The 3rd of April this year marks the 20-year anniversary one of the most surprising, out of nowhere albums, I’ve ever listened to. An album I wasn’t exactly looking forward to at first, but put aside all apprehensions by the time that I was done. It may mark a permanent shift in a iconic band’s personality & tone, and I can understand why people would be turned off by the music within. However, that should not stop you from enjoying an album that comes right out of nowhere......and it’s from W.A.S.P. no less! So shine up your cross, make sure that your pastor is legit, and enjoy my review for Blackie’s first release of the new millennium, Unholy Terror. Let’s begin!
Background
With the return of Chris Holmes in 1996, the gang would begin a tear in W.A.S.P.’s discography. There was the middle finger to relationships in K.F.D. in 1997, and the seeming return to classic form in Helldorado in 1999. Such a relationship would be put to the test sometime in 2000, when longtime frontman Blackie Lawless would change his life in a big way after becoming a Born-Again Christian, and the transformation of the band would begin. The wilder ways of the previous 2 releases (And by extent most of their 80s past) would go, and instead the socio-political experimentation that was on The Headless Children would return in force (Intertwined with obvious religious imagery).
The first release under this new direction would go by the name of Unholy Terror. Released on the 3rd of April, 2001, the album would show off the new leaf that Blackie turned, but this didn’t sit well with Holmes. He still wanted to be about Rock ‘n’ Roll, partying, & chicks, and didn’t want to think about things like politics or faith. So he left in 2001 (Whether before or after the album came out, I’m not sure), and to this day has claimed he’s never played on Unholy Terror at all. He hooked up with fellow ex-W.A.S.P. member Randy Piper's band Animal, but soon dropped out of that project also, and has since gone solo.
Basic Description
A surprise.
I stated this at the end of part 2 of my overview on W.A.S.P. (Read here), but I’ll say it again: I was not necessarily looking forward to this period of the band. While you can argue that the band’s 90s period was certainly in flux, you could say that Blackie was still having fun in a sense. Yes, 2 of the albums from that time were more serious, but there was still fun to be had. When Lawless first announced that he would become a Born-Again Christian, there were probably a lot of fans that felt a huge sinking feeling, and when I found out about this a few short years ago I got that feeling also. The leader of a Shock Hair Metal band turning a new, more holy leaf, seems like he was selling out just to cater to a new audience. So when I first sat down to begin listening to Unholy Terror, I admit I was hesitant to believe that the music on the record was good. Color me surprised by the time I was done!
Make no mistake: Unholy Terror is a religious album. From top to bottom, Christian imagery is heavily evident, and Blackie’s ego can definitely be felt. However, that would be doing this record a big disservice. Unholy Terror is God’s Not Dead 3 17 years prior to that movie’s release: highly religious, but simultaneously not afraid to criticize & question the very same church that inspired it. It’s not afraid to continuously poke the bear with reasons why people (Particularly young people) would want to leave the Christian church & never come back. It’s surprising at first, and I can still understand why listeners would not get into Unholy Terror due to it’s shift in theme (Especially when you compare it to the album that came out 2 years prior) and tone, but this is an album that’s genuinely worth your time....even if you listen to it just once.
Best Track
Like I said back in 2019, Locomotive Man is my favorite track of Unholy Terror. One of the meatiest songs on the albums (6 minutes & 3 seconds), you can definitely tell that this song takes a jab at all of the fake pastors, preachers, and tele-evangelists that spread their lies, not to mention how said lies whip their followers into a frenzy. It also talks about how blindly many worshipers believe that they’re going to Heaven due to their devotion to these individuals, and that even when presented with evidence some of them will not deter from their beliefs. Easily the most powerful song of the record.
Locomotive Man
Worst Track
Also like I said back in 2019, Unholy Terror doesn’t have any bad songs. From top to bottom, you’re treated to some potent Heavy Metal that’s also not afraid to ask a lot of questions either. The album’s only fault lies with Lawless himself. It’s not that he went Christian per se, but more of the fact that he waited until he became Born-Again, and then trashed the Christian Church afterwards. It gives some serious double agent vibes to me, almost as if he didn’t want to do Unholy Terror until he was already in. Maybe I’m looking at it the wrong way, but maybe I’m not. I’m not sure.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:
Unholy Terror
Overall Impression & Rating
Unholy Terror is, as I said in 2019, a shockingly good album. I can easily understand people’s hesitation getting into Blackie’s more socio-policial/religious period of W.A.S.P. (Not to mention being turned off by his ever increasing ego), but this release shows that he can actually use that side of him for something good, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Much like Stryper, religious people will like it, but Agnostics & even some Atheists might get a kick out of the music on this record. If you’re up for some religious-themed Heavy Metal that’s got a bit of a bite to it, you enjoy Unholy Terror.
Unholy Terror gets a 9 out of 10.
And that was my review of Unholy Terror. The start of W.A.S.P.’s socio-political/religious period, the first release of this new era showed some potential for the band to do some good with this new direction, and with the 2 records after this it showed that they might do so. Alas, it was not to be, but regardless this album is great despite that. Well, tune in a little later this month, for I have the start of a new review series debuting. See you then!
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