1. Riot spra… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists that perform under the name:
1. Riot sprang from the basement of Mark Reale's home in Brooklyn, NY in the summer of 1976. In 1977 they had recorded and released their first album "Rock City" for New York's Firesign Records. Able to to obtain various licensing deals throughout the world, "Rock City" quickly found an audience. Capitol Records quickly signed Riot, who soon entered the studio to record their second album "Narita" which would be released in 1979. It was in 1981, however, that Riot released what is considered by most fans to be the band's most definitive album "Fire Down Under".
Early History
Riot began when Kon-Tiki members Mark Reale (guitar) and Peter Bitelli (drums) recruited Phil Fiet (bass) and Guy Speranza (vocals) and recorded a four-track demo which they hoped would be included in a proposed compilation of new rock bands. While waiting for the project to get off the ground they added Steve Costello on keyboards.
Reale took the various demos to New York based producer Steve Loeb, who also owned Greene Street Recording Studio and the independent label Fire-Sign Records. Loeb turned down the compilation proposal but signed Riot. The band added second guitarist Louie Kouvais, replaced Fiet with Jimmy Iommi and recorded its debut album, Rock City. After a promising start and support slots with AC/DC and Molly Hatchet, the band were unable to maintain momentum, and were on the verge of breaking up for good by 1979.
In that year however, the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal took off, and the band came to the attention of Neal Kay who spread the word about them in Britain. British fans bought imported copies of Rock City which was recorded and produced by Steve Loeb and released on Loeb's Fire Sign Records. Encouraged, Loeb recorded the band's new album Narita. In the course of recording, Kouvaris was replaced by band roadie Rick Ventura.
Subsequent to a successful support of Sammy Hagar on his US Texas tour Capitol Records offered Riot a worldwide deal for Narita, mostly to support Hagar. Capitol and Hagar needed a harder, younger edge to associate with him, so Riot was chosen if they agreed to support Hagar on his UK tour. Hagar and Riot had a successful tour, but Riot was dropped by Capitol as soon as they were finished promoting Hagar.
Riot's management, Billy Arnell, Ezra Cook and producer Steve Loeb spent their last dollars remaining from the Capitol advance retaining important indie FM radio promotions to promote the Riot album. They put it on as many radio stations around the country as possible, thus raising the radio profile enough to where Capitol picked up their option for another record. And thus began Riot's biggest selling album titled Fire Down Under.
When the record was completed some months later, Capitol turned the record down calling it "commercially unacceptable" which put the band in contractual limbo. Capitol also refused to let the band out of the contract and insisted if the band wanted off Capitol, they would have to sue. A campaign was organized and financed by producer Steve Loeb and managers Ezra Cook and Billy Arnell with fans around the world, but especially in the UK where the fans picketed the offices of EMI Records. Finally Elektra Records worked things out with Capitol's Rupert Perry and signed Riot and immediately released Fire Down Under which then soared into the Billboard Top 100 chart.
Breakup and Resurrection
Singer Guy Speranza had difficulty melding his religious convictions with his role in the band and was replaced by Rhett Forrester (b. 22 September 1956 – d. 22 January 1994) for the next album, Restless Breed (1983). Though a striking frontman, any hope of a major breakthrough was sunk by a combination of Forrester's erratic behaviour on the road and a changing of the guard at Elektra. The next album, Born in America, (1984) was self- financed by Steve Loeb and was released on Quality Records, an independent Canadian label. Support melted away, leading to the band's disintegration.
After stints with his own band (Narita) and abortive reformations of Riot, Reale mended fences with producer Steve Loeb in New York. He kept Don Van Stavern from Narita on bass, recruited Bobby Jarzombek (1988 - 1999) on drums and Greene Street Studio Manager Dave Harrington brought in Tony Moore for vocals. A resurrected Riot was born. Loeb cut a four track demo at his Greene Street Studio in Soho NY and along with real estate maven turned rock manager Vince Perazzo brought the band to CBS Associated, who offered the band a worldwide deal. Resultant albums Thundersteel (1988) and Privilege of Power (1990) renewed fan interest around the world, particularly in Japan, where they maintained their strongest subsequent following.
The revived band was from then on dogged by continual personnel and record company changes. But, by virtue of Loeb's willingness to self finance every record that followed until his departure from the production chair in 1995, Riot was able to continue making records. All told, Loeb produced or co-produced 13 Riot albums in his 19 year association with Mark Reale and the different configurations of Riot. Reale continued to steer the band into the turn of the century, releasing albums roughly every couple of years.
Rhett Forrester was shot dead during a robbery in Atlanta Georgia in 1994, and original vocalist Guy Speranza died of pancreatic cancer in 2003.
On January 25, 2012, founding band member Mark Reale died of complications resulting from Crohn's disease at the age of 56. Immediately following his death, the band, featuring the "Thundersteel" lineup, performed several previously-booked east coast shows and the "70,000 Tons of Metal" cruise ship gig without him. A new Riot compilation was released following the shows, and at the request of Mark's father, the name "Riot" was put to rest. However, some former members of the "Thundersteel"-era lineup began work putting together a new band performing music in the same vein as Riot. The band was officially re-launched as "Riot V", the name alluding to the addition of Todd Michael Hall as the fifth official singer, replacing Moore. Van Stavern revealed that Moore had chosen not to continue with the band to spend more time with his family.
In 2014, Nick Lee, a former student at the guitar classes run by Flyntz, joined as the new co-lead guitarist for the band, replacing deceased Reale, and Frank Gilchriest rejoined the band in place of Jarzombek, who had quit the band to focus on his activities with Fates Warning. Their new album Unleash The Fire was released in Japan, under the name Riot, in August 2014. This is the band's first release since the death of Reale.
Todd Michael Hall said about the "V" letter: "The official name for the band is Riot V, but we do have this confusion with the Japanese release versus the European release. I was told that the Japanese record label considered the release to be a continuation of the previous contract with "Riot", so they did not want to use the V"
2. Composing of Tom Davidson & Daniel Magid, is a duo of dubstep producers based in Los Angeles, California. They were originally from Israel.
They have released songs on Monstercat, Dim Mak and Insomniac records.
Babylon
Riot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unlock the doors
Cyrus waits outside no more
Laughter rose
Inside the walls
In the night this time
The ancient city falls
I'm running from the storm
It can not be too long before it's gone
I'm searching for the dawn
Touch me and my soul will be reborn
I have seen babylon
Soon to come - the mystery
She'll rise above the land and sea
Babylon the great will cry
Kings will weep and
Souls will die
The clouds are are gathering today
Feel the thunder in the streets
I hear the prophets pray
I'm running from the storm
It can not be too long before it's gone
I'm searching for the dawn
Touch me and my soul will be reborn
I have seen babylon
Nations drink the fatal wine of
Intense immortal crime
Babylon will surely fall with
Judgment day upon us all
I'm running from the storm
It can not be too long before it's gone
I'm searching for the dawn
Touch me and my soul will be reborn
I'm running from the storm
It can not be too long before it's gone
I'm searching for the dawn
Touch me and my soul will be reborn
I have seen babylon
The lyrics to Babylon by Riot contain themes of destruction, escape, and redemption. The opening lines speak of unlocking the gates and doors, indicating a sense of urgency and the need to leave. The mention of Cyrus waiting outside no more could be interpreted as a release from a situation, whether physical or emotional, where someone or something was holding the person back.
The second verse describes the fall of an ancient city in the night, implying that this could be the Babylon mentioned in the title. The chorus speaks of running from a storm and searching for the dawn, suggesting that the singer is looking for a fresh start and a way out of the darkness that surrounds them. The repetition of these lines throughout the song adds to this sense of urgency and desire for escape.
The final verse speaks of nations drinking the "fatal wine of intense immortal crime" and the impending judgment day. It suggests that Babylon will fall, and those who have sinned will be punished. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the theme of rebirth, hope, and the potential for a better future.
Overall, Babylon by Riot is a powerful and evocative song that touches on themes of destruction, redemption, and hope. Its vivid imagery and use of repetition create a sense of urgency and reflect the desire for escape and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Unlock the gates
Opening the gates to Babylon
Unlock the doors
Opening the doors to Babylon
Cyrus waits outside no more
Cyrus is able to enter Babylon
Laughter rose
People are happy inside Babylon
Inside the walls
Within the boundaries of Babylon
In the night this time
Occurs at night
The ancient city falls
Babylon falls
I'm running from the storm
Trying to escape danger
It can not be too long before it's gone
Believing the danger will pass soon
I'm searching for the dawn
Looking for hope
Touch me and my soul will be reborn
Wanting to be revitalized
I have seen babylon
Experiencing Babylon
Soon to come - the mystery
Something unknown is going to happen
She'll rise above the land and sea
Babylon will become prominent
Babylon the great will cry
Babylon will become sorrowful
Kings will weep and
Kings will be remorseful
Souls will die
Many people will perish
The clouds are are gathering today
A foreboding atmosphere
Feel the thunder in the streets
Sense of danger
I hear the prophets pray
Urging for divine intervention
Nations drink the fatal wine of
Countries are making fatal choices
Intense immortal crime
Committing severe, unforgivable acts
Babylon will surely fall with
A certain inevitability of Babylon's fate
Judgment day upon us all
A time of reckoning for all people
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: M. DIMEO, R. REALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paper_bag497
one of the best bands ever and surely the best independent and pure in heart and soul.mark you will always live in my heart.
@leandroxavierdemelo969
That solo 😍😱🤯
@spertica
It's incredible this amazing song has no comment still... One among the greatest riff of RIOT (and of metal in general :-))! And the solo make us fly so high!
@pathebasse4052
Énorme guitare rythmique..superbe riff
@Freedomquest08
It's a crime this band wasn't a headline act, and as well known as Metallica. Four horns up! \m/ \m/
@metalaras999
mark's best solo
@rrf85
I love this song.
@andyheraman6592
Great Riff!