Metal Overview: W.A.S.P. (Part 3)

Let’s get stung one last time fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Last week was my take on the band’s time in the 90s. Some of their most iconic & unique albums were born in the most creative decade when it came to music (Heavy Metal or otherwise), Blackie Lawless seemed to have come back to his wilder days by the end of the decade thanks to Helldorado. However, once it became 2000, he would change once again, and said change would be permanent. To some, this change led to perhaps the best music he’s ever made. To others, this sealed his fate as in a way that didn’t match up with his prior works. Let’s not build up any more suspense, and take a look at part 3 of my examination of W.A.S.P.!

Unholy Terror (2001)

Helldorado was a welcome sight by the end of the 90s. With 3 serious & emotionally heavy records beforehand, it was great to see W.A.S.P. back in their comfort zone. It was also great to see Blackie Lawless & Chris Holmes reunite, as the two were perhaps the wildest members of the band back in the 80s. However, around the turn of the new millennium the band would transform once again, as Blackie Lawless would become a Born-Again Christian, and the band would adopt a socio-political stance that would stay with them all the way to today. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on what period of the band you like, but regardless this transformation gave Blackie a new source of inspiration to make music. Given that he embraced faith, a light went off in his head, and he furiously went to work at the 1st W.A.S.P. album of the 2000s. Then, on April the 3rd, 2001, Unholy Terror was released onto the world.

Despite the name of the record, it actually wasn’t a memorial to 9/11 (More on that a little later), but instead was a take on why so many young Christians (And maybe some older ones) are driven away from the church due to it’s many acts of hypocrisy. And while I’m not religious in any manner....at the same time I’m under the belief that maybe potshots should be taken at the Church in this country. Unholy Terror definitely does the potshotting quite well, but it never loses that classic W.A.S.P. sound & feel. Sadly, this record would be the last time that the team of Lawless & Holmes would ever be together, but more on that later. Suffice it to say, the album surprised me upon my first listening of it, and it’s become one of my favorites of the 3rd form of W.A.S.P.........but it’s not my favorite (Hint Hint).
                                               
Best Track? Locomotive Man has to be the catchiest track on the album. From the opening guitar notes, you know immediately that you’re in for a wild ride! The whole song feels like you’re actually on a train thanks once again to the guitar, and at the head is a religious zealot of a conductor who’s taking everybody on board to their supposed maker. Complete with fantastic drums & Blackie’s signature voice, Locomotive Man easily takes the spot for best track of Unholy Terror.

Locomotive Man

Worst Track? The subject matter is about the only bad thing I can call out Unholy Terror on.....but not in the way you think. For a guy that converted to Christianity beforehand, Blackie Lawless has a lot of guts criticizing the faith that just recently brought him in with open arms. I will say that if this was planned out ahead of time, then this is one of the greatest ambushes in the history of Heavy Metal! Again, I’m not against religion in any manner, but I’m under the firm belief that Christianity need to get called out on once in a while, and this release does a damn good job at what it’s supposed to do!

Unholy Terror is.....good! Shockingly good, in fact. I admit I was dreading listening to this record when I did my research, but by the time I was done, I was glad I did. It might not be the W.A.S.P. of old (As far as subject matter is concerned), but it still has the energy of the glory days of the 80s, and it is most certainly recommended. Next album!

Dying For The World (2002)

September 11, 2001. The day that the Twin Towers were the target of a terrorist attack, and the day that America’s bubble burst. It was also the day that the home of Blackie Lawless would forever gain an awful scar that thankfully has healed for the most part. Sadly, the scar that would be inflicted upon Blackie would be a deep one.....yet the pain he was feeling would put him in the most furious & creative period of his life, as in just 9 months he & the band would make music like they’ve never done before, and on the 11th of June 2002, Dying For The World was released.

Dedicated to the victims of 9/11, the album might actually eclipse the majority of their 90s output in terms of seriousness, but by 2002 it would be the last time that Chris Holmes would ever been with the band. His more “Rock ‘n’ Roll” attitude didn’t match up with the new socio-political/religious outlook that his former bandmate, and he’s been spitting venomous comments at Blackie ever since. Ironically, we’ve only ever heard Chris say anything, as Lawless only alluded to it at a press conference in 2017, and even then he didn’t really address it. Suffice it to say, but we may never know the full story.

Best Track? Even before listening to this release, looking at the track-listing & spotting Hallowed Ground was a sure sign that it might make it here. Upon listening to it for the 1st time, it’s position as the best track of Dying For The World was assured! Though virtually everything on this record is emotional & serious, it’s on this song where everything that Blackie is feeling as he crafted this release is concentrated. Forgoing a faster pace, Hallowed Ground is more of a tragic ballad. The guitars are slow but powerful, the drums are steady & to the point, and Lawless is just belting his heart out when he sings. Easily the biggest tearjerker of the record.

Hallowed Ground

Worst Track? Rushed is the only issue with this album. Normally, Blackie likes to take his time in crafting a record. Taking time in the atmosphere, instrumentation, vocals, and lyrics. In his defense, New York City is his home, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Lawless was feeling seeing the Twin Towers in ruins, so getting an album out as soon as possible to convey his feelings is understandable. If I’m being perfectly honest, the rushed aspect of the album doesn’t hurt the music in any way, and in fact it might actually help add some atmosphere.

Dying For The World. It comes across as rushed, but at the same time is a very heartfelt & serious tribute to the city that Blackie Lawless loves. New Yorkers will get a kick out of this, and W.A.S.P./metalheads will enjoy it in general. Next album!

The Neon God (2004)

Part 1 (The Rise)

Part 2 (The Demise)

What The Crimson Idol was to the early 90s, The Neon God was to the mid 2000s. Released on April 6, 2004, this release was originally supposed to be a double-record: Part 1 was known as The Rise, and part 2 was called The Demise. Record stores stated that it would have taken up too much rack space.....which is code for “Would have taken up space from crap bands we’re trying to shill”. As such, Part 1 came out in April, and Part 2 was released on September the 28th later on in the same year.

Regardless, The Neon God might very well be the most ambitious concept album in W.A.S.P.’s discography: while The Crimson Idol was more of a commentary on the record industry & what drives potential mixed with elements of fantasy, The Neon God is more of a religious horror story that has sci-fi & fantasy aspects attached to it. The story centers around a boy named Jesse, who was abandoned by his Mother at the age of 8 at an orphanage that doubles as a mental hospital. During his time there, he discovers that he’s got the ability to read & manipulate the minds of people, and after escaping & joining up with a circus ringleader, he harness his power for greed & lust, and the two eventually create a cult around Jesse’s powers. I can’t reveal anything else, as it would ruin some interesting reveals. Suffice it to say, this album ranks among one of my favorites out of W.A.S.P.’s discography. Though I have some gripes, The Neon God is simultaneously vintage yet taps into some (then) modern means of recording & production. Definitely a release not to miss!

Best Track? On Part 1, I’m rather impartial to The Running Man. Similar to Still Not Black Enough (The song) in terms of pacing & vibes, it’s an incredibly catchy song that’s more than worthy of being one of the final two songs on The Rise.

The Running Man

On Part 2, I definitely like Come Back To Black. By this point we’re near the end of the story, and it shows. Jesse’s had enough thanks to recent revelations, but the bishops of the cult try to bring him back one last time before their attempt to martyr him. The instrumentation is intense, Blackie is singing his heart out, and the overall atmosphere is incredible oppressive & tragic. As with The Running Man, Come Back To Black earns the rights to be one of the concluding tracks of the album.

Come Back To Black

Worst Track? Unfortunately, The Neon God has something of an ego issue. Like The Crimson Idol from a decade prior, this album does think highly of itself, and might be a bit too grandiose for it’s own good. At the same time......I’m not quite as mad about here as opposed to it’s 90s counterpart. Make no mistake: there’s still plenty of that modern day Blackie Lawless ego throughout both albums. However, intentionally or not, he seems to pull his sense of self back a little bit, and it makes sense. As he said in interviews, the idea behind The Neon God was a story about why we are all here, is there god or no god, how are we connected, etc. That’s a pretty noble goal, and can definitely make for some interesting music.

Sadly, I gotta complain about the story again. As with The Crimson Idol, everything is written well for the most. However, the part where Jesse suddenly realizes he’s gone too far down the rabbit hole of debauchery just bugs me. Why the hell do you suddenly care when your mother shows up? She ditched your ass for booze & drug money, and never looked back! I think it would have been far more interesting to see you go even further into the dark when she showed up, and you realized your mistakes on the verge of death.

The Neon God. Still a bit of an ego fest, but considerably more accessible that The Crimson Idol from a decade prior. If you weren’t fond of the bleak rockstar storytelling, you might like this descent into darkness/redemption story. Well Blackie, it looks like I might have been wrong about you. Maybe, just maybe....I might have been a bit too judgemental about material from this time. Well then, let’s see what comes after this!

Dominator (2007)

And perhaps I spoke to soon!

Released on April the 16th, 2007, it’s incredibly obvious by this point Blackie is going more undercover in bed with his conservative views (Politically & Religiously). From the album cover alone, there’s a burning American flag, graves of soldiers, a stealth bomber, I believe a map of the world, and to top it off we get the sight of a skull with a nuclear explosion in one of the sockets. Unholy Terror, Dying For The World, and The Neon God grazed Blackie’s religious & political beliefs, but it’s this album that finally grabs it firmly. This marks the first album of W.A.S.P.’s that I’m not exactly fond it, and it’s because of the politics & faith. I’ve got nothing against the craftsmanship, as it’s really good on here, but people don’t listen to W.A.S.P. for politics, religion, and societal issues (Except for The Headless Children). People listen to the band for fun shock, dirtiness, and just how wild Blackie Lawless used to be. This to me is why I think the band isn’t as popular in the states nowadays. There’s other issues to be sure, but I think this is the chief issue.

Best Track? The Burning Man definitely hits home on Dominator. Not only was Blackie commenting on this country’s policies during the late 2000s, but he was talking about what soldiers from Iraq could be going through when they returned home. PTSD, drug addiction, being looked at oddly by certain members of the community (Including family members), etc. There’s a lot of emotion put into the song, not to mention some fantastic instrumentation & vocal work. Certainly the best thing on this album.

The Burning Man

Worst Track? Like I said above, Blackie Lawless never lost his talent. He’s still fantastic on the guitar, and despite his voice getting slightly crackly, he can still sing his ass off. What really sucks about this album is that Blackie is beginning to no longer hide his faith & politics. On the prior 3 albums you didn’t necessarily know which way he was going, but on here? You’re now beginning to see the frontman become the bitter religious conservative he’s never seen to go back on. Luckily, as bad as it is on here, it’s not necessarily unbearable as opposed to later works.

Dominator. Still some fantastic music, but Blackie is getting far more Jesus-ey & political with his work. If you can get past those caveats, you’ll find Dominator to be worth your time. Again, maybe I was a bit judgmental, but surely this is just a speed bump right......right?

Babylon (2009)

Before I talk about what’s good about Babylon, I gotta talk about something bad. In 2008 & 2009 before the album came out, Blackie Lawless stated that he is never going to play "Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)" live again, due to his religious beliefs. These beliefs are allegedly the reason behind Blackie Lawless' self-censorship of his own lyrics during the 'Babylon World Tour,' most notably during the performance of 'Chainsaw Charlie. Mr. Lawless, let me just say......

Mini Food For Thought/Thought For Food: Sellout
- You can piss right off. I’ve got nothing against anybody finding faith in their life, and I’ve got nothing against people changing their politics. Individuals change all throughout their life, so it’s nothing out of the ordinary. However Mr Lawless, every single change you’ve had in your life completely buries & hides your shock rock past. You speak out against your own musical history, and you censor yourself all in an effort to appear clean. It makes me weep, as I love everything you made before this period of your life. Hell, I even love your early 2000s material, but from 2007 to now? You have effectively turn into the exact kind of person that once criticized you & the rest of W.A.S.P. back in the 80s. I hope it was all worth it.

Now that I got that mini-rant out of the way, let’s me just say that I think Babylon is far better than the album before it. Make no mistake: Blackie politics & faith are still front & center, not to mention his ego. However, kinda like The Neon God from earlier, it’s not quite as bad on Babylon. Whether intentionally or coincidentally, the ego is pulled back a little bit, allowing for more thoughtful meaning within the music. He doesn’t pull back from the faith & politics, but I admit it’s not shoved into your face as hard as Dominator or the album that’s to come. As such, this is the album from this time in the band’s life that I’m most likely to enjoy.

Best Track? Godless Run to me is the best thing Babylon provides to the listener, and for 2 reasons. The 1st is that it comes across like an old power ballad from the 80s, and it could definitely fit on just about any of W.A.S.P.’s old releases. It’s slow paced, yet still incredibly heavy & intense. Secondly, the song is basically about how Blackie Lawless eventually found his faith after decades of being wild & godless. Despite me complaining about his life changes, this track is quite touching, and not at all condescending. If there’s one track to not avoid, it’s definitely this one.

Godless Run

Worst Track? Much like Dominator, Babylon has Blackie’s faith & politics front and center, and there’s no real way to avoid it. That said, it’s not quite as overwhelming as what’s on the band’s 2007 output. It’s still highly apparent, and the ego can get bad, but I found this to be a much more pleasant listen to. It’s still not one of my favorites, but far more likable that the album before it and afterwards.

Babylon. Not quite as holier than thou than the previous record, but it’s still very much up it’s own ass. If Dominator turned you off due to it’s politics, then give this release a try. Next album!

Golgotha (2015)

Dominator frustrated me. Babylon took a step back, but still has it’s politics & faith front and center. Golgotha? Leaves me rather confused. Released on October the 9th, 2015, the record shows off Blackie Lawless new viewpoint of the world more than anything since 2001, however......I’m not sure how to feel about it here. It’s still highly egotistical, but.......I don’t know what to say. I found myself liking Golgotha way more than Dominator and Babylon, as I didn’t have the religion & politics shoved into my face as hard as prior albums, but at the same time this record seals the door of any chance for Blackie to go back to his old self. All of these issues come together to create an album that’s equal parts awesome yet dumbfounded......and I recommend it to anyone the most.

Best Track? Miss You is basically Golgotha’s equivalent to Godless Run, and that’s not a bad thing. It feels like an 80s W.A.S.P. power ballad, what with the instrumentation, vocal work, vibe, etc. I can’t say much more, as I’d pretty much just be repeating myself.

Miss You

Worst Track? Much like Dominator & Babylon, the overall quality of Golgotha is great. From the production & recording, to the instrumentation & vocals.....there’s not a bad thing on here. My only gripe I had is that it’s way too religious. Even more so that Dominator and Babylon, Blackie’s faith is front and center, and more often than not it’s a little too in-your-face for my own liking. Ironically, I thought that this was a lost modern-day Stryper album with just how obvious the Christian overtones were. Hell, I even expected Michael Sweet to show up as a guest vocalist at one point......maybe even Guy Ritter from Tourniquet!

Golgotha. Way to Jesusey for it’s own good, but I very much respect the craftsmanship that went into this, and despite what I said earlier......I’m probably inclined to listen to this album the most. Definitely a curious release if there ever was one.

And that was my final look at W.A.S.P.. Half of it was surprisingly fantastic, while the other half just makes me weep, as the Blackie Lawless from the 80s & 90s turned into the very thing that once persecuted him so long ago. Easily the most conflicting time of the band for me, but I respect it all the same. So, with all of the hairspray & sex still wafting in the air, I got one last post to conclude this festival, so join me next week as I’ll talk about what I consider to be some Hair Metal albums that are perfect for one’s collection. In the meantime, never forget where you once came from.