CoC : W.A.S.P. - Helldorado : Review

W.A.S.P. - _Helldorado_
(CMC/BMG, 1999)
by: Adrian Bromley (4 out of 10)

Is it just me or does this -whole- record sound the same? From opener "Drive By" to closer "Hot Rods to Hell", the new release _Helldorado_ becomes one blinding flash of sameness as we give it a spin. Blackie Lawless, Chris Holmes and the rest of the W.A.S.P. clan are desperately trying to revisit the past, trying to once again latch onto the perverse and darkened days of the tumultuous '80s-era W.A.S.P. that they have somehow lost going into the '90s -- though _Crimson Idol_ was a kickass record. The key word is "try", folks. They have tried to find that style in their music in 1999 and it fails for the most part. While songs like "Dirty Balls", "Don't Cry (Just Suck)" and "Cocaine Cowboys" would sure be a target for then PMRC head Tipper Gore back then, nowadays it just seems so unharmful and somewhat lame in this day and age where extreme music easily surpasses some of W.A.S.P.'s earlier devil dancing, sex-crazed days. It's a shame, really, as I saw some light of hope in 1997's _Kill Fuck Die_ when Lawless re-teamed with guitarist Holmes. Oh well; good luck, boys.

(article published 15/6/1999)

CHATS
9/1/2002	A Bromley	W.A.S.P.: Dark Reflections
5/13/2001	A Bromley	W.A.S.P.: Unleashing Terror Once Again
5/13/1997	A Bromley	W.A.S.P.: They're Back...

ALBUMS
8/4/2007	K Sarampalis	8.5	W.A.S.P. - Dominator
8/12/2001	A McKay	7	W.A.S.P. - Unholy Terror
4/13/1998	A Bromley	8	W.A.S.P. - Double Live Assassins

GIGS
11/21/2007	K Sarampalis	W.A.S.P. / House of Games	An Evening with W.A.S.P.