W.A.S.P. Babylon
by John Kindred
Staff Writer
No stranger to controversy, Blackie Lawless and crew return with their latest studio effort Babylon. The album features seven new songs as well as two cover songs; Deep Purple’s “Burn” and Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land.”
There is a bit of confusion out there as to whether W.A.S.P. latest CD release is a “concept” release. The initial press release dubbed the music to be “themed” around biblical visions of “The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.” Taking the visual context of the packaging and song titles like “Babylon’s Burning,” “Burn,” “Into the Fire” and “Seas of Fire,” it’s easy to get confused. Further listening to the music and lyrics would confound you still. Thankfully, Blackie has set the record straight. When asked if Babylon was a concept album, Lawless said, “No, it’s not. It all started with one idea which was the song “Babylon’s Burning,” and I think a lot of people thought because of that, that it is a concept album but it’s not.” (source: Solid Rock Lawless interview).
Stepping away from the misconstrued view of Babylon takes us from being overly critical of music and lyrics that aren’t all squarely about the end of the world, Babylonian experience. We are then left measuring the album on the strength of the songs and overall continuity of the CD.
This being W.A.S.P. 14th studio album proves the longevity and creativity of the band’s mastermind, Blackie Lawless. Let’s not dredge up the past as Lawless is choosing to not live there, but move forward instead. The band still delivers heavy, hard-rocking songs that cage melodic vocal hooks, heavy riffs, impressive skin bashing into a bombastic metal explosion of energy. It should be said that Lawless has mastered the art of song writing, and he cleverly pens any story into lyrical prose.
The album takes off with the opening cut “Crazy.” The music has energy and focus. Each mini-story unveils introspective lyrical thoughts whether political or social. Brilliantly mixed, the listener will find that the bass and rhythm guitars are both audible. You can hear the kick drum, snare and cymbals. The vocals hover just above the music, providing a balanced listening experience. Lawless’s voice shows no sign of deterioration from years of singing. Actually, he sounds damn good. His emotional, gritty metal delivery is spot on.
Plenty of songs stand out, starting with the opening cut “Crazy,” “Live To Die Another Day,” “Babylon Burning” and “Into the Fire.” The band sticks fairly close to the original recording of Deep Purple’s “Burn.” Until the closing notes of the Chuck Berry cover song “Promised Land,” the albums maintains plenty of energy and intensity. The reality is that Babylon “rocks” and will grow on you more and more with each listen. Honestly, there isn’t a bad song on the CD.
Label: Demolition Records
Online: http://www.waspnation.com
Band:
Blackie Lawless (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards)
Doug Blair (lead & rhythm guitars)
Mike Duda (bass, vocals)
Mike Dupke (drums)
Track listing:
1. Crazy
2. Live To Die Another Day
3. Babylon’s Burning
4. Burn
5. Into The Fire
6. Thunder Red
7. Seas Of Fire
8. Godless Run
9. Promised Land
HRH Rating: 9/10