetfo

Lineup:

Derek Davis – Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Ron Freschi – Guitar, Backing Vocals
John Mathews – Guitar
Dylan Soto – Drums, Acoustic Guitar on “The Damage Is Done”
Craig Pepe – Bass, Backing Vocals
Special guest: Julie Pacheco – Piano on “Love Is Cruel”

Track list:

• When The World Stops
• Come On Let’s Roll
• Don’t Ask Qustions
• Love Is Cruel
• Toxic Baby
• I Don’t Beleive In You
• Power Of Music
• Torn
• The Damage Is Done
• Oh Suki
• Sadness Madness