Skindred
Babylon

THE REVIEW

"REGGAE METAL PUNK HIP HOP"

This is how Skindred defines themselves, the new band of Benjii Webbe, former singer of the dub-funk-reggae band Dub War. After parting ways with Earache Records, the black singer did not give up; he founded the aforementioned group and this is their 2002 debut.

But before talking about the music, I will dwell on the album in question for a rather strange fact: "Babylon" was re-released 4 times in 3 years, following various label changes. I'm reviewing the first version from 2002, specifically the Limited Edition, released under RCA/BMG. The second re-release, under the auspices of Bieler Bros., is practically useless, as it was only a reshuffle of the tracklist. When the band came under the protective wing of Lava Records, the most important change occurred: three songs were removed, and another six were added, with "Pressure" in an acoustic version as a hidden track. Not to mention a new artwork, better than the original. Finally, a UK edition was released under the same record label, featuring some songs in acoustic versions. Personally, I consider this commercial operation useless, but that's what happened, so let's not think about it anymore.

Well, after this excursus, let's move on to the album itself.

Surely the greatest asset of this album is the perfect blend of genres: basically, the Nu Metal distortions meet the Rap of Rage Against The Machine and the "positivity" of Reggae. And this is the real surprise: Benjii Webbe and company have made Nu Metal something sunny. I had a very different feeling listening to Korn and Sepultura (only the "Roots" era).

The album flows very pleasantly, spanning from the Drum n' Bass of "Set It Off" to the exhilarating "Nobody", also equipped with a "Moshpart" in the chorus. Worth mentioning are "Babylon", where the singer also shows his growling skills, and "Selector", simple and incredibly sunny.

More canonical are the more classically Nu Metal "Kiss And Make Up", "Sicker", and the ska-oriented "Together", which will be omitted in the third re-release. "Firing The Love", present here as a bonus track, will not be removed, which I personally consider the worst song on the album: too chaotic and out of context for the "Babylon" offering. Another flaw concerns the structure of the songs: basically, the influences change, but you'll always know what to expect (just in terms of structure).

In conclusion, kudos to the legendary Benjii, who showcases his talents in this album, juggling between growling, screaming, and clean vocals. Recommended for those looking for something different from the usual Crossover album.

"Kill them with the rhythm coz we come to set it off"

Best songs: "Nobody", "Set It Off", "Babylon"

Skip songs: "Firing The Love", "Together"