Tonight the Stars Revolt! is the second studio album and major label debut by American rock band Powerman 5000. It was released on July 20, 1999, by DreamWorks Records. Having sold over one million copies and achieving platinum status, this would become the group's most successful release and featured such hits as "Nobody's Real" and "When Worlds Collide".
Composition Building on the style of their previous album, Powerman 5000 expands the band's style to combine "roaring heavy metal with electronics and sound effects" and lyrics chanted in a monotone voice. The album stylistically departs from the funk metal sound of their debut in favor of industrial and nu metal songs inspired by B-movie and comic book science fiction. The album's lyrics are themed around "gods and monsters, global annihilation and man-machines hungering for destruction."
The album shares the same title as a story written by Gardner Fox published in the pulp science fiction magazine Planet Stories (1952).
Reception
CMJ (July 19, 1999, p. 3) – "...tighter than a barbed wire noose wrapped around your neck...[TONIGHT] relies on sci-fi imagery and memorable hooks that are sharp enough to catch more than a few big, heavy fish".
Awards The album won the Boston Music Awards for "Album of the Year" in 2000, while "When Worlds Collide" was nominated for "Single of the Year".
Track listing All lyrics by Spider One; all music by Powerman 5000, except "Good Times Roll" by the Cars.
Notes The song "Watch the Sky for Me" ends at minute 3:50. After 30 seconds of silence (3:50–4:20), the hidden track "The World of the Dead" starts.
Personnel Spider One – vocals Adam 12 – guitar M.33 – guitar Dorian 27 – bass Al 3 – drums
Production Chapman Baehler – photography Tom Baker – mastering Joe Barresi – engineer Ginger Fish – piano Frank Gryner – mixing Scott Humphrey – programming, mixing Sylvia Massy – producer, engineer Marc LaCorte – programming DJ Lethal – turntables Spider One – art direction, design Nika – art direction, design Malachi Throne – narrator Ulrich Wild – producer, mixing Rob Zombie – vocals
Charts
Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for Tonight the Stars Revolt! Chart (1999) Peakposition US Billboard 200 29
Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for Tonight the Stars Revolt! Chart (2000) PositionUS Billboard 200 187
Certifications
References