Editor's Choice...
And this time ... "The Last Command", the second album of "W.A.S.P.", which was released on November 9, 1985.
A year after the release of the hit debut album "W.A.S.P" the band settles into the second round with a slight lineup changes, with drummer Steve Riley strengthening the rhythm division in place of original drummer Tony Richards.
The band comes to the recording of this album more cohesive, more experienced, even more mature, as far as such a description can be used in the context of a band whose it's genre name include the word “shock” .
So true, "W.A.S.P." was one of the main bands of "Shock Metal" in the 1980s, but on this album they decided to replace "Shock" with "Heavy", producing one of the best albums of their entire career, who can stand proudly alongside albums like "The Headless Children" and "The Crimson Idol".
Singer and bassist Blackie Lawless proves that his writing abilities can be much more mature, melodic and diverse than the previous album. He was involved in writing each of the ten songs, and with no doubt established his status as the leader of the band according to which he would speak. Also in terms of performance, Blackie noted that he played on this album on no less than 14 different instruments and promised that with each listening people would discover more and more things that were not noticed in the previous listening.
The development and diversity in the writing ability and sound of the band can be heard from the opening song and the first single released from the album - "Wild Child". An excellent song with an absorbing melody, and a bridge part rich with varied sounds. The guitar sounds here like "seagulls", the tambourine like Rattlesnake, the rustling cymbals, the bells and more prove that Blackie did not exaggerate when he claimed that he played on 14 different instruments on this album ...
The album maintains a uniform level almost throughout, with songs like "Ballcrusher" still corresponding with the writing themes of "Shock" from the previous album, "Fistful of Diamonds" a song with a sweeping chorus that opens with the news report and all one big "greed" By Blackie, "Jack Action" with the all-too-beautiful riff influenced by "Judas Priest" and more.
It is clear that the band was making an effort to get the approval stamp from the heavy metal community, when even the members of "ZZ Top" were asked to aid with a short appearance in the clip of the second single released from the album - "Blind in Texas".
This trend continues with the theme song featuring the recorded chorus made for making fifty thousand fans o roar with clenched fists raised in the air.
And the album would not be complete without a ballad that stars in almost every heavy metal album of the period. "Cries in the Night" is well made and includes an amazing solo by the legendary Chris Holmes. This track is based on a 1976 song called "Mr. Cool" by one of Blackie Lawless' early bands called "Killer Kane Band".
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music