Home Read Classic Album Review: W.A.S.P. | Helldorado

Classic Album Review: W.A.S.P. | Helldorado

Blackie Lawless and co. explore new ways to sell out on this forgettable offering.

This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):

 


W.A.S.P.’s heavy metal king bee Blackie Lawless must have some heavy bills to pay.

Not only is Helldorado his band’s second CD this year, but the booklet is a virtual catalogue for Blackie’s Hellfire Sale. Along with the usual T-shirts and jackets, you can buy handwritten lyrics, used drum heads, old stage props and even backstage passes to shows. The music? No surprises there; just the usual power-chord screech and Beavis-and-Butthead lyrics (Dirty Balls, Saturday Night Cockfight, heh-heh-heh) that our inner 14-year-olds all know and love. But even if yours doesn’t, buy this anyway — before the repo man comes for Blackie’s buzzsaw codpiece. That’s something none of us need or want to see.