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W.A.S.P: Babylon
The fourteenth album by Blackie Lawless and the boys sees them continuing just where they left off the last time we got together for the album Dominator. I would have to say that there is nothing wrong with that as W.A.S.P. maintains a level of glam/heavy metal that is well worth the price of admission.
There might not be anything earth shattering on this disc but it still has some really good hook laden metal that guarantees some fist pumping throughout. The giddy-up rhythm of the song "Babylon's Burning" is a prime example of the anthem like quality of music on most of this disc. The band gladly gives a dose of what the fans are going to eat up. Another really good moment is the song "Live To Die Another Day" with its patented heavy metal formula that is consummated in the rousing sing-a-long chorus.
You won't find a bad song on the disc but there is really not much that is truly inspiring either. While the already mentioned "Live To Die Another Day" and the Chuck Berry cover "Promised Land" are both a lot of fun, the rest of this very short disc by today's standards is nothing more than a very good example of what W.A.S.P. does best. What they do best is give you 100% heavy metal with a lot of spirit and energy that will have you on your feet and stretching the neck muscles for sure but I doubt if much of this album will stick with you for long. It's like a good cup of coffee. You really enjoy it while you are drinking it but after it is done you don't think of it at all till you have another dose.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this album and it is old school metal to the max but I just don't think it is their best. The inclusion of two cover songs also makes you wonder if they were having trouble getting enough material to put out the disc. Blackie is in fine vocal form though and that fact alone is a reason to pick this one up. Just don't expect too much!
Track listing:
1. Crazy
2. Live To Die Another Day
3. Babylon's Burning
4. Burn
5. Into The Fire
6. Thunder Red
7. Seas Of Fire
8. Godless Run
9. Promised Land
Added: January 19th 2010
Reviewer: Scott Ward
Score: 
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 3237
Language: english
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W.A.S.P: Babylon
Posted by Butch Jones, SoT Staff Writer on 2010-01-19 08:32:49
My Score: 
The 14th CD release from Shock Metal band, WASP, entitled Babylon (Demolition Records) is in stores now, but beware there isn't much on this record that you haven't heard before. Now I am very much guilty for wanting everything to be like it was in the bands beginning, but Blackie, c'mon.
W.A.S.P., who now features the one and only Blackie Lawless on vocals & guitar, Mike Duda on bass, Doug Blair on lead guitar and Mike Dupke on drums, have dropped a 9 track CD that features another re-tread riff from the song "Wild Child" off of 1985's The Last Command. CD opener, "Crazy" "borrows" this riff much like every release since The Last Command has "borrowed" a riff off of another W.A.S.P. record. I mean, at least TRY to disguise the damn riffs that you keep re-using, Blackie. Examples? See "Rebel In the F.D.G." off of Headless Children, "Restless Gypsy" from Electric Circus, "Don't Cry (Just Suck) from Helldorado, just to name a few. My point? How many times can you try to repackage the same damn material?
Anyway back to Babylon. Once again, Blackie has manned the production chair on this effort & it does sound pretty good. His vocals are of course in the fore front and cut through the mix and his voice still sounds great! For "Babylon", Blackie went back to the Book of Revelation and the tales of the four horseman of the apocalypse for song ideas like the heavy chugging "Babylon's Burning" (with it's "Restless Gypsy" opening riff) , "Live To Die Another Day", "Into The Fire" and "Thunder Red". They showcase Blackie at his best and lead guitarist Doug Blair, throws in some nice lead work along the way, but there isn't much new here that W.A.S.P. hasn't done before. "Babylon" also features the odd cover of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" and perhaps but the best track, the cover of the Coverdale/Hughes Deep Purple era classic, "Burn". Sans the keyboard solo in the song, they do a great job of this anthem. Blackie's voice is once again strong and does the song justice.
Overall, "Babylon" is an average W.A.S.P. release. If you were a fan of records like Helldorado this is up that alley albeit a bit darker. In 2010 with Blackie still rolling the W.A.S.P. machine around the world, I for one hope that he just bites the bullet and reforms the ORIGINAL band with Randy Piper and the great Chris Holmes. And if this happens, PLEASE, PLEASE Blackie find the legendary drummer Tony Richards from the 1st record to round out the line up. The 1st W.A.S.P. record still kicks ass and has aged VERY well and this could actually make people care about W.A.S.P. in the US. This band could bring back the great name of W.A.S.P., but this new record just doesn't do much for me. I've heard the same record pretty over and over since the '90's. Get Chris Holmes back!!!
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