If you think the Powerman 5000 hit "When Worlds Collide" sounds an awful lot like "Dragula" off Rob Zombie's Hellbilly Deluxe, don't blame Powerman 5000 frontman Spider--after all, it's in the genes. Zombie and Spider are ... more »siblings, and blood is thicker than a whole stack of Bibles. Fortunately, Powerman 5000 are much more than a blasphemous chip off the old gravestone. Sure, many of the rhythms on Tonight the Stars Revolt! are augmented by electronic samples, and the vocals are shouted over a battering-ram assault of drums, but the tunes weren't conceived in the same decayed crypt as Zombie's. Spider is actually more attuned to the power of melody than his big brother. His influences include new-wave bands like Blondie and the Cars (there's even a cover of the Cars' "Let the Good Times Roll"), as well as alternative rockers like Helmet and Girls Against Boys. Instead of focusing on themes of horror and the supernatural as Zombie does, Powerman 5000 seek inspiration from B-grade science fiction films from the '60s, making Tonight the Stars Revolt! more like a futuristic fun house than a genuine freak show. --Jon Wiederhorn« less
If you think the Powerman 5000 hit "When Worlds Collide" sounds an awful lot like "Dragula" off Rob Zombie's Hellbilly Deluxe, don't blame Powerman 5000 frontman Spider--after all, it's in the genes. Zombie and Spider are siblings, and blood is thicker than a whole stack of Bibles. Fortunately, Powerman 5000 are much more than a blasphemous chip off the old gravestone. Sure, many of the rhythms on Tonight the Stars Revolt! are augmented by electronic samples, and the vocals are shouted over a battering-ram assault of drums, but the tunes weren't conceived in the same decayed crypt as Zombie's. Spider is actually more attuned to the power of melody than his big brother. His influences include new-wave bands like Blondie and the Cars (there's even a cover of the Cars' "Let the Good Times Roll"), as well as alternative rockers like Helmet and Girls Against Boys. Instead of focusing on themes of horror and the supernatural as Zombie does, Powerman 5000 seek inspiration from B-grade science fiction films from the '60s, making Tonight the Stars Revolt! more like a futuristic fun house than a genuine freak show. --Jon Wiederhorn
CD Reviews
Exceptional Record
K. Sanders | Elk River | 12/21/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Well, its been a long haul for PM5K, but they finally broke into the mainstream with "Tonight The Stars Revolt!". I was optimistic about buying it, but after hearing samples of the record I thought I would get it. I was glad I did, its a good record. Starting off the record is a reading of the big-brothery poem "An Eye Is Upon You", followed by the hard hitting "Supernova Goes Pop". If you ask me, I think the song would've sounded better if they combined the first two tracks. The next track is "When Worlds Collide" the first single, and a crowd pleaser. Effects from B-Grade movies are spliced in, giving the song a creepy bad science fiction movie (a weird voice saying "you are a robot"). Nobody's Real, the bands second single, is a good techno-metal song, with weird beeps that go back and forth to start the song off, so make sure you have stereo sound so you catch it. It seems to me the rest of the CD is slower. I don't like the other half as much, since it strays from the first half's heavy side, but it stays with the theme of the album- be paranoid, you're being watched. Automatic gives a nice refresher. At times, Spider One sounds shockingly similar to Marilyn Manson, but then again PM5K doesnt sing about blasphemy and death. This CD is worth the 15 bucks, so go out and get it."
Not an explicit content cd
06/19/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tonite the Stars Revolt! is not a explicit content cd. I have listened to this cd several times and each song several times and there is no reason that this cd should have a explicit content sticker on it. It is not neccessary. So for parents who are reading this for their kids who want this cd and don't want them to have a profane cd this cd isn't one of them."
Not quite my cup of death, but innovative and interesting!
Brynn Huxtable | Durban, S.A | 08/31/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The very first Powerman 5000 song I heard was "When Worlds Collide." At that point I though this band was nothing short of Metal geniuses! I spied with my musical eye, "Tonight the Stars Revolt!" by these dudes, so I thought, "hell, why not?" and bought the CD. I was pleased with what I found but not amazed as I thought I would be...allow me to explain.
What I expected was something like a 21st Century "White Zombie." However, in place of the dark and odd appeal of "White Zombie" was a slighlty more humorous and equally as odd inertia. That doesn't detract from the album by the way, I sometimes enjoy a bit of "humour" or even a bit of blatant cheesiness in my Metal! My favourite song was "When Worlds Collide" at first, but after hearing track 6, "Tonight the Stars Revolt!" I quickly changed my mind. This song has an awesome, bone-crushing riff that pulls "When Worlds Collide" down a few notches. The song pounds in the beginning and then falls off and reaches a climax once again with the lyrics that shout, scream and whisper. The song has a great range of techniques and pretty much summarizes what Powerman 5000 is really capable of.
Another song that is a standout track in my opinion is "They Know Who You Are." It's similar in structure to track 6, but is more energetic and erratic in a sense. It has some jarring guitar parts and a couple of quieter parts that build tension in the song. It's really terrific and definitely a song to headbang to. "Operate, Annihilate" opens up with a cool, groovy base and is followed by crunching guitars at regular intervals. The rhythm is tight and the band demonstrate how slow songs and changing time signatures can be highly appealing. Yet another really awesome song. "Super Nova Goes Pop" is pretty much a straight-up metal track that uses some brilliant riffage and samples to create a very entertaining and overall cool song.
Songs that I didn't quite enjoy were "Let the Good Times Roll" which seemed more like an attempt at recreating Glam Metal through Techno-metal. Just not quite my style I guess. It's an OK song but nothing special. "Watch the Sky for Me" is kinda like an epilogue of the whole album and isn't really a song I guess. It's just kinda silly and is more like a swing / jazz version of Powerman 5000. It's very melodic and kinda funny, but a song that most metal fans will just skip or forget about.
The album is excellent overall and gets 85% according to my percentage rating. It's certainly a very original and innovative, not to mention entertaining and kick-ass offering. I would recommend it to fans who like their Metal fresh and exciting and aren't afraid of experimentation, much like a young girl's first kiss with her best friend. However, if you like your metal strongly classical and don't enjoy humour, experimentation and techno-blended metal, then stay the hell away from Powerman 5000. Make your choice, but whatever anybody else thinks, Powerman 5000's "Tonight the Stars Revolt!" is a winner in my book."
Misleader
Peter Scharbrough | U.S. of A. | 03/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD misleads you. This should not have a Explicit Lyrics. It only has two curse words on it. But it is a awsome CD. You should not pass it up. The band is great and so is its music."
One Rockin' Album
tornandgone | NY | 01/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Stepping out of the rap-metal sounds of their minor label releases, Powerman 5000 came onto the scene with their hit "When Worlds Collide". In reality, when this album was released, two worlds collided: the real world and the world of Powerman 5000.Vocalist Spider One (brother of former White Zombie, now solo singer Rob Zombie) sets the eerie and angry mood with his imaginative, science fiction-type lyrics and vocals, ranging from deep singing/rapping to violent bursts of yelling. For this album, the band became a two guitar assault of hard hitting metal power chords, courtesy of guitarists M33 and Adam 12. Backing them are bassist Dorian, who bass lines rock the set, and drummer Al, who pounds away and rocks it behind the kit. With a change in their sound, style and look, the band pumped out rough metal songs with odd inventive tones and lyrical imagery.The first actual song, Supernova Goes Pop, is a small insight into the power of the album. This song is hard and just in-your-face. When Worlds Collide is the song everyone knows with its anthem-like chorus and awesome riffs. Nobody's Real is a bit different from the first two tracks, seeing as it is not as hard. It has more of an electronic and robotic feel than a hard, metal edge but the drumming is awesome and the vocals and lyrics are great. Tonight The Stars Revolt is another hard-edged song in the formula of the first 2 tracks with a lot of fire behind it. The next three tracks follow suit, supply thick riffs and harsh rhythm. Blast Off To Nowhere is one of the best tracks on the album. Starting off with some great drumming and Spider singing, the song explodes into a screamfest Spider and brother Rob Zombie. This is an awesome track with a whole lot of energy. They Know Who You Are is a creep quiet track that picks up loud during the chorus. Good Times Roll, a cover of the Cars' song, is another one of the best songs on the album. Its not as hard as the other tracks but the song is definitely incredible and would make a great anthem for live shows. The last track, Watch The Skies For Me, is extremely slow, sounding like elevator-music. Its a very odd song and I still can't understand why its on here.Powerman 5000 is an awesome group, out to play some hard-edged metal music with some creative sounds infused with madness and imagination. This album marks the beginning of a new style for the band and only time will tell where they will go from here. This album is for fans of older PM5K works, fans of "nu-metal" as well as fans of White Zombie and solo Rob Zombie."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1