| Reviews for W.A.S.P.'s The Crimson Idol |
| I’m Glad I Chose To Review This Now… - 91% |
| Written by OzzyApu
on November 1st, 2009
|
| I remember saying at the end of my review for Inside The Electric Circus that I liked that album more than this one. At the time I thought this album was by far the worst one of the bunch, ranking quite low on my list. The hype just killed the whole thing for me, and I looked on irritably as I ate up Still Not Black Enough, Kill Fuck Die, and those that followed. Did I not get it? Was there something missing? Quite so, since the album, one track at a time, grew on me to the point where by my closing runs of The Neon God chapters, I began to see the light in one of Blackie’s darkest works. The first track to truly hit home for me when I first heard this was “The Great Misconceptions Of Me,” followed some weeks later by “Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)” and “The Titanic Overture.” Subtly, I began to notice certain traits, melodies, and other interesting characteristics of each song during this rediscovery. “The Gypsy Meets The Boy” was the next to fall, and shortly after “I Am One” followed in its footsteps. Soon enough, the album stared me in the face with a smug remark… “I told you so…” God damn, son, never judge something by the first impression. Of all the W.A.S.P. albums, the one that’s hailed as the best took the longest to sink in, and the personal reward is greater than all the other albums. It’s still not my favorite, but it shot from the lowest of the low to within my top five beloved W.A.S.P. albums. This album has a life of its own – the missing link which the first four couldn’t supply. The story has been told a million times over across a wide variety of fans; a common tale of finding comfort in the solitude of life. The difference is that the voyage is told through intricate weavings cleverly crafted into one of the best concept albums serving heavy metal. The leads are especially gratifying, showcasing elaborate melodies and stampeding riffs split between Lawless and Bob Kulick. The tone is softer than The Headless Children, but that makes it more comforting for the disposition. The acoustic inclusions bring out a textual flavoring and the rhythm backs it up in times of need, and when this happens the songs go all out like a burst of rage. On top of it you have the bass, which trickles fervently moreso than on the last album. The tone reaches deafening proportions when the bass is involved, taken on by Blackie himself once more. During the ‘80s he hardly cared for this “instrument of ignorance,” but throughout the years he had it suppressed so he could unleash it all on here. Especially during the acoustic sections is where you’ll find yourself in love with the soothing bass lines , easing the mood and creating a relaxing atmosphere. Be prepared to wake up, though, since during the heavier parts it doesn’t mess around; when it rides with the riffs, it rides to slay. If you are a new W.A.S.P. fan who arrived fresh off the ‘80s material (as I was when I first heard this), then you’ll find that this album uses more acoustics than the first four albums combined. The production is clearer, the instruments are crisper, the vibe is darker, and the riffs are more melodic than before. Every instrument feels the pain as the story proceeds as destiny intended with each passing second. The most anguish comes from Lawless himself; his vocals poignant, guilty, frail, and dry. He’ll scream, he’ll shout, he’ll snarl, but most of all he’ll sing with his heart on the edge of life. The mix is balanced with the utmost precision, so his vocals aren’t buried a bit like they were on the previous album or high above the instruments like on the album before that. Through his voice you recognize the voice of Jonathan, the martyr of our story. The adventure is a common one, but the tale is much more touching and Blackie, as well as the listener, must come to understand that everytime this story is sung, Jonathan Steel is meant to die. Keyboards play a much larger role in the music, adding a chilling backdrop with very icy notes. When I first heard them, I thought they were utter crap. Thus, they withdrew from the light, knowing my vengeance would mean their utter destruction. With each passing album I conquered, they slowly crept back, luring me in with every listen. As I began to understand the music and the concept as a whole of what was going on, I found keys staring me in the face, too. They truly add a spiritual touch to the overly dark and deadly melodies; rhythms find themselves between slow and tender to driving with fury. The drums have the best supporting role, galloping with rides, strides, and rolls to give off a theatrical display of force. Nothing stale here; only pure power and accuracy with Frankie and Stet – yes, two more than capable drummers going ballistic with the most royal of kits. Everything from the toms to the bombarding cymbals and the hurtling double bass sounds very lively, novel, and somber. The Headless Children took the traditional heavy metal style up to that point and revamped the shit out of it. The result: an album that was half and half – that is, half epic and half of the same. It was marred with identity; duality was questionable and, while more serious than the others, it was still a fun outing that tried to be something it wasn’t. The Crimson Idol knows what it wants to be; it doesn’t need to dig through the band’s past life – it has a role and it carries out that mission with compassion and dedication that surpassed the band’s standards. The epics are among the tame in this metal opera, feeding the hunger of progressive fans and heavy metal fans alike. While the strengths certainly lie in what culminates between the instruments, the choruses remembered to be catchy at the same time: the best choruses on the album comes from “Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue),” “I Am One,” and “The Idol” / “The Great Misconceptions Of Me” (both are similar (the former being a so-so ballad and the latter being a climactic finale)). In-between them are equal ballads and rockers the same, but much shorter and with the sole purpose of driving the story along while detailing emotional ups and downs. On the previous albums, there were always conflicts in regard to the appeal of certain tracks. The first half of The Headless Children can be seen as the more ambitious and doesn’t take to kindly to the others, while the staples on the debut outshine the lesser known ones on that very album by quite a lot. The Last Command didn’t have a hard case, since most of the tracks on there are of equal value, but here we see all the tracks working together to bring one message – one experience – one story for all to hear. Any aspiring musician ought to give this a listen, and for W.A.S.P. fans it’s a definitive, mandatory listening. Oh, and to revisit my claim on Inside The Electric Circus outperforming this one… I take that back. The Crimson Idol kills, maims, rapes, brutalizes, and finishes that album – end of review. |
| Awesome combination of both concept and metal!!! - 100% |
| Written by cravingforvenom
on March 17th, 2009
|
| This has got to be one of the greatest albums ever known to mankind. What can I say about this beast? Its practically the kind of stuff you would want to tag along as long as you live. It combines elements of both hard hitting heavy metal and contemporary rock opera, more like what Meatloaf did back in his prime but heavier and thrashier by a good 10x. You thought Operation Mindcrime is the best metal concept album ever? This beats the shit out of it any given day. Blackie continues to impress further and further. This man’s a metal machine. What we have here is a wonderfully crafted album brilliantly capturing the life of an aspiring rock musician called Jonathan and how his taste of superstar success eventually gets him to take his own life. Born a not so perfect son to a family, he runs away from home and eventually gets into bad company. One fine day he decides to make more money by pursuing his love for rock music and soon become a star. Getting all the leisures of life, he now feels the urge to get his family love back, which he eventually doesn’t and thus ends up giving up his own life. Each track flows one after the other so smoothly, it feels like one gigantic track over an hour in length. The well executed acoustic solo in “The Titanic Overture” is used throughout the album to give it the feel and the atmosphere. Hard hitters include the catchy “The Invisible Boy”, the epic “Chainsaw Charlie” , the punchy “Arena Of Pleasure”, the anthemic “I Am One” and the insanity driven “Doctor Rockter”. Although there are a few slower ones found in here, they are not your conventional rock ballads. These may well be called the ultimate heavy metal ballads. “The Idol” and “Hold On To My Heart” are an absolute treat to listen to and give this album a meaningful balance. The finisher “The Great Misconceptions Of Me” is the monster around. Clocking at almost ten minutes in length, this tells the story of Jonathan from start to finish basically doing the job of what one may refer to as a Wren and Martin influenced summary writing. In my words, this could be called a Heavy Metal Summary. The riffs and the slow acoustic breakdowns in between give this track a genuine touch altogether. My suggestion is very simple. If you are a sucker for a catchy concept and traditional metal and would like to taste the unique combo of both, then this is just what you should look for, the next time you go record shopping. You aint gonna be wasting any so called precious dimes on this. Its worth a fortune. Highly recommended to all long running W.A.S.P fans and also those who would like a little deviation from the same old conventional metal sound. This is the true heights of imagination. |
| A Kick In The Balls - 95% |
| Written by heavens_coffin
on April 16th, 2007
|
| You know, I heard a few W.A.S.P. hits and saw some videos when I was a kid, but nothing ever really grabbed me. Maybe it was because I was too infatuated with bands like Slayer, Sepultura, Metallica, Dismember, etc and too narrow minded to give them a chance. I always associated them with the glam movement, which I was never fond of, and subsequently never paid them any attention. A couple people were discussing how Operation: Mindcrime and The Crimson Idol were two of their favorite concept albums of all time. So I buried that thought in the back of my mind and when I went into the metal store one day, I was searching through the boxes of $5 used CDs and came across a copy of The Crimson Idol. Needless to say I was skeptical because of what I've always associated W.A.S.P. with. But I figured it's only $5 so what the hell? Well fuck me running if this isn't one of the best albums I have ever heard! It's not too often you take a chance on an album expecting it to suck and instead it kicks you square in the balls, and continues to kick you in the balls harder each time you listen to it. My jaw was about at the floor by the time I was done listening to it for the first time. By the end of the second time, I thought of it as one of those "Why didn't I buy you 10 years ago?" albums. I really enjoy the story of the album which is sounds like an autobiography to me. Either way it's a good story with a very well-written narrative intro and the lyrics are great as well. This album got me looking at my speakers right from the start of The Titanic Overture. The Invisible Boy is a fucking awesome song with a catchy-as-fuck chorus, same for Arena Of Pleasure. But nothing tops Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)--nothing. That is without a doubt my favorite song on this album. Great riffs, great lyrics, and Blackie's vocals absolutely destroy. Also as mentioned in prior reviews, it's awesome how you hear sections of The Titanic Overture in The Invisible Boy and The Great Misconceptions Of Me, as well as parts of The Invisible Boy in The Great Misconceptions Of Me. This album just fucking works phenomenally as a concept album. It flows magnificently as an album, and the individual songs themselves are top notch. Highlights off this one for me (though there is not ONE bad song on this album): The Titanic Overture The Invisible Boy Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue) The Gypsy Meets The Boy The Great Misconceptions Of Me Albums this great are a rarity, and albums this great are the albums that remind you why you started listening to heavy metal in the first place. I am sorry I didn't get this sooner. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SHOW BIZ, MY NAME IS CHARLIE! I'M A COCKSUCKING ASSHOLE! THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL ME! HERE FROM MY HOLLYWOOD TOWER I RULE! I'M A LYIN' MOTHERFUCKER! THE CHAINSAW'S MY TOOL! |
| HEAVY METAL OPERA - 100% |
| Written by MMM88
on March 17th, 2005
|
| What can i say about a great album like this ??? Whats the word that i should say i still dont know.. ??? a brilliant work ??? a masterpiece ???... believe me theres much much to say about this album. This is one of the best Heavy Metal albums ever and in my personal opinion its the best epic concept Heavy Metal album of all times next to Iron Maiden's "SSOASS". This is WASP at their best moment and best work too, this is the best Blackie Lawless can do. Even WASP themselves tried to make another epic piece like this (The Neon God saga) but they couldnt and even musically Blackie ripped and borrowed many riffs from this album and used it on later WASP songs. This is not only a music, its a story too, a great story made by Blackie Lawless himself. The story revolves around Jonathan, a young man who is seen as the "black sheep" of his family. Jonathan runs away from home and wants to be a Rock star, he falls into the traps of drugs and alcohol the and his success only leads to more excesses and other things... At that time the band was disbanded and guitarist Chris Holmes left the band leaving Blackie Flawless alone but suddenly Blackie gets back to work on a new WASP album, i dont want to say he reforms the band because he actuallty didnt, this is much like a Blackie Lawless solo project under the name of WASP. Blackie said that he was making a "ROCK Opera", well we have to execuse Mr. Blackie for the word "Rock", becasue we all know that he inspired and influenced by the Rock music more than Metal and thats a fact, but this is a "Heavy Metal Opera" i say and WASP plays Heavy Metal with a touch of Rock and 80 Metal too of course. Blackie take control on almost all the instruments on the album, he took over the bass, guitars, keyboards. But of course he hires some people for help and these people are Stet Howland and Frank Banali behind the kit and Bob Kulick (brother of ex-KISS guiatrist Bruce Kulick) on lead guitars and soloing. The band performance is massive. Blackie is at his best shape, bringing his best vocals performance ever and great playing too and Bob Kulick brings a great ripping guitar solos and also without forgetting the great job by both Frank Banali and Stet Howland on the drums. Theres many emotion is the material, but thats not means that this a weak album or gay or, its just that theres emotion in every song but theres many heavy songs and some slow songs also and all of them are catchy and stays in your head. The story revolves around Jonathan, a young man who is seen as the "black sheep" of his family. Jonathan runs away from home and falls into the traps of drugs and alcohol before discovering the key to making a name for himself and that key is Rock music. However, the success only leads to more excesses and, upon the breakup of a Caligula-like party, more isolation. He reaches out to the parents he ran away from, hoping they will accept him as the success he's become - only to be crushed when they reject his attempt to reach out to them. Whether Jonathan commits suicide or not, thats what the listener have to decide. Ok now lets get back to the music.. The album begins with "Overture", a great opener with excellent emotional accoustic guitar playing from Blackie and some good riffs, the song mostly an instrumental and then "The Invisible Boy" which begins with a great riff and great drumming also. Then we have "Arena of Pleasure" which is one of my fav. on the record, starting with a great blasting riff and a great chorus also plus a great guitar solo from Bob Kulick which i think he have the great honour of playing on this great record. Then we get "Chainsaw Charlie", the best WASP song ??? maybe... a great WASP anthem, by the time you hear the Chainsaw sound roaring you can realize that this song will kick major ass, great drumming and great riffs specially that melodic riff in the middle of the song, a heavy violent song with a great catchy chorus and ripping guitar solo from Bob Kulick, what do you want more ???? "The Gypsy Meets The Boy" is a great accoustic song followed by a catchy rocker "Doctor Rockter".. and then another WASP anthem "I Am One" which starts with Blackie screaming at the audience and then a good typical and simple WASP riff with a good chorus, not better than the first one but still great and one of the bands best. Then there is the highlight of the album "The Idol" which is a ballad, but its one of the best in whole Heavy Metal history... the chorus "Where is the love to shelter me Give me love, love set me free" is one the most known in the history of Heavy Metal, simply a GREAT SONG. Followed by another accoustic work "Hold On To My Heart" which features excellent vocals by Blackie, very emotional and catchy. And then at then end, the epic closer of the album "The Great Misconceptions of Me" its like a short retell of the whole album, starting with a great accoustic guitar then and a great words "I donna wanna be the Crimson Idol of a million of eyes".. and then you have an excellent riff and "The Idol" chorus is repeated again but with a more long epic way. The album is over, theres nothing i can say more than this about this great album, so instead of wasting your money on a crap like Metalcore stuff and other, go and get a real Hevay Metal work, get this one.. NOW.. |
| Perfection - 100% |
| Written by Soulforged
on February 3rd, 2005
|
| W.A.S.P., notoriously famous for their over the top stage antics, was the outrageous band that personified the 80’s metal attitude. Indeed, they had pissed a lot of people off through the years. But at this stage, Blackie Lawless was left to pursue the project however he pleased. Chris Holmes had left only a few years earlier, and Johnny Rod went with him. Perhaps this record is the result of 3 years of fame-sick loneliness and soul-searching. Indeed, I believe Blackie reached the ultimate peak with this record. Many have claimed it is an autobiography of the man, explaining perhaps the extremely emotional vocal performance. However, in essence, it is still the same W.A.S.P. we have all come to love, but the album explores an emotional side of the band that had as yet remained unseen. The result is a stunning concept album that narrates the life of a rockstar by the name of Jonathan who longed for fame, but no longer wants it because of lack of real happiness in his life. Although Blackie would perform most of the instrumentation, guitars, keyboards and bass, veteran axeman Bob Kulick was hired to lend his skills, and a duo of drummers (Stet Howland and Frankie Banali) would be employed. On to the music then. The songs stay consistent in mood throughout the album. There is not one weak song here. In fact, there are several parts which are reused throughout the album to give the whole body of work a very consistent feel. The songs themselves show a lot of variation as well. You have fast up-tempo rockers such as Arena Of Pleasure and Doctor Rockter. One song that particularly strikes a chord is “Chainsaw Charlie” which is how intense a song this fast can get. Blackie sings in complete anger, attacking greedy music business executives. Ballads include “The Gypsy Meets The Boy” and “The Idol”. The latter has that unquestionable epic tag written all over it, accentuated by yet another brilliant vocal performance but also a brilliant and downright huge solo the likes of which are very rarely seen. Bob Kulick makes his guitar cry and weep like no other. And to top it all off, just when the listener begins to think they possibly cannot top that song, they come up with “The Great Misconceptions Of Me”. Clocking in at 9:46, it’s the longest song on the album, but oh-my, what a closer it is. All the lyrical themes come back and are merged into a whole, giving the feeling that the story of Jonathan has come full circle. By this point, it is pretty obvious that everyone puts on a brilliant performance. The drums, guitars, keyboards…they all fall in the place to make for one of the best Metal records of the nineties, and also of all time. The drumming is very different from the previous W.A.S.P. outings, becoming extremely technical, with precision based fills played out on the toms at breakneck speed. The lyrics are full of meaning and very interesting to read. Blackie has cemented his position as a prolific song writer and not just an airhead, especially considering the fact that here is a man who used to write about getting blowjobs. I can hardly find weak points on this album, but if there has to be anything, “Hold On To My Heart” probably is one of the weaker songs on the album, and not up to par with the rest. But well, any song would find it hard to match the brilliance of “The Idol” and “The Great Misconceptions Of Me” when sandwiched between the two. However, that song also grows on you and either way, the album is meant to be absorbed as a whole, in which case it all makes sense. The album is able to ceaselessly move the listener to feel the emotions that Jonathan is going through, and that is perhaps the highest accolade the album can get. From the longing for fame and acceptance after being shunned by his family ("I just wanna be the crimson idol of a million eyes"), to wanting nothing more than acceptance from his parents ("My father was the idol, it was never me"), it’s absolute brilliance. Is the music a shade of the torment Blackie has been through? Whatever the answer, the Crimson Idol will forever remain as a masterpiece of pure emotional yet anthemic music. |
| Total fucking pwnage! - 100% |
| Written by NightOfTheRealm
on June 7th, 2004
|
| For some strange reason, W.A.S.P. did not hold a place in my collection until very recently, following my first experience with them when I caught their concert on a whim back in 2001. As soon as the band took the stage, I was floored, and I was instantly hooked. From the band’s s/t debut in 1984 and throughout the rest of 1980s (which included four other W.A.S.P. albums), W.A.S.P. made a name for themselves not only as one of metal’s wildest acts, but also noted for their consistency. Few bands have the songwriting talent necessary to write classic tune after classic tune as W.A.S.P. has done, not only in the 80s, but also throughout their career. THE CRIMSON IDOL is no exception to the level of quality one would expect from W.A.S.P. up to this point, though a few differences stand out that make this album the finest moment of W.A.S.P.’s career. First, guitarist Chris Holmes departed from the band for this album, leaving it basically as a Blackie Lawless solo project with Frank Banali and Bob Kulick standing behind Metal’s most notorious frontman. Second, Blackie has made this a concept album with an angry, scarred, tracic tale to tell. Finally, any moments of 80s cheesiness are gone from this record. THE CRIMSON IDOL is a dark, brooding album both lyrically and musically. The story behind THE CRIMSON IDOL is the tale of Jonathan Steel, a young man whose role is to be the black sheep of his zealous Christian family. Leaving home at a young age, Jonathan heads to the city, where he meets up with (Chainsaw) Charlie, who is president of a gigantic corporate music label (The Chainsaw) and presides over the local “morgue” (The music industry, “where music comes to die”). From there, the concept details Jonathan’s taste of success, followed by its consequences. The lyrics on the album are brilliant, poignant, and introspective. I won’t give any more details, but it’s obvious that Blackie means the story to be autobiographical to a point. For instance, the name of Jonathan’s father is William, the same as Blackie’s father. Musically, THE CRIMSON IDOL has everything one would desire in a metal album. The riffs are crisp, heavy, and catchy on nearly every song, and the solos are plentiful enough to suit any taste. One of my favourite aspects of W.A.S.P. is their incredible sense of melody. This isn’t melody for melody’s sake; W.A.S.P.’s melodies are deliberate and purposeful. In addition, Blackie Lawless’ voice is among the most unique in metal. His voice has a broken, jagged edge to it, though with a definite melodious backbone, and he belts out lines with as much energy as any singer in metal. Frank Banali’s performance on the skins is impeccable; his work on the throne drives the band with that much more force. These guys may not have written the book on how to play metal of the highest caliber, but they certainly have perfected the art. Every song on the album is a gem, and the sequencing is very creative, often mixing softer acoustic parts before leading into a balls-out rocker. This arrangement strengthens the album’s concept of Jonathan’s physical and emotional roller coaster. A couple standout tunes on this album are, “Arena of Pleasure,” which trades numerous solos and riffs throughout, and “The Great Misconceptions of Me,” the album’s powerful epic closer. After an acoustic intro passage, the song is off running on one of the best gallops in metal. The synths creep in here to punctuate the rhythm, creating some absolutely beautiful moments. Also on the album is the best track W.A.S.P. has ever done, “Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue”). Complete with chainsaw sound effects, the rhythm is absolutely wild, and the chorus is catchy as hell. Just when you think it can’t get any better, the middle part kicks in with these great lines, “I’m the president of showbiz, my name is Charlie/I’m a cocksucking asshole, that’s what they call me/Here from my Hollywood tower I rule/I’m a lying motherfucker, the chainsaw’s my tool.” I challenge you to resist singing along while cruising down the freeway at 90+ miles per hour. This song will rip your balls off! Not only is THE CRIMSON IDOL the finest album W.A.S.P. has ever put out, but it also ranks among my personal favourite concept albums albums of all time along with such greats as OPERATION:MINDCRIME, HOUSE OF ATREUS ACT I, and SCENES FROM A MEMORY. Buy this album or be forever branded a poseur! (originally written by my for http://www.metal-rules.com, February, 2003) |
| Their masterpiece. - 97% |
| Written by Nightcrawler
on October 4th, 2003
|
| Wow. That was my initial reaction after hearing it the first time. Their fourth studio effort The Headless Children was completely amazing, and also saw them take the step into a more thoughtful lyrical and musical direction, while not giving up the heavy metal spirit of the first three. Their fifth album however is not the kind of album to put on when you want to rock like crazy. The Crimson Idol is a concept album built on a very sad and emotional story, and the way it is written and performed you really feel the pain of main character Jonathan. The album is very emotional all through, with more ballads than on any of their other albums. The band is totally in top shape on this album, both songwriting and performance-wise. Blackie Lawless pretty much reach his vocal peak here, (though, again, I haven't heard any of their albums after this one- yet) and totally brings out all the emotion in the story. He also handles keyboard duties. The keyboards are pretty overt on here, but extremely well played. And he also handles bass guitar once again, which is totally well done. And like that's not enough, he also handles the rhythm and (together with Bob Kulick) lead guitars. Which means- yes- Chris Holmes is gone. And it does the band good, actually. While Chris was perfect for their first four, he doesn't quite have the diversity and emotion in his guitar style to handle the depth of this one. Blackie and Kulick work perfectly as a team, and their guitarwork is totally amazing. Finally, the drumming, which is handled by Stet Howland and Frankie Banali. And frankly, this album has some of the most bizarre drumming ever. Most notably on the opening track The Invisible Boy, but evident throughout the entire album, is the drumming style often using a bunch of tom fills for the rhythm section instead of fills. This is really strange, and sometimes it stands out a bit too much and gets kinda annoying, but it mostly works very well. And what about the actual songs? As you've figured out, the songwriting on The Crimson Idol is more personal, deep and emotional than their other stuff. But the album still has it's fair share of total rockers in the classic W.A.S.P. vein, and all of them on the same level as masterpieces such as Blind in Texas or even I Wanna Be Somebody. The Titanic Overture is a mesmerizing intro which builds up a great atmosphere with some very emotional acoustic guitarlines and some heavier parts in the middle. It leads into the first "real" track, The Invisible Boy, which is the first of the above mentioned all-out rockers. And while the lyrics and the mood is quite depressing, the song is fast, punchy and energetic, and guaranteed for some solid headbanging. It goes on into Arena of Pleasure, which begins with a short but extremely cool spoken part, which there are many of in this album to keep the story going. Arena of Pleasure is another all-out rocker, but with a more upbeat and atmospheric mood. Think something like Wild Child meets Hellion, and you're about there. And the song is definitely up in the same quality as those songs, with the totally amazing chorus standing out. Next is what many people including me consider to be the masterpiece of this album. Ending up as my fourth favourite W.A.S.P. song, Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue) is an 8-minute plus masterpiece, and is about as epic as it gets when the song in question is another all-out straightforward rock assault. It begins with another cool spoken part with underlying acoustic riffs, then the massacre begins. Samples of raging chainsaws lead into the relentless riffage of the best song on the album. The song is completely dead-on mindblowing all through, but there are some exceptional moments. Most notably, the chorus. The vocal melodies are insanely catchy, you gotta hear it to believe it. And the same melody is used as a "hey-hey" singalong moment towards the end of the song. Another notable moment is the crazy speed metal riffage driven bridge, with more incredibly catchy and intense vocal lines. But really, the song is completely amazing all through. Next is the first of several ballads on here. The Gypsy Meets The Boy is a new version of For Whom The Bell Tolls, a B-side from The Headless Children. And while the original was pretty damn boring, this is a complete masterpiece. Most notable is the middle section, where we revisit the acoustic melodies found on The Titanic Overture - another of the album's qualities is, as mentioned, that there are parts of the album, both musically and lyrically, that get revisited several times throughout the album, and everything seems to fit perfectly - and also the first appearance of the powerful vocal line "I just wanna be the crimson idol of a million." That part, with the acoustics underneath, is one of the most emotional moments in metal. Next, the album moves back into rockage territory with Doctor Rockter and I Am One. There isn't much to say about the former- total rocking madness, nothing less. I Am One has some mentionable moments in the pretty complex but dead-on chorus, and also features the slower middle section, featuring the first. If you're in the right mood this will send shivers down your spine over and over. The Idol follows, and is the second ballad found on here, but not the last. This as well reaches over 8 minute, without ever in the slightest feeling overlong. Blackie's vocal performance is beautiful, and much cleaner than usual. It also has loads of beautiful and atmospheric acoustic guitar lines, most notably the one at the start of the first vers by 2:50. Listen to this song in complete darkness, and I guarantee that it will be one of the most mesmerizing musical moments you'll ever experience. The chorus also features that beautiful vocal part from I Am One, but here it's strengthened by the underlying acoustics, and manages to provide the ultimate highlight of the entire album. And there's more- it's not until this song you realize what they gained with the departure of Chris Holmes. The solo in this song is just out of this world, totally up there with Beyond The Realms of Death. The Idol is most definitely the second greatest song on the album. Next up, we have Hold On To My Heart, another acoustic ballad, but this one has a complete different atmosphere, in that it's less epic and not as sad and depressing. The song construction is also much simpler, but it's a great song, with the powerful chorus standing out as the best part. And it's time for the grand finale. The Great Misconceptions Of Me brings together the greatest of the musical and lyrical moments of the entire album and adding new, no less amazing parts, into one great masterpiece of epic proportions. The song goes through a number of stages, varies from beautifully emotional to insanely rocking, but maintains a huge and depressed atmosphere, which is perfect for the story's sad end. All the songs on here work individually and could all easily be counted as total classics. But it's really the storyline that ties them together and grants the emotional depths necessary to make the album as amazing as it turned out. ...oops, this review turned out a lot longer than I planned. All that really needs to be said is this: Buy it. The Crimson Idol shows W.A.S.P. embracing their former party metal elements, but adds a great emotional depth and power, and makes this one of the ultimate classics in metal. Definitely in my all-time top ten. |
| A True Metal Masterpiece - 95% |
| Written by vonDread
on September 17th, 2003
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| W.A.S.P. was one of those bands I had always passed off as old 80’s cheese metal, never bothering to actually listen to them. But in recent years, my tastes have expanded thanks to this wonderful invention we call the internet. It’s really a shame I didn’t discover how freaking amazing these guys are until not too long ago, and anyone who passes up this album is missing out on a true heavy metal classic. It’s an ambitious work of art to say the least; a consistently excellent achievement from beginning to end. Familiar passages flow throughout the course of the album, tying all the songs together into one magnificent piece of epic storytelling. Blackie’s soaring vocals are haunting, bursting with emotion--among the best in his genre. The drumwork is excellent, the solos very impressive. And the melody, oh the melody! This album showcases one of the most complete and beautiful senses of melody I’ve heard in all of metal. But the ass-kicking, name-taking numbers are also present and accounted for: “Invisible Boy,” “Arena of Pleasure,” “Doctor Rocktor,” and of course, the immortal “Chainsaw Charlie,” all completely own everything in sight. I would call this the greatest concept album, nay, the greatest metal album of all time, if it weren’t for one thing. “Hold on to My Heart” is one of the pussiest ballads I’ve ever heard. W.A.S.P.’s ballads are often a highlight of their albums, but this one is just WRONG. It doesn’t fit the story; it’s a blemish that completely interrupts the flow of this otherwise godly masterpiece. I even went so far as to burn this onto a CD-R, removing that song and adding the “Eulogy” b-side to the end. That version I would gladly give a perfect 10. But as it is, I can’t go higher than a 9.5. Still, this is one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of the heavy metal genre. A paragon of songwriting brilliance--the band’s magnum opus. And if they can look past appearances, even those scared off by W.A.S.P.'s partying, 80’s hair metal reputation and stage antics (sawblade codpieces and all) should find something here worthy of appreciation and reverence. I certainly did. |
| Holy fucking shit!!!!! - 97% |
| Written by UltraBoris
on February 15th, 2003
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| This is my first time reviewing a WASP album only a few minutes after hearing it... three times in a row. I had thought that there was no way in Hell that they could top The Headless Children. They did. Holy fuck, is this impressive or what? This is just about the best concept album of all time (Iron Maiden's "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" takes the cake, but not by much!). The songs are linked together both lyrically and, more importantly, musically - for example, there are bits of The Titanic Overture in The Gypsy Meets the Boy - parts of The Invisible Boy in The Great Misconception of Me... etc etc etc. Oh yeah, how is the actual music? Well, ya like WASP? You'll like this. It is official, on the first five albums there isn't a single misplaced note... the dead-on sense of melody that has always been present is now combined with an emotional depth as yet unexplored - and yes, that includes the insanity of Thunderhead and The Headless Children... well, on here we have Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue), and I am One, and the amazing epic The Great Misconception of Me, and and and... oh so much more. First off... "The Titanic Overture" - a bit of an intro piece, which builds up and gets heavier and heavier, with some of the riffs reflecting the main themes of the album, that will pop up later. Then we get into "The Invisible Boy" (Red, crimson red! And I am the whipping boy!). A very fucking solid song, which then leads into the absolute highlight of the album, which is the next two songs... "Arena of Pleasure" immediately grabs you by the balls and forces you to bow down to its riff superiority... then it gets even better with "Chainsaw Charlie", which is the best song on here, going through a variety of tempos - this one is pretty much 100% intense all the way through, except for the middle section which kinda manages to get up to 110%. Fuck yeah! "I'm a lying motherfucker, the chainsaw's my tool!" Throw in some incredible soloing, and we have a complete winner here. Next up was sort of a surprise - it's "For Whom the Bell Tolls", the old Headless Children B-side. No, it's actually "The Gypsy Meets the Boy" - this version starts off softer, and the acoustic guitar is present in the entire song from beginning to end, even as they go through some of the motives of "The Titanic Overture" again. This is the first of several incredible ballads of the album - WASP can actually nail the art of the ballad with the best of them. Then, "Doctor Rockter"... another fast, catchy number, with some solo work that is a bit similar to "Chainsaw Charlie", and I think that was 100% intentional. Then, we go into "I Am One", which is another incredible song... from the live introduction, to the massive riffage and lead-guitar passages. Awesome! Next, "The Idol". This is another ballad, but its epic-ness and intensity are unquestionable. This manages to be heavy as fuck, despite being not all that fast or all that distorted. In sharp contrast to that one is "Hold On To My Heart", which is another ballad, and completely different in mood. This is the 'low point' of the album, at least story-wise. It's another highlight as far as the music is concerned. WASP have managed to do what Opeth, James Taylor, and who the fuck else knows could never get right - write an acoustic ballad that just fucking rules. Imagine "The Bard's Song" as close comparison - though the mood is completely different. Finally, the closing track. "The Great Misconception of Me" is truly an epic number - it sums up the musical ideals of the entire album up to this point, including the great "Red! I see red! I am the whipping boy!" part (sound familiar?) - the themes keep coming back, and it'll probably take a while before I recognise them all. This is an odd album - this is only my fourth time listening, and I'm already hooked, but I'm sure it'll be a grower. Fates Warning "The Spectre Within" comes to mind, as an album that I keep hearing new interesting things in, with every new listen. Okay - should you get this album? FUCK YEAH!!! This is an absolutely legendary release. How they managed to top The Headless Children, I will never know, but they did. The best WASP album I've ever heard. |