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W.A.S.P - Dominator

 

	RELEASED: April 16, 2007 PRODUCER: Blackie Lawless LABEL: Sanctuary BAND: Blackie Lawless Doug Blair Mike Duda Mike Dupke
+ Production, Songs, Vocals, Lyrics, Sound - Too short, Needs another really great song to make it classic	TRACKS: 1.Mercy 2.Long, Long Way To Go 3.Take Me Up 4.The Burning Man 5. Heaven's Hung In Black 6.Heaven's Blessed 7.Teacher 8.Heaven's Hung In Black (Reprise) 9.Deal With The Devil

OVERVIEW

Not unlike Danzig, Blackie’s over the top image rarely characterises his talent for writing vastly melodic passages and his subtle uses of harmony and hooks. And like the Misfits, I always felt that the image only subtracted from the greatness of WASP. WASP has been flying the flag for shock rock for more than 25 years now, and while it is no secret that standards rarely seem to hold up in the album department (which made me very sceptical of this album) I for one still remain hopeful that Lawless can knock out some of the best rock this side of the 80’s.

SONGS

It took 7 seconds for my ears to prick up. First the predictable thud of Sabbath-like rhythm guitars flooded the stereo, but on that seventh second, the melodic WASP lead came flooding in. Thankfully it wasn’t short lived and Mercy turns out to be a huge return to form. Hard rock has arrived. Its not difficult to throw the best track up front and wing the rest of the album, thankfully I realised this wasn’t the case. Funnily enough Long Way To Go starts off with an even closer likeness to Sabbath (Children Of The Grave anyone?) before kicking into the melodic chorus and Blackies addictive wail. The intro to Take Me Up is probably one of the best sung passages Lawless has ever attempted, and I mean sung. Several great parts make up this sensational song. Next on the list is The Burning Man, with its galloping rhythm and driving vocal, its set to be a throwaway track, that’s of coarse before the brilliant chorus floods in, ‘Go Blackie!’. The epic battle anthem Heavens Hung In Black is ushered in with the symphonic harmony of When Johnny Comes Marching Home. Its about this time that I realised the vocals are sounding stronger than ever, and this could perhaps be WASP’s best album…ever! Heavens Blessed is another great rock anthem that hails back to their 80’s heyday. Teacher doesn’t hold up to the rest, but stills rocks hard. The reprise is the most emotional piece Blackie has ever undertaken, I never knew he had it in him. Bravo. This should have been the last track, as they finish off with the fair but predictable Deal With The Devil.

 

CONCLUSION

I figured this to be a throwaway album. I was very, very wrong. This is the best hard rock album I have heard this year, and one of WASP’s strongest all-round efforts ever. Blackie’s vocals are somehow better than ever and the production is perfect. The album is probably more melodic than they have ever tried, and it only suits the sound. Long gone are the days of Animal lyrics, instead Blackie lays out his thoughtful pondering of the institute that is America. Though the album is short, I’m glad they didn’t tac on the cover tunes as originally planned. I don’t know what troubles the band is going through at the moment, but this is one hell of an album.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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