Late last year a hard rock band from Los Angeles took the world by storm with their debut single “Pleasure and Pain”, the lead track from their debut album Lux. Since then that band, known as Gemini Syndrome, has gained quite a bit of notoriety within the rock and metal scenes, especially after releasing the record back in September.

Lux kicks off with “Pleasure and Pain”, a blistering tune with a catchy guitar riff. The riff is layered underneath vocalist Aaron Nordstrom’s gut-splitting screams during the verses, which offers a nice contrast from the soaring chorus. Undoubtedly the heaviest song on the record, “Pleasure and Pain” opens the album on a high note. The metal composition is followed by a straight-ahead rock single, “Basement”, where Aaron sings for the majority of the song. The modern rock gem shines through, especially with the powerful bridge which builds into the final chorus. “Falling Apart” is another up-front tune driven by relentless guitars. “Resurrection”, a slower but heavier track, showcases the vocal back-and-forth between his singing and screaming. The song eventually fades away, but not before one final push to the end. “Resurrection” precedes “Stardust”, a quasi-power ballad, and probably the most accessible track on the record. “Stardust” isn’t really a ballad in terms of the word’s typical meaning, but is instead a driving rock single fit for the radio. “Mourning Star”, a slower song with a symphonic flair to it, follows, and ends in the same epic way it begins. “Left of Me” turns the energy back up a few notches and sets the scene for “Pay for This”, another hard-hitting jam with a melodic assault from the guitars. “Take This”, lasting over five minutes long, has a really groovy bassline that adds to its charm. “Babylon” isn’t an absolute standout, but is still a solid track that holds its own. The final full song on Lux is “Syndrome”, a powerful tune with an almost anthem-like feel to it. Lux closes out with a phenomenal outro in the title track. In a way “Lux” is really just a reprise of “Mourning Star”, but the LA-based quintet executes it so well.

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Lux is a phenomenal rock record from start to finish that offers up the perfect blend of aggression with melody. While it’s not flawless by any stretch of the imagination, and there do seem to be a couple of filler tracks, the album is an extremely solid release from Gemini Syndrome, especially as the band’s debut full-length. If their first effort sounds this great, just imagine where they can be in a few years once they get off the ground.

Score: 4/5

Buy Lux on iTunes | Gemini Syndrome on Facebook