W.A.S.P.
The Neon God, Part 1: The Rise

How many bands can boast of having made very few mistakes in their careers? Not many, surely. Well, W.A.S.P. are probably among the few who can flaunt this boast. Founded in 1982 by Blackie Lawless, a wild madman who, along with guitarists Randy Piper and Chris Holmes, would bring his music, his excesses, and his craziness to the world starting in 1984 with the release of their self-titled album. Until 1992, they saw no mistakes, no decline, indeed; in the realm of classic heavy metal at the time, they were among the few bands that did not face disbandment or release disastrous albums. In 1992, the band released the album considered to be their musical and compositional pinnacle, “The Crimson Idol.” Twelve years later, in 2004, W.A.S.P. were confronted with an overall outlook that was not particularly positive. Five albums had been released, all of excellent quality, plus two live albums, but the promotion of the recent albums was not outstanding, which led the public to "forget" the band. In the early 2000s, Lawless began working on a sort of continuation of "The Crimson Idol," not meant as a part two, of course, but rather a second concept that only seemingly revisited the themes of “The Crimson Idol.” Year after year, in 2004, "The Neon God: The Rise" came to light. There were many expectations for its release, curiosity above all, to know if this new album would revive the band's name, but above all, if this album would be a worthy successor to that masterpiece released in '92. In “The Neon God: The Rise,” Lawless handled everything himself: lyrics, music, production. Those who know the band well are fully aware that the genius hidden behind Blackie Lawless is astonishing. It was evident in "The Crimson Idol," it was evident in the vast majority of the band's works, and now more than ever, it is evident now.

The saga of "The Neon God" is divided into two parts, both released in 2004, and it tells the story of Jesse Slane, a boy who, after living through pain and suffering, including the death of his father at just six years old and complete indifference from his mother, who was addicted to drugs and alcohol, is abandoned by her in an orphanage run by Catholic nuns. These nuns treat Jesse and all the other boys with violence and hatred, but it is precisely in this orphanage that Jesse discovers his power, which is to have complete control over other people's minds. Together with Judah, a vagrant who acts as a guru for Jesse, he finds himself becoming a preacher of the masses, with the mission of leading the people to a land of peace. But questions torment Jesse. Why are we here? Will pain and suffering ever go away? Will I ever be happy? Jonathan Steel's ghost, the protagonist of "The Crimson Idol," is strongly felt, and one wonders: Can this new concept rival the masterpiece released 12 years prior?

After the intro "Overture," which at times reminds one of "The Titanic Overture," comes the brief "Why Am I Here," which, as previously explained, serves to immediately introduce the listener to the central question of the entire saga. "Wishing Well" is the first true track of the album, where one immediately notices a production that is not excellent, especially in not highlighting the bass and drums, but still presents a good W.A.S.P.-style piece followed by "Sister Sadie (And The Black Habits)," the longest song on the album which, although fully enhanced by a furious Blackie on vocals and excellent drumming, brings to mind that "Chainsaw Charlie," where even the guitars seem to be spitting images of that '92 masterpiece. "The Rise" utilizes keyboards for the first time, resulting in an excellent, albeit short, piece, followed by "Why Am I Nothing," another brief introduction in which Jesse now questions a different, existential question for him. "Asylum #9" is perhaps one of the best tracks on the CD, where an excellent rhythm section and a good solo elevate the tones of the album. There are progressive influences in "The Red Room Of The Rising Sun," where keyboards are the protagonists, but it emerges as a particularly difficult piece to assimilate. "What I'll Never Find" is a slow song where Lawless's poignant voice stands as the central character, an absolutely successful piece in my opinion, followed by the brief "Someone To Love Me (All I Need)." "X.T.C. Rider" is a track where the drums lead the entire piece to a great chorus, albeit with one of the worst solos I've ever heard. For "Me And The Devil," I don't think there are words to waste, while "The Running Man" is a great piece, although in some parts, it conspicuously copies "The Invisible Boy." The album closes with "The Raging Storm," where a particularly suffering Blackie guides all the instruments through slow verses and a captivating chorus, resulting in the perfect conclusion for an album not exactly at excellent levels.

I apologize for the track-by-track, which may be tedious to read, but trying to omit it in a concept is always particularly difficult. So what remains of this first part of the saga "The Neon God"? Doubts, certainly. An album that could have been a new opportunity for W.A.S.P. to return under the spotlight, but which is severely lacking in the anger befitting the band and that animal instinct that has always distinguished them. Add a production on the edge of listenable, a cut-and-paste of various guitar parts, and what do you get? An album that is not excellent, that is certain. But in my opinion, W.A.S.P. emerges not with heads held high, but not defeated either. The proof that a band, even twenty years after their debut, can still produce noteworthy albums is all here. I, therefore, consider this album as a sort of step back from the standards we were accustomed to, but not a blunder.

"Oh, all I need was someone to love me
"Oh, all I needed was one
"There's no one who cares."