Reviews (page 3 of 7)
This was fine. Nothing super special but I dug it.
Your typical 80s hair band rock-metal
It's fun in a trashy 1980s way, but not that memorable.
It wasn't best nor worst. Honestly I enjoyed it but there are lot of better albums.
Þetta var allt í lagi hjá þeim finnsku. Ég er nú ekki mikill áhugamaður per se um glam rock. Leitt með trommarann. Lögin eru í sjálfu sér fín, en þetta er barn síns tíma og gerir ekki mikið fyrir nútímarokkara.
Pretty cool
ok so .. not bad at all but like what the hell is this
Ganz nice, aber auch nicht wirklich outstanding - Wäre bestimmt auch okay gewesen zu sterben ohne dieses album zu kennen ...
Odd hair metal
Rock album, just ok.
Didn't mind, would listen again
This was surprisingly good. I hate glam rock, but the instrumental stands out as quite catchy and fun, and the storytelling is ok as well. It's not a 10 album, but most of songs are quite decent. 3/5 . I knew this band before because he influenced a Brazilian singer called Supla. His music is horrible, so I didn't have high expectations for this one. Good that I was wrong.
I definitely didn't expect Hanoi Rocks to pop up on this list, but the book makes a compelling case for its inclusion. If you close your eyes, you could hear the Replacements playing some of this, or some other more melodic punks of the era (Goo Goos?). It travels down more cock-rock territory as it proceeds—"Lick Summer Love" et al.—but in general I didn't mind this as much as I expected.
I believe that this is the first entry from a Finnish group. Their music is basic rock, leaning a bit towards heavy metal. The lyrics are quite intelligible, easier to understand than a lot of US and English singers. Some of the songs on the album remind me of the Clash. Overall this was better than expected.
Girl who just read about exotica: Is this... exotica? Nope, it's just 80s rock. It's fine. At least I learned that there's a British place called "Tooting Bec".
Fun glam but yeah… why is it here? There’s better.
This is a bit silly but pretty good fun. Somewhere in the intersection of glam rock, power-pop, post-punk, and hair-metal. Some bits sound like the Clash. Some sound like proto-Libertines landfill indie. One track even reminded me of the Stone Roses.
Perus rokkia, ei jääny oikein mieleen tai soittoon, muttei ärsyttänytkään. Tuskin tulee tutustuttua sen enempää ainakaan tähän levyyn. Hanoi Rocks ei ole koskaan ollut suuremmin lähellä sydäntä.
same old same old again but the last song made me feel like I was as Disneyland??? Lol maybe because I was slowly going insane while running 20 miles
There is absolutely no reason for this album to be here, but I don't mind it because "Until I Get You" is my new jam. So sure, why not. Favorite track: Until I Get You
glam rock! a band from finland?? very cool. this was alot of fun - really enjoyed the saxaphone in some of the tracks. also really like the album cover. that dude's hair is awesome. solid guitar riffs. never heard of this group or band until today - i can hear the cool 80's rock beats in their sound. this was good! 7/10
Hanoi Rocks? Hanoi is okay.
As ever with albums like this, if each song had been shortened by about a minute it would've felt that much better. Despite, that, the longest track on here ('Tooting Bec Wreck') is actually my favourite, so what do I know?
Between 3 and 3.5. Enjoyed but nothing stuck with me. Probably will not go back
I thought this was pretty solid. Nothing spectacular, just a fun listen. It's a little glammy and dated, but that kind of adds to the charm. Overall: 3/5
This was fine, nothing special
Enjoyable listen! Ice cream summer stood out to me.
Glam rock. That was just ok
There's some fun tracks here but nothing too special.
Less interesting musically and more interesting for it represents.
Never judge a book by its cover. Except for this album which is exactly what the album cover sounds like
A little dated sounding now, but probably good for the time. Pretty fun. Feeling generous
WAAAAYYYYYYY better than I expected. I saw the album cover and literally went "what the fuck is this? Who the fuck are these people?" Was kinda a snoozefest until "Tooting Bec Wreck"; this was when the album gave me a killer groove. I honestly don't give two rats about the rudimentary lyrics, I usually don't pay attention to the lyrics in a song anyway. (I was brought up on pop and EDM, so I give more weight to production than lyrical meaning) Until I Get You is an amazing song! I will listen to it and Bec Wreck a couple more times. Rest of album was boring.
vult een gat ergens tussen glam, pubrock en punk.. geen idee of het echt noodzakelijk was dit gat te vullen, maar het is geen slechte plaat
Incredibly stupid proto-hair metal. I think it speaks volumes about the genre that these people barely spoke English but I wouldn't bat an eye at these lyrics even if I didn't know that. Pretty fun in places though.
80s rock baby
I'm surprised I haven't heard of these guys before. Very typical 80s rock. Not that bad at all, but also nothing that stands out.
ok
Glam Power pop. Decent, but not much more than that.
Fun album. These guys influenced bands like guns n roses, etc. Favorite track: strange boys play weird openings other picks: malibu beach nightmare, tooting bec wrect
It’s ok
Classic 80s sound.
More like Hanoi Is Okay, amirite? I knew a couple songs going into it that I thought were fine, and that’s how I felt about it overall. It was fine. Every time it threatened to be solid glam rock, it turned a bit too lame. Every time it threatened to be a bit too lame, it turned into solid glam rock. 3/5
Back to the mystery city was one of the top 10 sexual moves listed in Len Houmous’ Karma Sutra. 3.1 2/10 Malibu Beach Nightmare
Strange Boys Play Weird Openings n/a Malibu Beach Nightmare 3.4 Mental Beat 3.4 Tooting Bec Wreck 3.6 Until I Get You 3.7 Sailing Down the Tears 3.4 Lick Summer Love 3.6 Beating Gets Faster 3.5 Ice Cream Summer 3.4 Back to Mystery City 3.2 Score: 3.466666667
quit bleak. But do like it it has a groove
Favourite Songs: Until I Get You
Pretty fun and honestly a breath of fresh air after some looooong overstuffed albums
Mediocre at best, but I didn’t hate it.
Somewhat forgettable in the background
I mean, I enjoyed listening to it but also who the fuck are these guys making random glam rock stuff and why should I listen to this other than it’s kinda fun. Hmmm
not bad. ripped a few ideas from others but comes together
On some level, I can understand why someone would want to include Hanoi Rocks as an artist to listen to before you die. The Finnish group is often considered one of the pioneering acts of glam metal. Several bands copied their style and attitude, so it would make sense to take a look at the original article. As for the album of choice, it probably makes sense to have one that charted in the UK and featured drummer Razzle before his untimely death. With all that said, what did we get from Back to Mystery City? I'll admit, despite my affinity for cheesy glam rock music, even I can recognize that the album's quality is sporadic. Ignoring the intentionally off-putting intro piece "Strange Boys Play Weird Openings", this album is strongly bookended with "Malibu Beach Nightmare" and the title track, with the high-octane guitar riffing, punching percussion, and Michael Monroe's rowdy vocals that one would come to expect from the genre. But the rest of the tracks are stuck in the mid-tempo doldrums, even towards the ballad territory with "Until I Get You", and it becomes hard to ignore how undercooked the songwriting is, instrumentally and lyrically. Andy McCoy may be a decent guitarist, but as a songwriter, I've heard better. That kind of leads to what I consider to be the ultimate indictment for Hanoi Rocks and why they are at best relegated to having a cult following - the glam metal bands that came out around their time and after boast more significant musicianship and better production in addition to the style and attitude. For as much as I generally had an okay time with this record, I probably would have had an even better time spinning some Guns N' Roses or Skid Row. Even back in 1983, this album came out a couple of months after Def Leppard's Pyromania, which has managed to maintain cultural relevance for much longer. Hell, Finland as a country would produce better music within the next decade with acts like Nightwish and Children of Bodom. All of this to say that Back to Mystery City is a solid enough record that holds some historical significance in the pantheon of heavy music, and that's about it.
Like if the Replacements or Cheap Trick had an early 80s glam rock side project. There’s some cringe, but I feel this is actually pretty solid! Beating Gets Faster is a solid bop, and Lick Summer Love has awful, awful backups. We take the good with the bad.
The Good: There’s a mystery! The Bad: We did not get a map to find said city… The Ugly: The fucking album cover… sorry… Finally I get to listen to the album which, at times, is listed as the lowest ranking of all albums on this journey. I have to say that the first couple of tunes made me wonder why people hate this album so much… Then, around track #4, you start wondering who ever, in their right mind, decided to sign these boys to a record deal… The vocals are pretty darn bad to listen to, and the songs start fizzing in the middle. I guess we all understand that they are included due to the tragic death of the drummer… but then again, Spinal Tap warned any wanna-be-musician that the choice of percussion can be lethal! Out of respect for the dead I will grant the album 3*, because it’s not total trash, but it’s not great either...
This isn’t hitting that hard for me. It’s just rock music. Not much sticks out about it to me. Might be a case of listening to the thing that then became the standard, though, and I’m unimpressed because I’ve heard what is ultimately their influence in too many other things.
feels pretty standard, it was good listening though
Liked this more than I thought I would. Did not know this was the drummer that Vince Neil killed. He's very good on this record.
Loud, dumb glam rock. It's a fun listen, but I didn't really take anything away from it.
Ahh nice enough, and an interesting Wikipedia read which is always appreciated. Simpsons: No
Do I kind of like a hair metal album?! This record really surprised me. I assumed I would dislike it but was pleasantly surprised. That said, I still wouldn't put this on, although if someone else did, I wouldn't be mad.
3+ Stars (9/15)
Solid rock album. Kinda reminds me of cheap trick at times
Hanoi Rocks seem like scholars of rock and roll. There are lots of little references and musical jokes and genre switch-ups in their songs. They often sound like they're nodding to their influences in a sort of tongue-in-cheek way. Their main mode is hard rock and heavy metal, but there's no shortage of theatricality and showmanship. They've got as much in common with Dexys Midnight Runners as they do Black Sabbath. It's a fun energy.
Nice 80's radio rock record. The band sounds pretty tight, but the main vocals are sometimes a bit low in the mix.. I feel like I often wanted more bigger hooks or true frontman "moments" that were so prevalent in this era. Nice record overall though, surprised at the very low play counts (Spotify only had 1 song with over 1 million, "Until I Get You", and no other track over 400k). "Malibu Beach Nightmare" is probably my favorite here, great energy and super fun sax part that comes out of nowhere.
Even while I knew who Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks were, remarkably, I don't know that I've ever listened to a note of their music before this. I assumed they were from California (but... Finland?) and that epitomizes how little I know about the band. The album is a solid blend of punk, glam, rock, don'tgiveafuck, and I appreciated this a lot more now that I would have years ago, so maybe I was just waiting for the right moment to engage. Monroe seems to have influenced the likes of Perry Farrell — but Monroe's willing to explore different elements of his voice and style, to his credit and the benefit of the music. That said, there was plenty of material that held this back from a higher rating, but I liked this more than a simple 3.
I can't say I enjoyed this exactly, but it's a strange record, and I love that journey for them.
Fun and energetic! ★★★
In the early 80s, Hanoi Rocks generated considerable hype that, frankly, I never bought into. I haven't revisited the band since that decade, and I went into "Back to Mystery City" having no memory of ever hearing it. Its inclusion on this list of 1001 albums was a genuine surprise. While it’s a pleasant listen, a solid, good rock album, it’s certainly not brilliant or earth-shatteringly original. The music’s biggest disservice is its thin production; the sound demands a fuller treatment than it receives here. As a result, "Back to Mystery City" is a straightforward three-star record: neither poor nor essential. 1 "Strange Boys Play Weird Openings" (3/5) 2 "Malibu Beach Nightmare" (3/5) 3 "Mental Beat" (3/5) 4 "Tooting Bec Wreck" (3/5) 5 "Until I Get You" (3/5) 6 "Sailing Down the Tears" (3/5) 7 "Lick Summer Love" (3/5) 8 "Beating Gets Faster" (3/5) 9 "Ice Cream Summer" (3/5) 10 "Back to Mystery City" (3/5) Total - 30 Average - 3 173/1001 94/173 albums reviewed were new to me.
Ok
Just another solid punky hard rock album, nothing special but has good energy
*I lost all the notes I wrote for nearly half the album... I'm totally mad. System went: [Couple of sentences per track] [Favourite Tracks] [Overall impression] [Inspirations/Visuals/Reminds me of...] Skip the impression yo... Overall, it's a very fun album, blending genres like rock/metal/psychedelic/ rock and roll/ pop for their sound. Favourite track is Tooting Bec Wreck for it's chaotic mix of a little bit of everything. These guys are considered Glam Metal and apparently became one of the biggest inspirations for later bands in that genre like Guns and Roses, Skid Row and Poison (according to wikipedia.) They were also Finnish! Front man Michael Monroe's voice totally fooled me! Tooting Bec Wreck reminded me of Earthworm Jim with it's farm animals and grimey reverbed bass tone introducing the song. You can imagine the band's total lean into childish fun on stage while they performed this.
Was man so alles entdeckt. Finnische Rockmusik aus den 80ern hatte ich auch noch nicht auf dem Schirm
Probably doesn’t belong on the list, but it was at least enjoyable.
Fav: Malibu Beach Nightmare Least Fav: Tooting Bec Wreck Being one-note isn’t much of a problem if the one thing they’re doing is great. In this case it’s… not too bad
Decent 80s rock. Not as cheesy as some of the other hair metal of the era.
Co to ma być? Dlaczego te wszystkie rockowe płyty brzmią tak samo? Ma to jakiś klimat, wokal też jest przyjemny, ale w żadnej mierzę nie czuję, że mam do czynienia z jedną z najlepszych płyt w historii. Bo niby dlaczego? Co drugi rockowy zespół tak brzmi. 6/10/
Never heard of this band, not even a whisper and honestly I'm not sure why. Maybe it's just me. Maybe their sound is not unique enough, but Back to Mystery City is a good album and a good listen. Standout songs: Malibu Beach Nightmare, Until I Get You and Back to Mystery City
Super cool George Thorogood style Bar Blues rock-mixed with catchy Glam rock hooks! Understandable that the American powerhouses that melded the Arena rock and Heavy-glam, were impacted by this band.
The cool thing about this album is that you can hear the influences on Hanoi Rocks here - The Ramones, The Stones - the sax even feels a bit Springsteen. But you can also hear how this albums influences a bunch of music to come. I knew of the connection to Motley Crue of course, but you can really hear what an impact the band had on the whole hair metal scene. Take that for what it's worth because, well, hair metal.
Finland done good.
It’s a little stupid, but it’s fun. The songs are catchy and the performances are solid. Favorite songs were Malibu Beach Nightmare, Sailing Down The Tears, and Beating Gets Faster.
Even though this is getting 3 stars, I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised. When I first saw the band name I thought, wtf. A quick glance at their discography did not encourage things. It seems like they are leaning in to some sort of 80s Orientalist marketing. But at least the music on this album had something to offer. This was an interesting listen because it charts a certain progression in rock music at the early 80s. I’m hearing echos of the New York Dolls and the Sex Pistols, with a moderate dose of sleaze (not as much of the heavily processed sleaze found on other records of this era). Listen to the bridge on “Malibu Beach Nightmare” and then the intro to “Pretty Vacant.” I’m also hearing the foundations they laid for future artists like Rancid and QOTSA (“Mental Beat” sounds like it could be an outtake from …Like Clockwork). The album was a fascinating glimpse into a particular musical moment, threading the needle of glam, punk, hair metal, and old-school rock-n-roll. I’d be interested in returning to it and better understand the cultural conditions that led to a band like this coming out of Finland.
This is the second time this album came up for me and I feel my review changing. Original review 8/17/25: Interesting back story but that’s about it Revised 11/4/25:I really enjoy Malibu Bay, it stuck with me since the first listen a few months ago. This time around perhaps I’m more open minded or in a different headspace, but someway somehow the album got another star out of me. Good energy, would buy on wax…but not for more than $5. Disclaimer: I only got two hours of sleep last night. That may be the reason I enjoyed this more.
i’m sorry but this album does not need to be here. it’s completely fine musically but there’s not a single thing it does that another group does better and more interestingly already on this list. just a waste of a spot imo
did give my morning walk a sort of twin peaks gleam to it
Heavy influence on glam metal to come.
This one’s a bit puzzling as an inclusion. It sounds like a milder Mötley Crüe - more pop-rock gloss than hard rock grit (at least by my standards). It’s fine, but I don’t fully hear the “must-hear” significance here. Still, given that Hanoi Rocks has been cited as an inspiration for Guns N’ Roses, Ratt, and Poison, I can see how this might represent an evolutionary bridge, taking the glam-punk of the New York Dolls and nudging it toward the full-blown glam metal that dominated the ’80s.
Name, cover and musical direction make for confusing mix. Hard rock, metal. Finnish rock. Fun hair rock, quite silly at times.
New find and a great proto-metal album
Не очень вслушался, глэм как не очень нравился, так и не очень нравится. Но в целом любопытная запись.
Suprised to see the low rating on this one globally (2.67) as of today. While it’s nothing groundbreaking, I still thought this was a fun glam rock album. There isn’t much here that warrants a further listen, but this seems like a good guilty pleasure album. 3 stars.
Decent listen
It was pretty good we enjoyed it. We stopped it many times accidentally
This feels like a bridge between the glam rock of the 70s and the glam metal that would dominate the 80s. It has more of the artistry and musical inventiveness of the former, with the jocular energy of the latter.
Honestly was expecting a lot worse, p decent just quite unmemorable
As a dyed in the wool Gen Xer, I have a soft spot for 80s hair metal and these guys are basically the big brothers of that scene, at least until Vince Neal killed their drummer. I wouldn’t say I liked it but it’s a solid record for the era and entirely responsible for the career of Poison, who basically just took these songs and changed the words. Demerits for that, but overall, a solid C+
A glam-punk romp with big attitude and even bigger hair. The energy’s undeniable and the sax cameo is a delight, but the songs blur together and it never quite transcends its genre trappings. Fun, not great.
For what I'd call a 'classic rock' record, this wasn't half bad. Obviously very cheesy by today's standards, but didn't feel like it took itself too seriously. Favourite tracks: Malibu Beach Nightmare, Mental Beat, Sailing Down the Tears, Lick Summer Love (lol).
Great but basic 80s rock album
Big, stupid, fun. 3/ 5
it was Fine.
Started off strong, fun, ended with a bit of boredom in it so the rating fell from the bike a lil bit.
Any group which inspired G'n'R is good in my books. This is too glam for my tastes, and you know if a song has any type of horn you can almost guarantee it'll be garbage. This has a few of those, but on the whole it's tongue in cheek, silly fun. It's lacking any killer tunes, its not serious enough for punk, not heavy or technically proficient enough to be Metal. That's the harbinger of much of the shite we'd see in the 80s - a chaotic mix of genres with a focus on image and ability over songwriting chops.
Glam punk. The missing link between glam rock and hair metal. Sort of like listening to Guns and Roses for the first time, or Kiss without knowing it's Kiss. The music is good without biographical distraction 3.49 stars
I liked this a whole lot more than I thought I would. My favorite was Malibu Beach Nightmare (I'm a sucker for saxophone). And there were some other great tracks, too. It's a bit dated, but far more alive and exciting than I expected.
Ég verð að segja að ég bjóst við einhverju betra. Glysrokk frá Finnlandi. Þetta hefði átt að vera bomba en svo skilur platan eiginlega ekkert eftir sig. Verð að setja hana í miðjumoð en með trega.
A bit cringe in places, the Springsteen rock sax is a definite turn off, almost a 2 but suitably punky-rock-glam in places to achieve a ⭐⭐⭐, not sure I would seek out to listen to again but maybe...
Seems like something you’d love in high school and be embarrassed about as an adult. It’s alright.
This was pretty solid. Reminded me strongly of the Hives, but from the 80s.
Blind album and artist. Walmart hair metal 80s glam rock band?
yep thats 80s music haha
Strange boys play weird openings: fun idea, but like not really a song so not rating malibu beach nightmare: this album gives very drunk karaoke bar so far and im here for it - 4/5 (fav) mental beat: a bit boring - 2,5/5 (least fav) Tooting bec wreck: also nothing outstanding, bit i like the farm sounds its a bit crazy - 3/5 Until i get you - its alright 3/5 Lick summer love: starts a bit sudden, uhmm interesting lyrics - 3/5 Beating gets faster: this is really kinda cute - 4/5 (2nd fav) Ice cream summer: had me from the beginning - 3,5/5 Back to mystery city - ohhhh i like itt - 4/5 stimmigkeit der songs: 4/5 gesamteundruck (x2): 3/5 (x2) ——> 3/5
Liked this album more than I thought I would. A couple of catchy tunes. Would definitely listen to again.
Intriguing opener. They are almost fucking with us. Great combination of glam and punk rock. A new fan.
sounds like a lot of later music - think they set some trends
Fine, I am more influenced by later works, but this was good
This was "fun" music to listen to, but it didn't really do much for me. I would have probably rated it lower if it didn't sound as "fun" throughout.
#710. Fairly cookie-cutter early glam rock. Not great, not terrible, but kind of exactly as you'd expect. 3/5: fine
Super standard rock music but pretty fun nonetheless
It’s actually good
There are a few interesting moments on here, but ultimately not an album that needs a place on this list.
can be a lil 80s rock slop at times fav: malibu beach nightmare
The sound is part-punk (like Ramones) but the look is way more glam. The songs are kind of poppy and fun to listen to, but doesn't quite rise to 4-star territory.
I liked the opening track, it felt like it contained a lot of energy and made me excited for the rest of the album. the first couple tracks did kind of blur into one for me, they all sounded very similar. punk-y kind of music isn't my cup of tea, but I do appreciate how some people could love it, at times it was very entertaining. it was interesting finding out these guys were from Finland, they sound so American-punk like. i actually quite enjoyed the track "Sailing Down the Tears" more than i thought i would have. overall, it was okay, but just not my preferred genre + style
Don't mind it. Pretty funny, interesting record. Won't go back to it though.
You know what? I really enjoyed this. I had no idea what to expect and was expecting a much worse experience than what was provided here. I never heard of these guys but honestly it was really a fun listen.
Okay album, didn't stand out too much
Some bangers on there, but then some others that didn't quite hit the spot. Seemed more like post-punk than rock.
No es mi estilo, bastante corto y digerible, me gustaron un par de canciones pero no siento que lo vaya a recordar.
Entraînant, sympathique et efficace, mais pas très original
At first the album felt so-so but towards the middle it became fire
good i guess, but not my muzak
Tooting Bec Wreck // Until I Get You // Beating Gets Faster //
Cheesy par moments mais globalement assez solide.
The entire album passed and I could not name you one song. That being said, it wasnt like it was bad just hella mid. Favourite Song: Until I Get You
Surprisingly solid. Had heard a lot about them but never listened. Surprised they weren't bigger back in the day. 3.5/5
suprisingly good hair metal album
It sounds pretty cool. Fairly different to other albums on the list. But nothing pulls me in for a second listen
Honestly? Not bad. Disposable but fun.
it's ok
If you wanted 80s British rock, you got it right here.
Not available for streaming :(
Pretty good.
Nice enough.
Some promise here such as the intro to mental beat. But most of it I find middling, like ice cream summer which has heavy elvis costello vives 3/5
Really a pleasant surprise. I had never heard of this band before, and when I saw them described as "Finnish heavy metal" I was really worried I would hate it. Quite the opposite! Really good rock and roll stuff here. 3/5.
While entertaining with a couple stand out tracks, overall just feels a slightly above average glam rock album with just not enough juice behind it to stay particularly compelling.
I can really see this band actually being a group of muppets.
2.7
5.5/10
Wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be!
This music album had some songs that I listened to.
A surprising selection, and a band that is probably most well known for having one of its members killed in a drunk driving accident with Motley Crue's Vince Neil. I had heard a prior album before - "Self Destruction Blues" - so didn't come in completely blind. But this record is a bit different - sort of a mash-up between the New York Dolls and Cheap Trick. As such its undeniably fun, and you can see how these guys would be a compelling live act. But it also all sort of reads as derivative and inconsequential. A perfectly fine and fun record, but not something anyone "needs to hear before they die."
This was just alright; thought it was going to be worse. I suppose I wanted more for being on this list but they had sparks of good tunes. 6/10
Never hear of them. Rubbish album cover. Quite good album. 3.5 stars.
"Back to Mystery City" is the fourth studio by Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks. Glam rock, hard rock and glam metal are the Wiki-listed genres. They all work. The album was produced by ex-Mott the Hoople members Dale "Buffin" Griffin and Pete "Overend" Watts. The bandmembers included Michael Monroe (lead vocals, saxophone, harmonica), Andy McCoy (lead guitar), Nasty Suicide (rhythm guitar), Sam Yaffa (bass) and Razzle (drums). A year later, Razzle was killed in an automobile accident involving Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil and his sports car. The band was never the same after and broke up. Commercially, the album reached #87 in the UK and #6 in Finland. The album opens interestingly enough with an acoustic guitar instrumental in "Strange Boys Play Weird Openings." A flute and a bird singing are added too. The second single "Malibu Beach Nightmare" begins with loud guitar riffs and high-pitched vocals from Michael Monroe. It's melodic. A sax and piano. It's obvious that the producers are from Mott the Hoople; this music is straight in the power pop/glam rock category. The second single "Until I Get You" continues the glam rock. Melodic. Layered vocals and guitar. A nice guitar solo. "Beating Gets Faster" is a simple love song. Repeating guitar slashes. A song that builds up. A catchy chorus with the backing vocals. A searing guitar solo begins the closer "Back to Mystery City." The drums and bass are lifted directly from Tommy James and the Shondells' "Mony Mony." It could be worse. It's a song about the band's travels in the Far East. I came into this album expecting a sound more like Mötley Crüe and later 80's hair metal. Instead, I got a retro glam rock sound way more like the New York Dolls, the Flamin' Groovies and Mott the Hoople. I'm sure the producers helped them in that direction. The vocals and lyrics seemed to be split between the serious and humorous with drugs, sex, simple love/romance and traveling being some of the topics. Their lead guitarist Andy McCoy can play. It would have been interesting to see where this band would have went as the hair metal era (or maybe not). This album was decent. It's an album worth listening to if you're a 1970's glam rock or power pop fan.
Enjoyable
Thoughts before listening: One of those bands I've known of for most of my music listening life, I'm sure I've heard a song or two, but I know nothing about them. I feel like they were maybe a big influence on the hair metal scene i.e. Motley Crue and Poison...not sure if that necessarily justifies their addition to this list though. Review: This is okay. It definitely leans more into a power pop sound than what I would typically associate with even the hair metal scene. There's definitely a glam rock influence here with horns and keyboards being added to the mix on some songs, and maybe their sound can be described as Kiss meets T Rex. Something like that. Ultimately its just okay to me although there are definitely some fun songs here. 3-stars
Apparently influential for some glam metal bands that are hit or miss for me anyway, so I was ready to write this off. First track is forgettable but then the next two songs have interesting percussion and catchy guitars, suddenly I'm into it. Great middle section on Tooting Bec Wreck with tribal-style drumming and rumbling bass. The vocals are just the right amount of weird. Until I Get You is the highlight, a big power ballad with chugging guitars. Another couple of filler tracks follow but Beating Gets Faster opens with a great riff and then a steady rock beat. Second best song on the album, keyboards blending nicely with the guitars. There's not much in the way of virtuosic soloing here, but the playing is tight and the instrumental breaks keep your attention. This Finnish outfit gets a passing grade from me.
This is an odd one. I was expecting formulaic Hair Metal and instead I got late 70s post punk/new wave albeit 4 years too late. Enjoyable
This album was pretty decent, a lot of the songs were good but a few of them were a bit dated.
After hearing this album, I can confidently say that I really enjoy glam rock. I can hear how this band influenced other glam rock acts to come after, like Poison, Guns N' Roses, L.A. Guns, etc.. a lot of that Sunset Strip sound of the mid to late 80's was definitely influenced by Hanoi Rocks. Good album, not groundbreaking, but definitely worth a listen before you die. 3.25/5 stars.
Glam's not dead! The sound of 1973 for 1983 - way more fun than the hair metal stuck-ups who followed on from these guys. Doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it goes along at a great lick with tight riffs, big choruses and loads of character. There's a lot more interesting music going on here than I had expected! Favourite tracks: Mental Beat, Until I Get You, Lick Summer Love
Ok
This was fine I guess. Nothing spectacular.
FINLAND MENTIONED!!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮
Strange Boys Play Weird - no rating Malibu Beach Nightmare - 4/5 Mental Beat - 3/5 Tooting Bec Wreck - 4/5 Until I Get You - 4/5 Sailing Down the Tears - 2/5 Lick Summer Love - 4/5 Beating Gets Faster - 3/5 Ice Cream Summer - 1/5 Back to Mystery City - 3/5 Average score: 3.1/5 this was an interesting choice to add to a must-listen list, that much i do know. i don't mind glam rock as a genre, but i'm almost certain i've heard other groups do it more justice than whatever this group is doing here it's super inconsistent throughout; a couple fun songs with the rest varying between boring and grating on the ears. the songs also felt wayyyy to long for my liking it wasn't a "bad" listen, but it's definitely a bit of a difficult one to sit through in my opinion
One of the guitar riffs sounds like Power Rangers, another sounds like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Classic 80s, and although the sound is dated, it's also perfect for the era and seems to try to be shooting for a catchy radio hit.
Them and Van Halen were responsible for inspiring some of the worst rock music ever made in the 80s but we shouldn't hold that against them.
Weirdly good
This is another one of those early 80's albums that I can't believe I missed. I loved the wit and bombastic energy on this album, and while I am not sure what they are really about, it is hard to argue against their raucous vibe. This is kind of like the funny cousin of Def Leopard that doesn't take itself too seriously, but also dives into the music with overt intensity.
Some bits are entertaining, some bits are silly.
always a sucker for glam rock and early heavy metal but man there are so many better choices than this
Malibu Beach Nightmare sounds like glam rock mixed with punk, A decent mix nothing to special to the song. But probably one of the better songs on this album. Mental beat was just reparative and bland, A more experimental track but it's just all over the place. Weird vocal tones and harmonizing and out of sync. Same flow, same riffs only stopping a few times to do some experimental stuff. Not the biggest fan of mental beat, It's a horribley mixed track that's sloppy at best, Tooting Bec Wreck is also a weird track although slightly better, So far all of the songs have just been really repetitive. Untill I get you was a track that was different compared to every other track and more enjoyable. One of the highlights of this album with a short guitar solo that was really cool. Sailing Down The Tears is an upbeat sad song, which is also another highlight and probably my favourite track on this album, Lick Summer Love is another good song of the album, A more laid back approached compare to the other songs and not really being a repeat of the other songs. Beating getting faster is just more a repeat of earlier tracks with bland guitar, drums and vocals. But the lyrics were deep. The last two tracks were good in some parts but also not the most enjoyable.
The first track tricks you into thinking there may be proggy elements present on this record but it certainly lies... It is woefully mediocre glam rock. I am not the biggest fan of the genre post-70s, though this is not the worst album I've ever heard.
No es un mal disco , es perfectamente escuchable , pero creo que queda a medio camino entre el rock , GlamRock , hardrock , pop , a ratos es similar a The Cure o Motel Crue ...... y creo que ese es el talón de Aquiles del disco , no sabes que estas escuchando , la propuesta de la banda no es clara y ese en personas ochenteras es un problema ya que en ese tiempo nos abanderábamos con los estilos musicales y para bien o mal cada banda tenia una clara etiqueta de lo que hacia ........ Hanoi Rock carece de eso.
When I saw the album cover I was sure it would be proper shit but it turned out to be alright.
It had its moments, but, ultimately, I was left feeling unimpressed, uninterested, uninspired, and underwhelmed. It was fine. 3/5
Finland must be a wild place.
ha "cute if overcalculated" kinda hits the mark from big Christgau. Fun silly "glam punk?" paradoxical metal. And so superior to motley crue - just realized I'd heard the name of this band cause Vince Neil killed their drummer.
Seems like this book is easily judge-able by its cover, but you know what? I was wrong. It actually kinda rocks. I like the wonky sax on a lot of the songs. It’s pretty weird and pretty good.
Don't know what to make of this band. They're good, I just don't see greatness here. This was that transition period from more classic rock/punk into the glam rock era. I can certainly hear that influence on this album. It makes me want to tune into a radio station on GTA: Vice City and just cruise around a bit. The problem? None of it is memorable. I had to do a quick double check just to find out what song to put on the 1001 playlist. It will be, "Malibu Beach Nightmare". I think that encapsulates the band in it's entirety, and is quite catchy. ~3.2 Stars
Así como vino, se fue y nadie lo va a extrañar. Nota: 2.8
Almosttt a 4
I am not sure it needed to be on this particular list, but this was a fun listen. Strange Boys Play Weird Openings is right! I can see influences on GNR, Skid Row, and maybe even a little Turbo Negro. I hear hints of Stray Cats, and Adam Ant in there with some of the percussion choices. A hodge podge of things melted down into an interesting early glam effort before LA homogenized the whole thing.
C'était l'fun! Je ne ré-écouterai pas!
3/5
Good album. I thought the lyrics were kind of cheesy but the music was good. It sometimes felt like the band was just mimicking hair bands (almost like karaoke) but I am just going to write this off as lyrics lost in translation from Finnish to English.
Easy enough. Can enjoy the 80s beats. Good background music whilst driving
eh, so fucking 80s jesus christ
Punk rock-ish
Early 80’s punk vibe
Good rock
75% Best: Malibu Beach Nightmare; Until I Get You; Back to Mystery City Must-Hear? Nah
This sounded like the band playing a gig in the background of some surf zombie B-movie. Which is kind of a dig but also a compliment: they sound good enough that they appear to be a proper band but scrappy enough that they don't sound like they're ever going to make it big. It was punkier than I expected. I sort of liked it!
Not what I expected, in a good way…
A fine album but musically not all that amazing in and of itself. Glam rock really hyped up the stage show and the concert as visually interesting. However, for a person who just listens to the music itself, that gets lost.
Never heard of these guys but big ups to Finland. I didn't think the album was that great though, pretty good for the time
So much hair
Absolutely refreshing after so many depressing "message" albums in a row. Just stupid fun rock.
Had definitely not heard this before! Great 80s rock.
I mostly didn't like this, but there were a few songs (especially "Tooting Bec Wreck") that were interesting enough. I guess it's still punk enough that I'm not totally turned off.
Go Finland!
Some cool moments but ultimately forgettable. Favourite track was Malibu Beach Nightmare.
This largely sounds like some standard 80's rock, although I'll say that "Beating Gets Faster" is catchy as hell and holds up. 3.2
A decent rock album.
Rocky. Feels a few decades old, but not sure which. fast paced. Singing is ok.
I think this is Hanoi Rocks number 2 on the list. Its not bad overall, just shy of getting a 4 just in that the sound doesn't carry the whole album.
More glam than hair metal. Was a fun listen!
Didn’t hate it, but it didn’t do much for me either.
Perfectly serviceable rock, good for background music.
Inget särskilt - rak power pop utan så mycket karaktär. Trea
Not released in the US
This has 80’s flick rad energy
Not bad but not for me
This was fun. Not amazing, but they were having a good time and I could bop along to it.
Solid fun rock album. 3.5/5
Like a punk hair band.
achei divertidim mas nada demais. 3 estrelas porque teve um sax.
A banda aparentemente é pouco conhecida, mas mostra muita qualidade final do produto.
Bueno
Not sure what to make of this Glam Punk / Rock / Metal album from 1983 - inspiration for, or inspired by Spinal Tap? A Finnish version of The Sweet perhaps? Musically accomplished, but nothing really stands out.
Słuchałem tego albumu w sumie wiele razy, za każdym razem obiecując sobie, że tym razem go zrecenzuję. Miałem chyba trzy podejścia, za każdym razem słuchałem go co najmniej dwa razy. A mimo to w zasadzie nic nie pamiętam. Jedyne, co mi zapadło w pamięć, to przejście na werblu, które szło w rytmie przyśpiewki "C-C-CWK-CWKS-Legia". Pamiętam kilka momentów, które brzmiały jak prekursor późniejszych zespołów, ale to tyle. Nie drażniło mnie to, słuchało mi się wcale znośnie, ale wypadło szybko z pamięci. Słabiutkie 3.
Can’t believe the album was only 20 mins
I'm gonna try to be brief on this one since I don't have a ton to say. I feel like I've been writing longer and longer reviews, so it'll be nice to just say a few sentences for once. Hanoi Rocks is somewhat influential in regards to the development of hard and glam rock, even influencing huge bands like Guns 'N' Roses and Poison! As for the album itself? I think it's good! It's not a complex album or anything, but does it have to be? The writing is definitely a bit basic, but it hasn't aged too poorly or anything. The style is fun. I enjoy it, but I'm a sucker for cheesy 80s hard rock so of course I enjoyed it. What's weird is that some of the songs are incorrect on Spotify, so I had to listen to them on YouTube. I don't know why that is. The singing works. The album's not special, but I enjoy it. Solid 3/5.
It was ok
This is certainly eighties hard rock, alright!
Its glam rock...I love that this site calls them heavy metal. This isn't the first time and I think its funny because these types of bands seem to have lost their "heavy" feelings as the years have gone by. Now they just seem like overexaggerated fun rock. Listening to it today, this is something I would jump around and dance and sing to and headbang. It may not be amazing, it isn't anything unique and different but I enjoyed listening to it.
Some fun songs but also the usual grating glam sound.
fun album. wildly inconsistent track volumes. beating gets faster in particular is so much louder than the tracks immediately before and after it.
Song format : start low & slow, end loud & fast. Works for me.
Ok.
Fun vibe
I didn’t expect to like this. Undeniably fun. Immediately hearing the influence they had on early King Tuff, who I thought was more an amalgam of many things than so directly impacted by a smaller handful of artists.
not on Apple Music, searchin on YouTube the title track reminded me of seeing Billy Idol in concert last year. I liked that HOLD UP. The handy 'official' playlist on Youtube Music is WRONG. They're different Hanoi Rocks songs! "Tooting Bec Wreck" is actually a song called "Don't Never Leave Me". "Until I Get To You" is "Lost in the City". "Sailing Down the Tears" is "First Timer". Labeled as "Lick Summer Love", it's "Cheyenne". All 4 songs are from their 1981 debut! I guess I didn't question why the song titles didn't match to the lyrics (I thought it was hilarious a tender love song, opening with "I don't wanna hurt you, I don't wanna see you cry", was titled "Lick Summer Love"), but what gave it away were the song lengths on Wikipedia. Okay, so the real Back to Mystery City is less indebted to new wave/punk, and sounds more like the glam metal acts to come. Though I probably should revisit this down the road. I can't enjoy a party glam metal album while also stressin about the fallibility of the corporations that have the rights to this music -_- HL: "Ice Cream Summer", "Tooting Bec Wreck", "Until I Get You" February 24, 2025
The line from the 70s punk, post-punk, glam and more flow through bands like Hanoi Rocks. The 80s Hair Metal scene can claim a lot of inspiration from back to Mystery City. This was a fun, jaunty listen. 3.5/5
Not too bad for 80s rock, but nothing special.
Sure, I guess - it's utterly symptomatic of 80s rock, to the point where I could've told you the main beats before I even listened. It's fine, but nothing I'd put on again frankly.
Klingt gut, aber es ist viel Durcheinander - es ist schwierig mitzusingen und durch in den Liedern klare Melodien zu erkennen. Wäre das gegeben, easy vier, vielleicht sogar fünf Sterne
17 minutes isn’t an album
While listening Lick Summer Love one can hear the origins of vocal style on Guns N Roses. This doesn't provide more credibility than 3 stars.
Even though it’s a Finnish band, I’ve never really been a huge fan of Hanoi Rocks. And I think I haven't even listened this album through ever. On this tuesday morning it sounded groovy and joyful. I kinda like. 3 stars.
3 out of 5.
Нормальный альбом, не очень зацепил
If the New York Dolls knew how to write songs.
I didn’t have high hopes when I saw the band name and album cover. And yes, it was definitely dated and cringy, but overall I thought the songwriting was actually pretty good.
As 80s Rock goes this was bang average
Я нормально ставлюсь до New York Dolls та своєрідного «гламуру», який вони привнесли в рок музику. Більш того, їх «контроверсійність», фактично, породила панк як такий, адже їх перший альбом вийшов у 73-у році, а натхнений ними, дебютник Sex Pistols побачив світ тільки у 77-у. Але чому я взагалі про них згадав? Справа у тому, що Hanoi Rocks фактично є продовжувачами їх ідей, як візуально, так і музично, хоча тут вже і відчувається очевидний вплив #heavymetal. Тож перед нами, насправді, доволі чипляючий #glamrock, або навіть #glampunk, що нагадує навіть більше гаражний рок 70-х ніж hair metal, який я терпіти не можу. Це гарний альбом, не більше, не менше. Його було приємно і цікаво послухати, та він здобув певний комерційний успіх. Саме завдяки цьому альбому Hanoi Rocks отримали контракт із мейджор лейблом та випустили ще один, на мою думку, більш кращий альбом Two Steps From the Move (1984) І можливо, якщо б не трагічна автокатастрафа, що забрала життя їх барабанщика Razzle, та призвела до розпаду гурту, вони б стали значно «більшими». А популярний у 80-х #glammetal, був би геть іншим, та вочевидь, кращим жанром.
first listen super forgettable
Not really what I was expecting, but I guess I don’t know what I was expecting. I was pretty distracted while listening, but paid attention enough to know this isn’t something I’d listen to again. That said, it also wasn’t annoying.
Hanoi sort of rocks?
I'm not sure I'd listen to this again but I was pleased to listen to this and learn about this band. It also helped me make some connections: I knew that Vince of Mötley Crüe had killed someone drink driving, but I now know that that person was Razzle, the Hanoi Rocks drummer, and this basically killed off Hanoi Rocks as a band. Which is all a bit sad and unnecessary. There's a lot of fun stuff here. It's very silly and Glam and 80s. It's not the best in this genre though. Maybe its the songs themselves which are just a little lacking some oomph? This was in danger of being a 2* album but the inclusion of a song about what was once my nearest underground station pushes this up a notch.
Just pretty generic stuff from a mostly unknown band. Not bad at all, but nothing memorable.
OK, nothing special.
Cool 80s sounding album. Catchy songs.
This is a bit of a weird one and I'm not sure if I like it or not. You get the feeling that this is what meth sounds like, though.
Never heard of this band before, I feel they're just a copy of various other mainstream bands from the same genre/era. It was pretty standard, nothing to write home about. Not sure I'll listen to them again, and I don't think they would make it to any of my playlists. Enjoyed listening whilst coding some automation requirements, so deserves a 3 for that.
Could have been so much worse, i.e lyrically and guitars. Its fine, very cheesy, but how could it not have been. Instruments are good. Favourite songs: First, until I get you, beating gets faster. Overall around 6/10
It's a little on the lighter side than "Hair Metal", but it's a fine album. What more would you expect by the cover art? Motley Crue mixed with David Bowie? You wish.
Really glam rock album from a band that doesn't get much share of the limelight (★ ★ ★ 1⁄2) ✅ 73/100
Well, the city does rock - this only a little bit
6.5/10 A pleasant surprise. Silly, fun glam metal with influences like British new wave, the Clash, and maybe even some Springsteen sax. Well produced, well sung, but undeniably silly and a little vapid in the lyrics. Best: Back To Mystery Beach
Pretty fun
Schlop
Just another 80's band where it is style over substance but decent music so 3 stars or C,
Some catchy songs at the end of the album. Mental Beat was kind of weird.
Fun stuff! Cool production, although as per usual lost me by the end. Glam rock 4 life.
83 was a rough year because all the bands looked more interesting than they actually were
Meh. Fav Songs: Hanoi Rocks
Had never heard of it before but thought it was fine. Wouldn't necessarily listen again.
It’s ironic that the band that invented glam metal knew that the genre was a joke and treated it as such, but all the bands that came along and copied them were too dumb to realize that wearing wigs and eye liner and screeching over screechy guitars makes you a clown, not a cool tough rock god.
I was amused. A bit simple, and not as rock and roll as I might like, if going this particular direction, but at some point, you have to appreciate the earnest delivery of clichés.
I can't believe I enjoyed this, but I did. A precursor to so much 80s glam rock garbage to come, but so much more fun. Don't take it seriously, and it's a fun listen.
This glam punk meets hard rock nonsense was basically very silly, but also quite listenable. I assumed it would offend me and my delicate ears to the core, so it gains marks for not being at that end of the rock spectrum. It's also, in a way, quite a cool band name and album title, so have a little bonus decimal places for that.
2.5
Pretty decent. Nothing special or anything to write home about. Doesn't do anything new, or groundbreaking. It's just an album that you can stick on, have fun with and go about your day, nothing more, nothing less. It's just another 80's glam rock band, and I feel like other similar artists did it better.
Finnish glam metal sounds a lot like a pop punk precursor, but it definitely feels a lot more uplifting and leans on a lot of common tropes. Also, they incorporate saxophone?
fun 80s hard rock
Easy listening, but nothing much to shout about
Kind of like a more anthemic sounding New York Dolls. A little bit of the punk sneer, but not enough of anything to be truly memorable. The run of songs from Tooting Bec Wreck to Lick Summer Love is very solid. Lyrics were kind of weak. Would recommend, but not strongly.
It had some moments that raised its score, but I did not hear a reason why I needed to hear this album.
It was OK. Must have been influential in its day or something, but I neither loved nor hated it.
Enjoyed this. I had always heard of them because of the death of one of the members and reasons around it. Never heard before.
Fun album, maybe not the most substantial, but fun for what it is. 3.5 stars
Pretty good. Good vibe to them, not much stood out though. Cool hair?
6.5/10
Might be the best hair metal band/albums of the 80s. I think they are massively underrated
Opening for Motley Crue, these guys! And that’s about the only place they should have stayed.
Good
Favorite Track: Ice Cream Summer
Ah, the 80s. These riffs are as powerful as the hairdos on the cover.
Unavailable on Apple Music. Will revisit if I can find it on YouTube. It’s a fine album but the listening experience on YouTube with ads is really holding it back. I don’t feel that I can fairly rate this album because I cannot listen to it uninterrupted. From now on if it is not on Apple Music I will give it a 3/5 and move on.
Arguably the one band that gets to the claim the title for "Big in Japan". No doubt, Hanoi Rocks would be one of the more influential forces on the visual kei in terms of fashion and personality. As for the album, Back to Mystery City is a fairly good glam rock record, though never impressing me much beyond a few catchy songs.
Sjedim u hotelu Bonavia i pokušavam se pomiriti s “Back to Mystery City” od Hanoi Rocks koji svira u pozadini. Jedan od onih albuma da traje dulje mogao bih ne poceti nervirati. Back to Mystery City je, da prostiš, glam rock s punkastim prizvukom, okej na minutu, al’ niš posebno. Dečki su svoj zvuk i imidž pokupili od Sex Pistolsa, New York Dollsa i te ekipice koja voli distorziju sa gro pudera, iako nisu ni do koljena tim bendovima. Realno, album je okej za slušat dok se tuširaš il delas nekaj drugo . Ritmičan, nekad i zabavan i može proći na kratke ture. Ima tu momenata u pjesmama koje su fakat super, ali ni jedna stvar nije baš hit da ti ostane u uhu. Najbliže tome dođe naslovna stvar, “Back to Mystery City,” koja zvuči kao nešto što bi KISS odbacio u potrazi za hitovima. Njihov najpoznatiji hit je bio 1984: i to hit auta Vincea Neila iz Motley Cruea u drugi auto, te tako ubio bubnjara Razzle. Ta je nesreća sjebala cijeli band i uništila im karijeru u Americi, a nakon toga se ni jedan album nije uspio ozbiljno probiti. Sve u svemu, ovo nije album koji ću staviti na playlistu za neki izlazak, a pogotovo ne vožnju (pun intended). Više je album za trenutke kad ti treba da nešto žmrlji u pozadini, a da pritom ne para uši. 6.5/10
A ono Nisam ovo baš slušao s previše pažnje Nit mi je dobro, nit mi je loše, onak pozadinski pank dok pijem kavu na državni praznik Stvarno nemam šta pametnije za reci Nije mi pre pankerski, nije mi pre popoerski Sve nešto između 5/10
The connective tissue between New York Dolls and GnR. This represents the alternative path 80s metal could have taken. Less solos and shredding, more glam, less shouts to the devil - and even some straight up nods to 50s RnR. Better than most of their piers but in the end still an 80s metal album.
I get why people like it, I am just not one of those people. I wanted it to be done. There was not disdain, but there was not a ton of joy.
To my ear, feels very Bowie. But then I guess I just don't have much other experience with this brand of glam-y punk stuff.