I was blindsided by Starmen back in 2023 when they released “Starmenized.” The zany presentation in comic book style with worn LP cover art spoke to the retro hey-day of the 70s and 80s hard rock scene. The fun they brought was in stark contrast to the self-serious metal that I was oft seeking that it really opened my eyes to the good points of AOR and its ilk. That album has been played with some regularity since, keeping the Starmen sound familiar.
After “Starmenized,” Starmen released a compilation in 2024 marking their 5-year anniversary, which speaks to the amount of material this band has produced in short order. In 2025, they decided to pull forward material from the Starmenized sessions to make a “Starmenized II” record. Apparently they had something like 30 songs worked in those sessions and although “Starmenized” had the first pick, the band thought the other songs were too good to be left behind. Have these two-year old leftovers aged well or grown the funky mold?
It is definitely the former as the album sounds like a worthy sequel to the original “Starmenized.” There is that showman swagger and fun atmosphere through 70s and 80s rock stylings that I fell in love with in the first edition. The playing has actually stepped up a smidge and the mix is a lot sharper where the vocals come through nicely with less mud. The cherry on top is the optimistic energy that picks me up every time.
The whole album is like a warm blanket in winter. No doubt I have played this thing in the double digits and I’m still not tired of it, humming tunes and licks from the album here and there until the next round. Catchy choruses like “Shark In The Dark,” “Shame On You,” and “Not Your Enemy” are fun and energetic, sure to be a hit at parties or roadtrips. The focus of the songs are on these choruses as they repeat just enough to get in your head without wearing out. The songs tend to stay in the melodic hard rock territory and steer clear of sappy ballads, but a couple of softer songs like “The One” ever so slightly pluck the heart strings to great effect.
What draws me in is the guitar-centric sound that makes use of dirty-bluesy guitar riffs, leads, and solos that had me fall for rock and metal in the first place. The riffs are classic Kiss or AC/DC inspired fare with leads that feel organic and alive as opposed to practiced pinpoint precision. It is a great complement to the vocals that have a similar from-the-heart organic style with great energy. The bass and drums lay down a solid foundation with a good sense of groove and rhythm that without it, the songs would fall flat.
Although having connections to Narnia, Starmen is not faith-based but compatible with those of faith by not falling into the sleazy territory that this style is wont for. They make use of typical hard rock tropes with an against-all-hope optimism as double entendres to the astute ear. For example, “Trouble” at first blush sounds like lady troubles, but the lyrics also speak of breaking up with magic and the trepidation of letting go of familiar sin. “The One” that makes the object of love rather ambiguous. It could be a significant other, a loved one, a pet, or something more spiritual. More direct positive lyrics are on the good guy rock track “One World” as a call for peace and unity of all mankind to live in harmony, recalling humanitarian efforts of the 80s.
This was a late game changer for me in my top 10 album list. My first run or two of the album had me on the fence as to the quality relative to the original, but the mix was really improved and the playing stayed strong. There is a good mix of songs that kept away from the cheesy ballads, staying positive and energetic with soulful rock energy that is just as good as the bands that inspired them. In my opinion, Starmen are terribly underrated, which is the unfortunate case for many bands on this site. If the sounds of 70s and 80s hard rock is appealing, “Starmenized II” is worth checking out.
Rating: 9.0/10
Written by Sean Bailey
Tracklist
1 – Trouble
2 – Born To Rock
3 – 15 Minutes Of Pain
4 – The One
5 – Shark In the Dark
6 – Fire
7 – One World
8 – Shame on You
9 – Not Your Enemy
10 – Waiting on a Heartbreak
Starmen is:
Red Starman (Kristian Hermanson) – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Gold Starman (Jonatan Samuelsson) – bass, keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals
Silver Starman (John Hector) – drums, backing vocals
Purple Starman (Andreas Lindgren) – lead guitar, backing vocals
Release Date: November 28, 2025
Record Label: Melodic Passion Records
Discography:
Kiss the Sky (2020)
Welcome To My World (2020)
By the Grace of Rock ‘n’ Roll (2021)
Starmenized (2023) [review]
Starmenized II (2025)
Social Media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
Videos for One World
Video for 15 Minutes of Pain
Video for Trouble
Video for The One