Disco de W.A.S.P.: “Unholy Terror”

I've been listening to WASP when their first album came out in my senior year of high school (Yeah, I'm 35 and still listening). Anyway, I've listened to every album that has come out, and ever since Crimson Idol, they've been hit (Helldorado), or miss (KFD - yuck), or eh (Greatest Hits).

However, this album is the most solid album that Blackie has put out in many a year. It reminds me a lot of the 80's metal that I grew up with as a kid, except it's not 80's metal, if that makes any sense. As one of the other reviews says, it's a good, fresh sound.

As an old time WASP fan, I can't recommend this one more! Plus, for the old timers, there's a 'sequel' to the old Forever Free tune. :)

Okay so we all know what WASP can deliver on a good day..and I'm happy to say this is one of them! This disc has its feet planted firmly in WASP back catalogue territory, but if it ain't broke why keep trying to fix it? After a couple of discs (KFD and Helldorado) that tried a little too hard to rejuvinate/reinvent the band style wise, this one relies on what has always been most important at the end of the day even in WASP's own shock rock world, a necessary ingredient, the mighty song! The ten songs on offer here have ample light and shade, so its a more interesting journey than "Helldorado" ever managed to be. We have the powerful "Let It Roar" opening things with a good sonic kick to the senses. Kinda a hybrid of the best moments of "Headless" and "Electric Circus" a real chest beater and a clear message from Blackie and the boyz that they mean business no messing. Song two "Hate To Love Me" is the owner of a great chorus and reminded me of "Jack Action" with the benefits of great drumming courtesy of Frankie Banali. Try getting this one out of your head once its in there! "Loco-man" is sheer class, intelligent but still great to scream along to, much like a "Wild Child" or "Widow Maker" stylistically. The pairing of "Unholy Terror" and "Charisma" is effective and shows that WASP can also offer depth in lyrical and musical concepts, I love this stuff in the correct dosage and I think they get it just right here, not allowing the whole album to be conceptualised in my opinion was a wise choice. This hope is confirmed by the next cab off the rank in "Who Slayed Bay Jane" winner of the best chorus award this time round, with interesting tempo and key changes too, making this another winner. Instrumental "Euphoria" is okay, and I think we can allow a bit of ego at this stage of the day in Blackie's career, and this seems to be just that. "Raven Heart" is a tuneful barnstormer, listen for the classic hammond organ work in there (seems uncredited on this opus), and I think this one is the albums true gems, I love it. "Evermore" is credited as the sister song to "Forever Free" and is very nice if a little too lengthy. If you have had the privilege to hear "Thank You" from Led Zepp II you'll get the idea what we have here, perhaps our second place getter, but its early daze! "Wasted White Boys" falls a little steeply off the high sides of the rest of this great CD but still deserves warrant! So I'm happy to report that my money was well spent once again with this purchase!

Wasp has released an excellent provocative masterpiece with the new Unholy Terror album. This CD has so much to offer and after listening to it over 100 times I think I can make an accurate review of this album.

Let it roar - sounds to me like a first album song (IWBS) *** Love to Hate Me - sounds like it is off of Last Command *** Locomotive Man - sounds like Chainsaw Charlie - Crimson Idol *** Unholy Terror - KFD type background music -pre to Charisma *** Charisma - I would say a bit of SNBE / Headless *** Who Slayed Baby Jane - This is definitely Headless *** Euphoria - Does not sound like anything - Very cool though - SW style *** Raven Heart - SNBE *** Evermore - Headless ballad follow up to Forever Free *** Wasted White Boys - Helldorado - Simple yet great solo at end ***

You see by this that they have in my opinion touched all the different WASP styles over the years and that makes this one of the most complete WASP albums to date. Every song is good on this disk and makes the complete listening experience an exciting journey. Much is made of simplistic Helldorado or the brutal KFD. This album takes us back to SNBE and seems to be the obvious follow up to that record. I hope WASP stay in this direction as this recording adds an excellent, complex and intriguing layered approach to Heavy Metal in the 21st century. Blackie's lyrics have never been better!! If this disk came out in 1988-1992 it could have sold millions. Oh well the masses are sheep.... Rock on Blackie!!!!

Blackie himself said this album was a lot like 'The Headless Children'. Only instead of his political views, Blackie attacks organized religion. He explains some of the songs he's written that pertain to this like 'Unholy Terror' and 'Charisma'. Blackie also may be the first to have written and released a song pertaining to the Columbine slayings in the song 'Loco-Motive Man'. He also adds that Evermore is the best instrumental he's ever written, I prefer 'The Mesphito Waltz' from 'Headless'.

The songs are in step with W.A.S.P.'s musical style following Headless. The arena choruses and anthems are similar to the Crimson Idol and Helldorado vein. Be sure to check out the intro to 'Raven Heart'. It sounds a lot like Alice Cooper's 'School's Out' riff, only it's five times as fast. I'll never say I don't like a W.A.S.P. album. I grew up with Blackie in junior high and high school. After 'Live...in the Raw', W.A.S.P. did change their musical style, but I stuck with them, even though the simple, three chord songs gave way to more complex melodies. W.A.S.P. did mature over the years and Blackie grew as a song-writer. I may have a biased opinion, but those familiar with W.A.S.P.'s newer style will not be surprised. It's a strong album, and Blackie does send a message that is worthy of merit and should be taken seriously. Of course a tune off this CD will never make it to the radio waves, so SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

Unholy Terror is the ninth studio album from W.A.S.P and what an album it is. Many of the songs deal with religion but as Blackie stresses in the album notes it is not an attack on religion. There's not a single bad song on Unholy Terror with highlights including "Let It Roar", "Charisma", and "Who Slayed Baby Jane". But without doubt the stand out track is "Evermore". While being slower than most of the other tracks "Evermore" benefits from a superb effort by Blackie on vocals and an unbelievably good chorus.