This is certainly going to be annoying to type out with all those dots to include 😀 W.A.S.P. Wasp is the debut album from the band released in 1984 and basically this album is one banger after another. There’s not a dud track on this one. The album serving to set the band up nicely for a lengthy career in Heavy Metal.
The album had already got the band in hot water with the PMRC (A Christian parents group that focus on censoring music it considered inappropriate) with the pre album single “Animal (F–k like a beast)” attracting attention from PMRC which resulted in the song being pulled from the original release of the album.
The album opens up with the classic metal anthem “I Wanna Be Somebody” and from the outset you can’t help but bang those fists or jump around the room. Singer and main songwriter Blackie Lawless certainly knew how to write songs that stuck in your head. “Love Machine” is up next and just continues in the same glorious vein. Both of these songs being staples in the bands live set for many, many years. They probably still play it now I’d say!
It’s not long before the listener realises that Blackie Lawless has one of the best voices in Heavy Metal. His voice rings out all over the top of the songs and sends chills down the spine of the listener. The classics continue with “The Flame” with some great rock n roll inspired riffage. Blackie’s lyrics as well are always top notch. There are some great guitar solos, from lead guitar player Chris Holmes. The glorious metal riffage continues on in the songs “B.A.D” and “School Daze”.
The second side doesn’t let up either, with “Hellion”, then the haunting ballad “Sleeping in the Fire”. Then the band step back on the pedal with “On your Knees”, “Tormentor” and the “The Torture Never Stops”. It’s hard to fathom exactly how good this album really is. If you get the re-release of this you also get a few bonus songs including “Animal (F–k like a Beast)”. Definitely a worthy package!
This album has everything you’d want from a metal record. There are few albums which can say every track is a killer but this is one of them. Enjoy it. Excellent songs and excellent performances from everyone on it. It is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish and the production is top notch with all the instruments coming through nicely. This was a hell of a debut effort.
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