Blackie and the boys have been favorites of mine for years , but when I say favorites its a moment frozen in a particular place in time that ends at "Headless Children". By the time "Headless Children" came out music was changing , and while I like that album when I went to see them on that tour I really went because Metal Church was opening up. So thrash came, followed by death metal and then they didn't seem as heavy as they once did. So I was surprised how good Lawless ' voice sounded on "Scream" that opens their new album. They are not trying to out heavy anyone or be Marilyn Manson for that matter. I supposed after seeing some unflattering pictures of Blackie where the years had not been kind to him I was apprehensive. "Last Runaway" might not be metal by today's standards , but it is a decent W.A.S.P song.
I guess much like many other bands from this era if the most important member is in the band they this is the band. Doug Blair has only been playing guitar for them since 2007, Mike Duda has been playing bass for them since 97, and I wasn't aware Blackie switched to guitar from bass then I remember that switch took place on "Inside the Electric Circus". "Shotgun" has a big 80s intro. This song sounds like it could have been on "the Last Command". They bring the power ballads only four songs in with "Miss You" , but Blackie sings it with so much conviction you can't hate on it as its a damn good song even with the arena rock build up.
Until the chorus "Fallen Under" was still W.A.S.P , but with a tension that did not come from the 80s making it obvious Lawless is aware of how music has changed he is just deciding to stick with what the band is. They get heavier in classic metal sense on "Slaves of the New World Order" that is more like their "Headless Children" era. It has a very dynamic and well crafted build. The verse to "Eyes of My Maker" is like is Tool decided to cover "Holy Diver' with Ian Gillan singing it. Its not until I listened to this song that it hit me what a big influence Deep Purple were on them. One of the first shakey moments that fills like filler is "Hero of the World" which finds the drummer Mike Dupke killing it . This album has no shortage of guitar solos.
The title track closes the album and like many of even the classic W.A.S.P songs starts of like it is going to be a power ballad. I am not sure how I feel about the same the band who sang "Dancing in the Fire" singing about how the might need Jesus. Blackie would not be the first rocker to turn into a crispy Christian in order to get sober. The lyrics almost ruin the song for, since I have a fervent disdain for organized religions. Which is a shame because with different lyrics it might be a classic W.A.S.P , but I thought it stood for We Are Satan's People so yet another Crimson Idol goes up in flames. Since that was kind of the turd in the punch bowl for me, I 'll give this album an 8. Went in prepared for the worst and got surprised by how much rock is still left in the old Buzz Saw Buzzard.
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