wasp golgotha tour

W.A.S.P. Announces 'The 40th Never Stops' Summer 2023 North American Tour

W.A.S.P. has announced the North American leg of "The 40th Never Stops World Tour 2023" . Produced by Live Nation , the 33-city run kicks off on Friday, August 4 at the Fremont Theatre in San Luis Obispo, California, making stops across North America in Vancouver, British Columbia; Omaha, Nebraska; New York City; Memphis, Tennessee and more before wrapping up on Saturday, September 16 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California. Special guest ARMORED SAINT will join the band across all dates of the tour.

A special BLABBERMOUTH.NET presale will begin on Thursday, April 13 at 7:00 a.m. PDT / 10:00 a.m. EDT and end on Thursday, April 13 at 10:00 p.m. local time. When prompted , type in the presale code "ANIMAL" to access tickets before the general public. General on-sale will be Friday, April 14 at 10 a.m. local.

Blackie Lawless VIP meet-and-greet tickets will also be available at WASPnation.com .

"The 40th Never Stops" 2023 North American tour dates:

Aug. 04 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theatre * Aug. 05 - Wheatland, CA - Hard Rock Live Sacramento Aug. 07 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater Aug. 08 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre * Aug. 10 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre Aug. 11 - Spokane, WA - The Podium Aug. 12 - Garden City, ID - Revolution Concert House and Event Center Aug. 13 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot Aug. 15 - Omaha, NE - Steelhouse Omaha Aug. 16 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity Plus Aug. 17 - Moline, IL - The Rust Belt * Aug. 18 - Eau Claire, WI - RCU Theater * Aug. 19 - Clive, IA - Horizon Events Center * Aug. 20 - Gary, IN - Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana Aug. 22 - Grand Rapids, MI - GLC Live @ 20 Monroe Aug. 23 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre Aug. 24 - Wheeling, WV - Capitol Theatre * Aug. 25 - Stroudsburg, PA - Sherman Theater * Aug. 26 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom Aug. 27 - Hampton, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Aug. 29 - Wallingford, CT - The Dome At Oakdale Theatre Aug. 30 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore Philadelphia Aug. 31 - Warren, OH - Packard Music Hall * Sep. 01 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall Sep. 03 - Montreal, QC - Mtelus Sep. 05 - Cincinnati, OH - The Andrew J Brady Music Center Sep. 07 - Memphis, TN - The Soundstage at Graceland Sep. 08 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall Sep. 09 - Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom Sep. 10 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Criterion Sep. 13 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre * Sep. 14 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues Sep. 16 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium

* Not a Live Nation date

W.A.S.P. wrapped up its first U.S. tour in 10 years with a sold-out show on December 11 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. This marked the 18th sold-out shows for the U.S. tour, which kicked off in late October. W.A.S.P. 's performances included the return of the band's classic song "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)" , which hadn't been played live in over 15 years.

Looking back on the U.S. tour, Lawless said: "There have been a number of times in my life when I was caught between agony and ecstasy, many times while either making a record that had great meaning for me or a tour that was truly memorable. But the U.S. tour that we just finished has been a joy I've not felt since the first tour we did in '84-'85. When that first tour was over, I felt like a little kid that had his brand new toy taken away from him. When I got up on Elvis [ Blackie 's mic stand] at the end of the last show finale, I stayed up on him longer than I normally do. I held that pose for what seemed like forever, and in my mind, it was a blur and I was flashing in my head all the shows we had just done and how desperately I wished this tour would just keep going and going. I've never wanted something not to end so badly before… even more than the first world tour in '84-'85.

"I've been blessed with a good memory, and as I was on Elvis , I could see the faces of many of you that were at these shows. In a flash it flooded my head and I just wanted to stay up there.

"When we played the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, it had a profound effect on myself and the whole band. We knew we were standing on sacred ground. Where I was standing and singing was the exact spot where Loretta Lynn 's body had been lying at her funeral just a couple of weeks before. She was music royalty; she was true greatness…. the Coal Miner's Daughter. That was an emotional night for us and from that moment on for the rest of the tour, we all kept talking about how we absolutely did not want this tour to end. In these shows we got an awful lot of love from all you guy's and it was so heavy when we'd stand on stage it felt like we could cut it with a knife. Something truly special happened between all of you and us on this tour. More than I've ever felt before in my entire career.

"Additionally, I must take a couple of minutes to address the meet-and-greets. I had never done these before. Especially not where I could have a real dialog with those who were there. In the course of the 30-plus gatherings, I learned more about your true feelings than I've ever learned before. Someone might say I should have started doing them several years ago. If I did, I don't believe it would have had the same effect because the things I was hearing from you was an accumulation of years and years of you studying those lyrics and having the space to let them speak to you that only time can do. Time to let you really reflect on how it's spoken to your lives. The looks on your faces when you spoke was at times for me a frustration that is difficult to express, because mere words cannot paint the raw emotions I was feeling from many of you. And I'm supposed to be the writer here!"

Lawless has led W.A.S.P. as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold-out shows across the globe for four decades. He is joined by bassist Mike Duda and guitarist Doug Blair , whose tenures in the band span 28 and 17 years respectively, along with drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester .

W.A.S.P. 's latest release was "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)" , which came out in February 2018. It was a new version of the band's classic 1992 album "The Crimson Idol" , which was re-recorded to accompany the movie of the same name to mark the 25th anniversary of the original LP's release. The re-recorded version also features four songs missing from the original album.

W.A.S.P. 's most recent studio album of all-new original material was 2015's "Golgotha" .

W.A.S.P. 's first live performance since December 2019 took place on July 23, 2022 at Skansen in Stockholm, Sweden.

W.A.S.P. is in the middle of its massive European leg of the 40th-anniversary world tour, with upcoming shows taking place in Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and more before wrapping on May 18 in Sofia, Bulgaria at Universidada Sports Hall.

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• Jan 12, 2022

W.A.S.P. Announce US Tour Dates for 40 Years Live World Tour 2022

June 6th 2022 marks the 40th Anniversary of the band that has rocked and shocked, thrashed, trashed and blasted its way into shock and roll history. Your band, the world’s band… my band W.A.S.P. To celebrate, the band will embark on their first U.S tour in a decade and take fans back through 40 years of madness. Coming along for the trek are L.A.’s ARMORED SAINT, who are also celebrating their 40th Anniversary. And as a special treat, MICHAEL SCHENKER will appear on the Texas and Tulsa shows. Blackie Lawless commenting on the U.S. tour, "For over 10 years we have not toured on U.S. soil. But starting Oct. 28th, 2022… we return. 10 years I’d want, 10 years I’ve cussed, 10 years I’d lust to return…. To my home land… and be a Wild Child, a Love Machine, to be Blind in Texas, On Your Knees and Headless." Joined by bassist Mike Duda, and Doug Blair whose time in the band is 26 and 18 years, along with drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester, they will take the band and the fans back to where it all started, complete with the stage show extravaganza that many fans never saw live "So join me and the band, and very special guests Armored Saint, as we celebrate W.A.S.P 40th Anniversary Tour… Back in the U.S…. Back to the Beginning. I’m gonna scream, cause I wanna feed, cause I wanna bleed, cause I Wanna Be Somebody. W.A.S.P. 40th Anniversary Tour… Back in the US…. Back to the Beginning." -- Blackie Lawless

W.A.S.P. 40 YEARS LIVE WORLD TOUR 2022 - U.S DATES

29 Oct - Anaheim, CA - The Grove 30 Oct- Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theater 31 Oct - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater 02 Nov - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall w/ MICHEAL SCHENKER, ARMORED SAINT 03 Nov - Corpus Christi, TX - Concrete Street Pavillion w/ MICHEAL SCHENKER, ARMORED SAINT 04 Nov - San Antonio, TX - Eaton Arena w/ MICHEAL SCHENKER, ARMORED SAINT 05 Nov - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory w/ MICHEAL SCHENKER, ARMORED SAINT 06 Nov - Tulsa, OK - Tulsa Theater w/ MICHEAL SCHENKER, ARMORED SAINT 09 Nov - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater 10 Nov - Ashwaubenon, WI - EPIC Event Center 11 Nov - Detroit, MI - Harpo's 12 Nov - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater 13 Nov - Pittsburgh, PA - Palace Theater 16 Nov - Boston, MA - Big Night Live 17 Nov - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater 18 Nov - Huntington, NY - Paramount Theater 19 Nov - Jim Thorpe, PA - Penn's Peak 20 Nov - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theater 23 Nov - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium 25 Nov - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater 26 Nov - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live 29 Nov - Leesburg, VA - Tally Ho Theater 30 Nov - Columbus, OH - The King Of Clubs 02 Dec - St Charles, IL - Arcada Theater 03 Dec - St Charles, IL - Arcada Theater 05 Dec - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater 07 Dec - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Theater 09 Dec - San Francisco, CA - The Regency

The band’s founding member, frontman Blackie Lawless, has led the group as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold out shows across the globe for 4 decades. Joined by bassist Mike Duda and guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band span 26 and 18 years respectively, along with drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester, will take the Band and the Fans back to where it all started. Complete with the stage show extravaganza that many fans never saw live.

Witness Live the Winged Assassins specticle of “SHOCK and ROLL” as they take you Back…Back to the Beginning!

#40YearsLiveWorldTour #BackToTheBeginning #BlackieLawless #WASP #waspnation #hardrock #heavymetal #80smetal #wildchild #thelastcommand #theheadlesschild #thecrimsonidol #golgotha

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50 Comments

are they coming to canada?

Keep an eye out it is not ruled out for another much bigger return it has been an omfg awesome ride thus far!!!!

06 Nov - Tulsa, OK - Tulsa Theater w/ MICHEAL SCHENKER I have tickets to the show but will an upgrade for a meet & greet be available, or should I just get ahold of Schenker and hope I bump into Blackie & the band while I hang out with him-them!!!

What the hell is wrong with some where in the Salt Lake City or somewhere up around Layton, Utah

Just be patient this round was just the tipping of the ice berg Blackie has heard and we all have proven all his shows will be sold out and worth it!!!!

Got banned on Facebook for posting a picture of Blackie Lawless ,FACEBOOK CAN KISS MY AZZ.. W.A.S.P. RULES

Tickets for my son my sister and myself are ordered for the Cleveland OH show, I have never been so excited about a concert!!!!

W.A.S.P. – Golgotha Review

The high point comes with “Slaves to the New World Order,” which is the best song Blackie’s written in ages. It’s the brother to their classic “Murders in the New Morgue” and every bit as fiery as Blackie sings his balls off and somehow locates replacement balls to keep the magic happening. I’ve had this one on repeat for days and can’t get enough of the gritty mood and bigger than life chorus.

After a middle section where the band comes into their own with several big winners, things wind out strongly with the seven plus minute title track that manages to impress despite constant mentions of Jesus and personal salvation. Hey, this is the place where Blackie is in life and it’s just as valid as Danzig singing about strippers with bat wings and devil horns. It shouldn’t affect one’s enjoyment of the music and it doesn’t come across as preaching as much as reflecting on how he copes with the trials and tribulations of the modern world.

Blackie has always been a solid song writer and the material is particularly well written and invested with powerful performances by Blackie and his newish band. Doug Blair returns to provide some smoking fret-work and emotional solos, and he and Blackie mesh well as a guitar tandem. I can’t tell if he uses his patented “ GuitarCross ” guitar/bass hybrid, or if he could outdrink former axe-smith Chris Holmes at a pool party , but I can attest to the shitload of sweet harmonies and hair-raising stadium rock solos Blair delivers. The biggest shocker is Blackie’s voice, which sounds ageless and almost as powerful as it did on the band’s 1984 debut. I don’t know how much studio help he needs these days, but it’s always a pleasure to hear his raspy barks and whisky soaked croons.

In what world does Blackie sounds better than Geoff Tate while also releasing a better album than the former Queen of the Rÿche? This world, and you should be thankful for that. If you loved W.A.S.P. in your misspent youth but lost touch, it’s time to reacquaint yourself with some old friends. They may not have intercourse like animals or toss raw meat in the crowd anymore, but the music sure sounds good and oh so familiar. Welcome back to the Electric Zoo, Blackie. Stay golden Lawless!

Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3 Label: Napalm Records Websites: waspnation.com | facebook.com/W.A.S.P.Nation Releases Worldwide: October 2nd, 2015

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W.A.S.P. Book 40th Anniversary U.S. Tour With Armored Saint

W.A.S.P. will be touring the United States for the first time in a decade this fall as the group, led by guitarist and singer Blackie Lawless , celebrates their 40th anniversary with Armored Saint in tow for the 28 stops.

Formed in 1982, W.A.S.P. came up amid the red hot Los Angeles glam rock/metal scene and stirred up plenty of controversy in their early days, notoriously throwing chunks of raw meat into the crowd. And then there was the whole buzzsaw codpiece Lawless was rather fond of.

The band's sound later branched and they discarded the more shocking elements of their stage show as the lyrical approach became more serious, especially on the standout records  The Headless Children (1989) and  The Crimson Idol (1992), which distanced themselves from the sleazier themes of old.

Lawless temporarily broke the band up for brief periods in the late '80s and early '90s, but W.A.S.P. has since remained active since 1995 amid numerous lineup changes and last released  Golgotha in 2015.

Making an abundance of references to the W.A.S.P. catalog, Lawless said of the upcoming tour, "For over 10 years we have not toured on U.S. soil. But starting Oct. 29th, 2022… we return. 10 years I’d want, 10 years I’ve cussed, 10 years I’d lust to return…. To my home land… and be a Wild Child, a Love Machine, to be Blind in Texas, On Your Knees and Headless. So join me and the band, and very special guests Armored Saint, as we celebrate W.A.S.P 40th Anniversary Tour… Back in the U.S…. Back to the Beginning. I’m gonna scream, cause I wanna feed, cause I wanna bleed, cause I Wanna Be Somebody. W.A.S.P. 40th Anniversary Tour… Back in the US…. Back to the Beginning."

Armored Saint frontman John Bush added, "Armored Saint is totally pumped to be the special guest on the upcoming 40th anniversary tour of W.A.S.P. This tour will take us back to our fond memories of sharing the stage together with W.A.S.P. at the Troubadour in Hollywood where it all began in 1982. We're also excited to be playing tunes from our last record, Punching The Sky , since we haven't done any shows since its release in 2020. Old schoolers, I expect you there! New schoolers, we want you there! It's gonna be a blast!"

The tour stretches from Oct. 29 through Dec. 9 and all the dates can be seen below. Guitar legend Michael Schenker will also join the trek for a few dates in early November, so check listings carefully.

Tickets go on sale on Jan 14 at 3PM here .

W.A.S.P. 40th Anniversary Tour Dates With Armored Saint

Oct. 29 - Anaheim, Calif. @ The Grove Oct. 30- Tempe, Ariz. @ Marquee Theater Oct. 31 - Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sunshine Theater Nov. 02 - Houston, Texas @ White Oak Music Hall * Nov. 03 - Corpus Christi, Texas @ Concrete Street * Nov. 04 - San Antonio, Texas @ Eaton Arena * Nov. 05 - Dallas, Texas @ Bomb Factory * Nov. 09 - Tulsa, Okla. @ Tulsa Theater * Nov. 09 - Milwaukee, Wis. @ Pabst Theater Nov. 10 - Ashwaubenon, Wis. @ EPIC Event Center Nov. 11 - Detroit, Mich. @ Harpo's Nov. 12 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Agora Theater Nov. 13 - Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Palace Theater Nov. 16 - Boston, Mass. @ Big Night Live Nov. 17 - Montclair, N.J. @ Wellmont Theater Nov. 18 - Huntington, N.Y. @ Paramount Theater Nov. 19 - Jim Thorpe, Pa. @ Penn's Peak Nov. 20 - Glenside, Pa. @ Keswick Theater Nov. 23 - Nashville, Tenn. @ Ryman Auditorium Nov. 25 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Buckhead Theater Nov. 26 - Orlando, Fla. @ Plaza Live Nov. 29 - Leesburg, Va. @ Tally Ho Theater Nov. 30 - Columbus, Ohio @ The King Of Clubs Dec. 02 - St Charles, Ill. @ Arcada Theater Dec. 03 - St Charles, Ill. @ Arcada Theater Dec. 05 - Denver, Colo. @ Oriental Theater Dec. 07 - Reno, Nev. @ Grand Sierra Theater Dec. 09 - San Francisco, Calif. @ The Regency

* with Michael Schenker

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40 years live world tour 2023 tour, upcoming shows.

• Date and Venue Doors Scheduled
• Jun 06 2024 Sweden Rock Festival 2024 Norje, Sweden Add time Add time Add times
• Jul 05 2024 Rock Fest BCN 2024 Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain Add time Add time Add times

W.A.S.P. at Arena Sofia (City Velodrome), Sofia, Bulgaria

• On Your Knees / The Flame / The Torture Never Stops / Inside the Electric Circus
• L.O.V.E. Machine
• The Great Misconceptions of Me
• Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)
• Blind in Texas
• Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)
• The Real Me
• I Wanna Be Somebody
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W.A.S.P. at Arenele Romane, Bucharest, Romania

W.a.s.p. at sono centrum, brno, czechia, w.a.s.p. at kino šiška, ljubljana, slovenia, w.a.s.p. at les docks, lausanne, switzerland, w.a.s.p. at komplex 457, zurich, switzerland, w.a.s.p. at effenaar grote zaal, eindhoven, netherlands, w.a.s.p. at backstage werk, munich, germany, w.a.s.p. at music hall, geiselwind, germany, w.a.s.p. at garage, saarbrücken, germany.

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• I Wanna Be Somebody ( 759 )
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• Blind in Texas ( 609 )
• The Real Me ( 548 )

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All Sinners Ancient VVisdom Animalize Arsis Bastardizer Baton Rogue Morgue Battle Beast Beast in Black Beethoven R. BlackRain Blind Oath Blood Star Bloodsucking Zombies From Outer Space Caustic Children of Bodom Cobra Spell The Covernant Crashdïet Crystal Winds Darkened Soul Death of Giants Desert Dimebag Darrell Drums Are for Parades Eagles Road Electric Circus UK David Ellefson Enemy of Reality Ensiferum Espionage Eve's Apple Evil Drive Exhumed Flat Lizzy Furies GAME Gates of Ishtar Hairball Hellhaim Hellsongs Hessler Chris Holmes Inordem Jolly Joker Anssi Kela Kick Axe Kill City Kills Kissin' Black The Kroach Let It Rawk

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4,099 people have seen W.A.S.P. live.

pecata34 suzdrambatka sasho_picha Yuli Pongo76 RusiKaraivanov gjgbast sykes Konstantin vizant55 KKalev iliandj vasx SebastianMac asiomanasiev GxG142 Biffyclyro09 Annduu jayhague dd49 rublik05 Omnium_Gatherum cagalar Luco666 kolibrik7 Victorhead fik70 kostolomc alensteel992 fb:1164352164 matthiask slogar32 AK-93 MC487 MisterAwkward Adnauseam lustig Rouz Harry_W gartenhaus Jeremy-1968 parnera Berend22 atevileye PeeDee Egadet DannyN turbofire Humel rwessel

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Album Review: W.A.S.P. Golgotha

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My faith is based on Jesus Christ and the Bible, nothing more, nothing less. – Blackie Lawless

Icon.  A word overused to the point that perhaps we have lost sight of what it really means.  A closer look reveals things in their proper perspective:

noun \ˈī-ˌkän\ ·n. 1. a very famous person or thing and who people think represents a particular idea. 2. an object of uncritical devotion. 3. a sign (as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaning.  Synonyms included hero and idol.

If any band within the metal and hard rock circles deserves the notoriety that icon status brings it would have to be W.A.S.P.  The infamous ‘shock rock’ act founded by vocalist and guitarist Blackie Lawless came roaring out of the early eighties Los Angeles metal scene alongside Van Halen, Motley Crue, Dokken, Quiet Riot and Ratt and has not looked back since.  With 15 studio albums, 3 live albums and 3 compilations to its credit - that have combined to sell over 12 million copies worldwide - the group has established a four decade legacy that remains to this day.  Without doubt the W.A.S.P. form suggests consistency, hard work and longevity- particulars it has delivered in spades.

Part of that W.A.S.P. legacy in question involves a more controversial side.  It starts with said ‘shock rock’ image but also encompasses offensive lyrics and outrageous live shows that featured real life horror-video footage and a torture rack.  Certain W.A.S.P. song and album titles include a four-letter word that we cannot repeat here- keeping in mind that Angelic Warlord is a family program (or at the very least, we wish to maintain a PG rating).  Several acronyms for the W.A.S.P. moniker are every bit less flattering.  In the mid-eighties, W.A.S.P. even garnered attention from the ‘Parents Music Resource Center”, an organization pushing for warning labels on recorded music, which led to the group receiving bomb and death threats and Lawless being shot at twice (but not hit).

The past several years, however, have found Lawless exhibiting a decided change of heart in which he has embraced the faith based ways of his past.  The artist sums up his early church background in a recent online interview:

“I went to church in my teens and I went because I wanted to. I left in my late teens and came to California and studied the occult for three years. I went as far away as you could possibly go. I realized there was no truth and then I wandered around bumping into walls for the next 20 years, thinking I was mad at God. I realized that I wasn’t mad at God but I was mad at man for the indoctrination I received.” 

He goes into further detail about his return to the faith:

“For me I had to settle this issue once and for all because I am not going to walk around with this anxiety of what’s going to happen to me and where I’m going, I got to know the truth. I got the Bible and I started reading and I thought I was going to disprove this thing once and for all.

“I discover that it’s 66 books written by 40 different authors spread out over 2,000 years in three continents. Most of these people didn’t know each other. I’m also aware that people think the Bible is written by man even if the Bible is inspired by God. I thought I would prove it isn’t true reading from an attitude of extreme prejudice. The more I read I realized that people weren’t just answering each other’s questions—they were finishing each other’s sentences. When I realized that, I recognized I was looking at the supernatural. I finally realized I was reading the Living Word of the Living God. And I was coming from a perspective of extreme prejudice, trying to disprove it. I’ll say this in short: it’s beyond impossible that men could have written this.”

Lawless’ faith began to manifest itself on the W.A.S.P. 2009 release Babylon , with its Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse cover art and musical testimony that is aptly entitled track “Godless Run”:

Long had I gone to be, a slave to my eyes.  Lost at that cross to kneel, amazing grace saved my life Oh how long Lord, did I kneel at the crossroads and run.  Oh, bow down now, my King, my God I come .  Oh I will not run from You , lost on my road of ruin .  No I will not run from You , i n my Godless run

He further expands upon the meaning behind the title of the fall of 2015 W.A.S.P. follow up effort Golgotha :

“Golgotha is Hebrew for place of the skull and it’s the hill where Christ was crucified. It’s interesting when you see a lot of bands going around using Satanic images, or images of death and things like that, and I’m thinking all they need to do is look at the source cause it’s right there. If you want death, there’s enough to go around there.”

Golgotha finds Lawless making the even more pronounced statement of faith throughout, describing his lyrics as “written from the eyes of my faith, everything is through that filter.”  Consider, for instance, how he composed the albums title track from the standpoint of the believing thief: 

Tell me where I'm going now, tell me am I going down Are you who they say you claim, remember me this nigh Jesus I need You now, show me I'm lost somehow Oh, and show me there's a way fro, the cross from where I hang Oh see me bleed, I need You now

Musically, the song represents a good indicator of the albums direction with its technical but accessible joining of metal and hard rock with light keyboard imprints.  Those that suggest Golgotha represents a musical extension of the previous two W.A.S.P. releases, including Babylon but also 2007’s Dominator , have the right idea.  “Golgotha” also comes in at a full seven and a half minutes, engaging in terms of its moving chorus that captures the moment at hand and desperate emotion to Lawless’ trademark soulful if not rumbling vocal style.  I like to think of his delivery as a blade sharpened by the passion his rediscovered faith brings to the table. 

Also approaching eight minutes is “Slaves Of The New World Order”, dark and moody with its more galloping tempo while basking in every bit as much candid melody.  The extensive instrumental section allows talented guitarist Douglass Blair (I cannot say enough good things about his work) to exhibit his accomplished soloing abilities.  Lyrically, this one also touches upon the crucifixion:

Hold the tail and feel the thunder Close enough to smell the devil's breath Between the nails I saved one thief And ride to hell and lay waste to death

Woe is me I stand before you And part a sea of eternity Bloody nails, I waited and prayed But your deceived and laid to waste

Class semi-ballad “Miss You” is of similar length.  Airy and celestial, the song drifts through its verses as lighter guitars decorate the sublime scene, not picking up impetus until full on rhythm guitars build and deliver the more pronounced blow for the heartrending refrain.  Lyrics could be interpreted as being about ‘missing God’ in your life:

  Lost inside my head, I closed my eyes and fled No pain, no gain, no death no more, I drown myself in flesh Is there no way out no way how Would you even know me now Oh God I miss you - tell me can you hear me Oh God I miss you - I can't scream and I can't speak

A bit abbreviated at five minutes, “Fallen Under” also makes a faith-based statement:

Show me wonders, take me under, Your wings open wide. Slave and hunger, starve and hunt you Heal me from this leper's life Save me from crawling in darkness, Save me so blind. Change me from a slave unto monsters Raise me from this water to wine

The song takes a decisive mid-paced heading, portent and ominous with its haunting nuances and incisive rhythm guitar imprints.  The hulking refrain lends to the foreboding environs at hand.  “Hero Of The World” also points towards the mid-paced.  The song lightly treads its verses in airy acoustic fashion, gaining momentum at once as more decisive rhythm guitars step forward to adorn the barbed chorus.  Blair lends another fanciful stretch of rhythm guitar to a song focusing on End Times themes:

Countdown comes to zero Valley of the Kings Messiah Man with a better plan Hero of the world at last

The clock has turned and soon you see Masses burn and fill the streets Still we make a lying prophet god Ooh panic comes and chaos seeds Sell your freedom for tyranny Tidal wave is coming better run

“Eyes Of My Maker” represents albums heaviest with its more elevated heading.  The song churns tumultuously to grinding guitars, rollicking its length as the rumbling low-end contrasts with delicate keyboard signatures.  According to the artist, “Eyes Of My Maker” is written from Satan’s point of view:

I am fell and I've been cursed My rebellion from my pride And I chose a third and I fooled the earth Loosed in heaven like a noose I bind Behold I tell, of a bolt I fell Of lightning in the sky Ooh and preyed on Eve to curse and grieve Ooh and I'm damned for all time

Golgotha highlights its share of up-tempo moments as well, including opener “Scream”, with its groove driven hard rock approach that yields equal parts hook driven and the remorselessly searing, and “Shotgun”, heavier with more of a metal basis in upholding an anthem arena rock aura that might have challenged for radio play in another era.  “Last Runaway” plays up a straight on rock style with its greater keyboard emphasis and warm, uplifting front to back milieu.  Lyrically, the artist writes about his coming to Hollywood 40 years ago as a teenager:

The price of pride bled down on me And ransomed my soul A broken boulevard of dreams Like misfits and their broken toys A runaway a slave in chains  I'd lose control So painlessly, so hard to see Down this beggar's road And help me Lord to make it This weights too great to lift my soul no more

The six year delay between the release of Babylon and Golgotha attributes to both W.A.S.P. completing its 30th anniversary tour in 2012 and Lawless breaking his leg the following May and the one-year recovery period that ensued.  This proved a blessing in disguise in that it allowed the artist to spend that much more time on and ultimately perfecting the Golgotha material.  The results speak for themselves in that while I am not intimately familiar with the W.A.S.P. back catalog, I mirror the overall positive tone that most reviewers bring to Golgotha .  Specifically, I find Golgotha the more cohesive release in comparison to Babylon , which included two covers out of its nine tracks.  When I saw that Golgotha also included only nine, I was concerned in thinking the group should have come up with more material in light of said six year delay, but that proved a misnomer in that Golgotha rounds out to a satisfying 54 minutes when factoring the length of individual tracks, all of which are original.

Review by Andrew Rockwell

Track Listing: “Scream” (4:56), “Last Runaway” (5:20), “Shotgun” (6:08), “Miss You” (7:41), “Fallen Under” (4:57), “Slaves Of The New World Order” (7:45), “Eyes Of My Maker” (5:01), “Hero Of The World” (4:52), “Golgotha” (7:37)

Musicians Blackie Lawless - Lead Vocals, Guitars & Keyboards Douglass Blair - Lead Guitar Mike Duda - Bass

Additional Musicians Michael Dupke – Drums

Reference List (Unattributed): Interview: Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.): ( www.invisibleoranges.com/2015/09/interview-blackie-lawless-w-a-s-p ): (Sept 24, 2015)

Ramanand, Liz: W.A.S.P. Frontman Blackie Lawless Delves Deep Into His Faith + New Album ‘Golgotha’: Exclusive Interview: ( http://ultimateclassicrock.com/blackie-lawless-2015-interview ): (Sept 26, 2015)

(Unattributed): W.A.S.P. Performs Title Track Of New Album 'Golgotha' In Belfast: ( www.blabbermouth.net/news/video-w-a-s-p-performs-title-track-of-new-album-golgotha-in-belfas t ): (Sept 19, 2015)

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