CLASSIC ALBUM: W.A.S.P. – W.A.S.P.
Published on April 25, 2011 by Christian Sellers · No Comments
Long before Marilyn Manson, Slipknot and all the other modern-day theatrical metal bands there was W.A.S.P. Although Alice Cooper had already incorporated a Grand Guignol-style routine into his stage show, it had consisted of little more than fake beheadings and sleazy nurses administering injections. Yet W.A.S.P. – born from the fires of the short-lived Sister (which at one time had also featured Nikki Sixx) – took it to a new extreme with pyrotechnics, pentagrams and chunks of raw meat ripped apart and spat into the crowd. Yet like any of outrageous metal band, there had to be talent and melody for the fans to remain interested, as a horror show by itself would soon become stale.
Wisely leaving off their controversial single Animal (Fuck Like a Beast), W.A.S.P.‘s debut album commenced with the frustrated anthem I Wanna Be Somebody, which embodied the larger than life rockstar that frontman Blackie Lawless was so desperate to become. As sing-a-long as anything that Twisted Sister produced (who had also been inspired by Alice Cooper, although they had taken their sound more towards more glam metal), the song spoke to their fans and would remain one of their more popular – although not success – tunes. L.O.V.E. Machine seemed to borrow heavily from Kiss, although as Lawless had been close friends with guitarist Ace Frehley during their youth perhaps they were inspired by similar music. A less offensive variation of Animal (declaring his sexual appetite without resorting to vulgarity), the song was also noted for its sleazy video, in which scantily-clad young women drape themselves in front of the band.
The opening of The Flame sounds like a precursor to Wild Child, which would be featured on their sophomore album, The Last Command. Sleeping (In the Fire) would be the group’s first ballad, something that – like all good ’80s metal bands – would become commonplace later in their career. Although not scaling the heights of Forever Free or The Idol, it is still has a relatively strong melody with its ‘power ballad’ chorus and Lawless’ attempts to portraying vulnerability in his voice. On Your Knees picks up the pace again and was always a treat to hear live, but sadly the album comes to an end with the anti-climatic The Tormentor, which seems somewhat mediocre when compared to how the record began. Although they had yet to develop a maturity in their songwriting and still relied too much on their theatrics, W.A.S.P.‘s self-titled debut features enough classic material to demand any metal fan’s attention.
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