W.A.S.P.
Babylon
Demolition 2009



With a couple of exceptions, W.A.S.P.don't make bad albums. And when frontman Blackie Lawless gets his dander up about something, then it usually results in something special. Like this. The former shock rocker has been looking at the state of the world, flipped open his Bible at Revelations, and decided that this time, it's all over.

His curmudgeonly growl / howl is wrapped around some classic heavy metal as he tries to prepare us for the end of days, through the power of rawk. Songs like 'Babylon's Burning' and 'Godless Run' hark back to the glory days of "The Crimson Idol" and show that the 53 year old has lost nothing of his rage.

There is some excellent riffage on offer with the tale of The Rapture and destruction on the aforementioned Babylon's Burning' absolutely outstanding. For extra listening pleasure, there's a couple of cover versions thrown in for good measure. Chuck Berrys 'Promised Land' is a poor end to a really good metal album, but W.A.S.P's rampaging assault through Deep Purple's 'Burn'.

As classic metal goes, this is as good as it gets. Add in the end of days, and you've got a very special album.

© Stuart A Hamilton
Rating **** (4.0/5.0)

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