Dying for the World

Dying for the World is a work on which W.A.S.P., with heavy guitar and Blackie Lawless’s urgent singing, powerfully draws complex, deep emotions such as anger, sorrow and prayer. The shock of the 2001 terror attacks is strongly reflected in its background. Keeping the sure attack of straight-ahead heavy metal, the songs also have quiet, striking introductions and deep afterglow, and their emotional range is truly wide. From the powerful drive of the opener “Shadow Man” and the aggression of “My Wicked Heart” to the solemnity of “Hallowed Ground,” the songs dig deeply into the band’s human, dark emotion, while cuts like “Trail of Tears” and “Stone Cold Killers” deepen the work. The sound, keeping a roughness, conveys the earnest pain in the lyrics more rawly. Its appeal is stepping deeply into the band’s more human, introspective dark side, rather than relying on flashy showcases. A stance seeking to earnestly bind the air of the era and personal emotion comes through. Letting you deeply savor W.A.S.P.’s serious, dramatic appeal, it is an engaging record — Lawless’s prayer resounding.