The latest disc from WASP, this is a new classic. It’s got the feel of a vintage WASP album. It also has something that’s been missing a lot these days – efficiency. Just nine songs long the disc gets in, gets the job done and doesn’t stay around too long. There aren’t a lot of surprises (other than a Chuck Berry cover) but just a lot of great songs that seem like they are trademark WASP. This is just a very consistent and effective album. And it rocks!
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2009 Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Crazy The guitar riff opening this is trademark WASP. They move it out from there in fine style. This is a brand new classic WASP song. It has their power metal sound and is unmistakable as that band. It has some solid hooks and great guitar soloing. I can't imagine a better way to lead off this album.
Live To Die Another Day This isn’t as instantly accessible as the opener. That said, the track combines a hard rocking classic rock sort of texture with more trademark WASP metal.
Babylon's Burning A real screamer, this is more “metal” than the two openers. It reminds me of some of the best music WASP did in the 1980’s. It’s my favorite to this point. There’s a dropped back spoken section that calls to mind epic metal.
Burn Here is WASP doing the old Deep Purple song. It’s a real screamer. You’d have to really go a long ways to top DP’s original version, but this is quite strong.
Into The Fire A mellower, but still crunchy, melodic metal sound opens this and it builds like you’d expect from this type of powered up metal ballad when delivered by WASP. This is one of my favorites on show here.
Thunder Red Here we get one of the crunchiest, most frantic metal pieces on the disc. It’s a real scorcher and another highlight of the album.
Seas Of Fire This is another fiery one – and that’s appropriate given the title. It’s another exceptionally potent piece that’s classic WASP.
Godless Run This one is possibly my favorite cut here. It’s an epic ballad and I really mean epic. It starts mellower and rises gradually up from there, but a lot more slowly in terms of intensifying than “Into the Fire” was. It is complex and extremely powerful.
Promised Land There’s a bit of a Southern rock tinge to this jam – with even a little Elvis in the mix, but overall this is a WASP song through and through. Still, it’s got some major bits of old school rock and roll. Of course, that last part makes sense because this is a cover of a Chuck Berry song.
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