Metal Overview: W.A.S.P. (Part 2)

Welcome back to the swarm of W.A.S.P. fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Last week we examined their origins in the 1980s. The time where they were their most hairiest, their bloodiest, and their most shocking. Now it was the 1990s: it’s a brand new musical landscape, and Hair Metal was no longer one of the big metallic forces that held the torch up high. However, Blackie Lawless was not a man that sat down in his chair, defeated that his way of music was no longer. He was a guy that pushed on in his own unique way, and because of that the 90s might be the band’s most unique output. Let’s not waste anymore time, and see what they made!

The Crimson Idol (1992)

After The Headless Children, it wasn’t exactly a good time for W.A.S.P.. After Chris Holmes left the band, the group was effectively broken up, and Blackie went on a short lived solo run. Blackie was originally going to be the T-1000 in Terminator 2, but was later replaced by Robert Patrick after Arnold Schwarzenegger deemed Lawless "too tall". After being rejected for the roll, he got to work on his solo album, but due to pressure from promoters and the fans, he released it as a W.A.S.P. album. Thus, in 1992 in Europe & Japan (June 27th & August 1st respectively), and in 1993 (May the 24th) in the states, The Crimson Idol was released. A concept album, The Crimson Idol tells the tale of the rise and fall of a fictional rock star named Jonathan Steel. The reasoning for this rather bleak theme was due to Blackie desire to “Warn” potential bands of the system that is the record industry, and while I think that’s a good idea in theory.....in reality it’s a bit of a crapshoot, but more on that a little later.

Reviews for The Crimson Idol are generally pretty positive. Over on MetalArchives scores are in the 90s to 100, which is incredibly impressive. Metal elitest & Trump fellator Razorfist calls this one of the most essential concept albums in metal period, and Greg Prato at AllMusic gave The Crimson Idol three stars out of five, calling it "essentially a Blackie Lawless solo album" and noting "The Invisible Boy", "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)" and "I Am One" as highlights. Ironically, many critics felt at the time (and some still today) that The Crimson Idol is W.A.S.P.’s best output, and while I don’t agree with that mentality, it’s sure as hell one of the best!

Best Track? Gotta give it to good ole Chainsaw Charlie as the best track of the album! Just hearing the saw rev up at the start just send chills up my spine, and is a sign that this guy is not to be messed with. Then once the instrumentation starts, you’re in for quite the ride, as Blackie goes through the motions of this crooked music president doing everything he can to get young Jonathon to sign to his record label. Even with that said, the pacing & rhythm are oddly hypnotic, and it somehow draws you into the dark world that Blackie has created.....for a moment at least.

Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)

Worst Track? While an undeniably awesome album, filled with some of the best Heavy Metal the 90s can provide......The Crimson Idol tries waaaaaay to hard to be shocking & in your face. With the prior 4 albums, the shock factor came in naturally. With this? As well meaning as Blackie was with the message, he wound up unintentionally crafting what is quite possibly one of the single most pretentious albums in all of 90s Heavy Metal. The vibes of this release are so artificially dark, they almost come across like the kind of art-house bleakness you can only find in artsy movies from the 70s & 80s (Won’t name which ones). It’s incredibly frustrating, as there’s not a single awful song on here, and the overall experience is fantastic!

My only other gripe has to do with the story. Like I said above, Blackie crafted a pretty damn good tale of the rise & fall of a tragic character. The only part that infuriates me is when Jonathon decides to call his parents, only to be almost immediately rejected by his folks. I hate to break it to you Jonathan, but when parents play favorites, they almost never change their minds. I had this happen on my Dad’s side of the family, so I know what that’s like a little. Not only that, but does Blackie assume that so many young musicians go out into the world because they didn’t get enough love at home? Cause if that’s the case, they perhaps he was going for something more in the pretentious direction.....or maybe not.

The Crimson Idol. Egotistical? Sure! Up it’s own ass? Definitely! A 90s metal masterpiece that deserves all the praise it gets? Indeed! If you can get past the waves of pretentiousness that come off of this record, then you’re in for a real treat. However, as great as this release is......it’s not as impressive as the album that’s coming next.

Still Not Black Enough (1995)

What Dark Side Of The Spoon was to Ministry, and World Coming Down was to Type-O Negative, Still Not Black Enough is to W.A.S.P.. Released in June of 1995 in Japan & August of 1996 in the United States, Still Not Black Enough is perhaps the most personal album to date in the band’s career. Foregoing a story format like their previous record, this one is more of a collection of tracks about Blackie Lawless’s personal life, with tracks about the death of his mother and issues he was going through after the world tour for The Crimson Idol. Like their 1992 classic, this was originally going to be a solo album, but because of how heavy the subject matter was, that idea was scrapped. As to what I think? I love it! Still Not Black Enough to me is the W.A.S.P. equivalent of Tapping The Vein: Not just the best representative of the band’s time in the 90s, but might very well be the best material they’ve ever made. It does have one big issue hampering it’s greatness (More on that below), but suffice it to say it’s in regular rotation on my CD player.

Best Track? Like I said in my review last year, the title track is the best damn thing on this album! It pulls you into the pain & torment of what Blackie was feeling at the time. He might be a jackass nowadays, and his ego is through the roof more so than prior decades, but back in the 80s and 90s, he was perhaps a more humble & vulnerable man. Just listening to even the first few lyrics, you can tell that the pain he was feeling back then was excruciating. The guitar work plays like thunder, the drumwork comes down hard like a rainstorm, and Blackie’s singing is just heartbreaking (In a good way). Again, it’s the best representative of the album, and it’ll get you interested in everything else.

Still Not Black Enough

Worst Track? Again, the only bad thing going for Still Not Black Enough would be it’s obscurity. In comparison to The Crimson Idol and the next 2 records, you ask a W.A.S.P. to name a release from the 90s, rarely will any of them say this one. It’s a crying shame, as this one deserves just as much time in the spotlight as every other release the band has ever done. I’ll say it right here and now: Still Not Black Enough deserves an anniversary remaster & world tour just as much as The Crimson Idol. Hell, I’d even be happy with just a remaster, as the world needs to hear how good this record is.

Still Not Black Enough. Obscure to the 10th degree, but at the same time is perhaps the strongest album they’ve ever made. If you can actually find a physical copy or a video on youtube, give it a go. Hell, if you find a download link, try that also. Next album!

Kill Fuck Die (1997)

Nasty. Awful. Uncomfortable. Gory. Those are just some of the words to describe W.A.S.P. 1997 release, Kill Fuck Die. Released on April the 29th of that year, Kill Fuck Die is a personal record like their obscure 1995 classic, but this one delves into relationships.....and not in a good way. Around the mid 90s, Blackie Lawless was going through a pretty awful breakup, and this left him incredibly bitter & resentful. He was not alone in this state of mind, as former guitarist Chris Holmes rejoined the band, and he went through a nasty divorce with his 2nd wife Lita Ford a few years prior, & was pretty bitter as well. With such a maelstrom of pain & rage, you know that the two of them would crankout what is perhaps W.A.S.P.’s most over-the-top, shocking, and possibly offensive album to date. It’s also the first and only time that the band ever incorporated any Industrial element into their music, and the end result is an intriguing release. I’m not fond of this record because of how mean-spirited it is, but at the same time I respect it for trying something outside of their comfort zone. It’s not perfect, but it’s interesting at times.
    
Best Track? Pretty much like Still Not Black Enough, the title track is the best thing on here. There’s a really dare allure to the who song, as the instrumentation plays at a fast yet highly rhythmic pace that never falls onto the pavement in anyway. Blackie’s voice is raspy but pretty easy to understand, and while the industrial aspect isn’t used to it’s fullest potential (More on that in a sec), when it kicks in......it kicks in hard!

Kill Fuck Die

Worst Track? Despite the album going in a more industrial direction, Kill Fuck Die seems to just play with the industrial aspects rather than fully implement it. Maybe it was too bizarre for Blackie Lawless & company, or perhaps it conflicted with the traditional metal style, but it’s agonizing at the potential W.A.S.P. squanders. Still, when it actually does work, it’s damn good!

Kill Fuck Die. Incredibly uncomfortable to listen to, but if you’ve put on the right body armor, it’s definitely a dark & interesting experience. Recommended to those who’ve gone through an awful breakup without hesitation. Next album!

Helldorado (1999)

For those who’re drained by the darker nature of W.A.S.P.’s output in the 90s, then Helldorado is a massive breath of fresh air! Released on May the 18th, 1999, the band’s final release of the decade saw them return to the wild & crazy roots of their 80s repute. Gone are the dark themes of the past 3 albums, and instead the music is about drugs, booze, women, sex......the works! Also like their 80s output, Helldorado isn’t ashamed in the least about what’s in the music. Not only that, but if word of mouth is to be believed, then the tour for this record was considerably more foul & politically incorrect than the one for Kill Fuck Die, which is a pretty impressive feat if anyone ever saw any footage from that tour. Though Helldorado isn’t one of my big favorites from the 90s, I still give it credit for being a more than necessary palate cleanser for anyone tired of the darkness from prior releases.

Best Track? Don’t Cry (Just Suck) is foul, nasty, dirty, offensive......and I love it! You can tell that Blackie is having a blast singing like his 80s self, what with the lyrical content and all. Even with that factor taken out, the song is just that good. The guitarwork is fantastic, the drumming is thunderous, and the beats & rhythms withing the track are just infectious. Also, if you don’t giggle at least once during this tune.....then something is wrong with you.

Don’t Cry (Just Suck)

Worst Track? Apart from some repetition in regards to the instrumentation, there’s not a single bad song on here. Blackie & the rest of the band feel absolutely refreshed on Helldorado, and they’re having a blast at the same time. Whether physical or downloaded, this fiery beast is certainly worthy of your attention!

And that was part 2 on my look at W.A.S.P.. Quite possibly the most chaotic time for the band, it was also perhaps their most creative as well. However, this decade was perhaps the last time that we would ever see & hear Blackie Lawless at his most wildest, as when the 2000s began, he would go to shock rock badass.....to conservative sellout lameass. So join me next week for part 3, when I’ll be taking a look at what W.A.S.P. would ultimately became. Suffice it to say, I’m not looking forward to it.......well, not looking forward to some of what’s to come at least.



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If you’re curious about my review for Still Not Black Enough, click on the link below to read it:

Still Not Black Enough (Review)