Gemini Five – Sex Drugs Anarchy
GEMINI FIVE
SEX DRUGS ANARCHY
Released in 2008 (Wild Kingdom)
Track List:
01. Thunder & Lightning
02. I Am Hollow
03. Scream 4 Me
04. Here’s Looking At You Kid
05. All Pistols
06. Sex Drugs Anarchy
07. Lay Your Money Down
08. Here 2day Gone 2mrw
09. Something’s Gotta Give
10. Blood On The Bricks
11. We Do Not Come In Peace
12. Stay With Me
Band Members:
Tin Star – lead vocals and guitar
Dany “Dee Dee” Douglas – lead guitars and backing vocals
Hot Rod – bass and backing vocals
Slim Pete – drums
Additional Musicians:
Martin Sweet – lead guitar
Peter London – backing vocals
Eric Young – backing vocals
Production:
Produced by Hot Rod and Tin Star.
Review:
Gemini Five have been around for quite a few years now and in that time-span have released two albums, Babylon Rockets and Black Anthem, which while garnering them some rave reviews in magazines all around the world, to me just didn’t do much. While Babylon Rockets thrived with 70’s glam ingredients, Black Anthem was a much heavier affair, leaning into industrial territories.
Sex Drugs Anarchy sees the band taking the whole production-job into their own hands to create the album they’ve always wanted to make. Stylistically they’ve changed once again, and in 2008 have Crashdiet written all over them. They’ve teamed up with Martin Sweet to write an album which would have been a logical follow-up to the extraordinary Rest In Sleaze. Yes folks, that’s right, this is an album which ten years from now should be called an essential record of the Swedish Sleaze-wave from the new millennium.
While the intro to “Thunder & Lightning” recalls Def Leppard‘s “Die Hard The Hunter”, the 11 songs presented on here are difficult to compare to any band other than Crashdiet. Sure, the Motley Crue Dr.Feelgood-era vibe on songs like “Here’s Looking At You Kid” or “Blood On The Bricks” is there, as are the Skid Row riffs on songs like the fist-pumping-in-the-air “All Pistols”. But all in all this band delivers the sound which made Crashdiet unique. Thanks to the vocal duties of Tin Star they still sound a bit different though and those vocals are, simply put, spot on. To name highlights is almost impossible as there actually is no weak song on here, but “Scream 4 Me” with it’s Def Leppard-esque backing vocals and anthemic chorus probably stands out.
Sex Drugs Anarchy is an album filled with positive anger from a band which has been on the chain for much too long. The final mixing of the album could have been better as in places it sound a bit watered down, but that does not change the fact that all the riffs and songs on here are next to sleaze-perfection. I really hope Gemini Five are not going to change directions again with the follow-up. Anyway, this instant classic will keep my stereo busy!
www.geminifive.com – www.myspace.com/geminifive
Reviewed by Vige for Sleaze Roxx, November 2008.
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