Saturday, May 19, 2007

WASP - Dominator

Gawdammit! This thing opens with some killer chuggin four on the floor fist banging mania that builds up some serious intensity by the end of the first verse. (blood curdling vocal tone on) "You got no prayer, nowhere! There ain't no way out tonight!" (blood curdling vocal tone off). We get a slight musical reprieve before Blackie kicks in the first chorus of the album. A chorus that makes me wanna rise up like Apache Chief and sweep aside everything in my way. EnukChuk!

After seeing WASP at WOA2001 and some pre-festival research on what Mr. Lawless had been up to since his 80s heyday, I was pretty well hooked. That voice! Holy shit! Crushing! His go for the throat vocal style is in full effect through this whole album. The context of the lyrics is American imperialism but it's far from blatant and you're certainly not beaten over the head with it if you don't give a shit. Though you might be seriously confused into thinking this album was about domestic abuse. ha! yeah it's a pretty damn good metaphor. Blackie's certainly no slouch in the venomous lyric category and there's a buncha instant classics on this sucker. "Feed your children to the hellbent war machine!".

Of course there's a good mix of tunes on this thing too. A couple ballads of sorts, some crushing chuggers and a full on rock'n'roll closer. I've played this shit outta this thing, more so than any record in recent memory. It's a pretty good testament to an album's staying power when you wake up daily with these tunes stuck in yer brain. My only complaint is i can't play this damn thing LOUD ENOUGH!!! I guess I just need a live fix, complete with the Giger Harley Pogo Mic Stand.

highs: Mercy (ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!), Long Way To Go, The Burning Man, Heaven's Blessed

Mercy live (sans GHP Mic Stand)