W.A.S.P. Unholy Terror(Metal-Is Records)
W.A.S.P. is:
Blackie Lawless - vocals, guitar
Chris Holmes - guitar
Mike Duda - bass
Stet Howland - drums
Image has always been an attention-getter in the rock 'n' roll business, often to the detriment of the music. It was inevitable that, in many cases, image would overshadow the music makers. In 2001, a quick scan of the charts proves that style often supersedes substance.
Fortunately, Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P. continue to prove that a band can continue creating challenging, powerful and ruthless albums and grow musically, even if some people choose to paste a static image of the distant past in their minds without considering that musical growth. The shocking songs and raw-meat, blood-and-guts stage show of W.A.S.P.'s early-1980s debut are integral to the band's history, but they are just that. History.
Lawless isn't afraid to tackle titillating and disturbing aspects of sex and violence and other controversial topics in W.A.S.P.'s music, but the vocalist/guitarist/bassist/songwriter often isn't given proper credit for evolving musically over the band's almost 20-year career. The vastly underrated, richly textured 1992 concept album The Crimson Idol is a perfect example, as are all the albums right up through 1999's Helldorado.
But Lawless is concerned over much of what he sees in the world in 2001, and along with lead guitarist Chris Holmes, bassist Mike Duda and drummer Stet Howland, he has created the dark, brutal, threatening and thought-provoking new album, Unholy Terror. It's scheduled for U.S. and European release on Metal-Is Records in April 2001.
