The Crimson Idol

The Crimson Idol is W.A.S.P.’s finest masterpiece and a grand rock opera, on which Blackie Lawless follows the life of glory and ruin of a fictional rock star, Jonathan Steel. The splendid contrast of aggressive riffs, dramatic, expressive singing and quiet, introspective passages vividly draws the craving for success and deep loneliness as one long story. A record on which the band’s narrative and compositional ability appear as strongly as possible. Rather than merely lining up heavy songs, the very song order creates the large flow of the protagonist’s emotion. From the ferocious drama of the explosive “Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)” and the moving ballad “Hold On to My Heart” to “The Idol,” “I Am One” and “The Invisible Boy,” the songs color the story while each shines as an independent classic. Its immense value lies in a grand narrative that greatly transcends the frame of heavy metal and its overwhelming polish. A work that should truly be called Lawless’s life’s work, bringing to fruition a concept he had long nurtured with all his might. A landmark, enduring masterpiece of W.A.S.P. and of the rock-opera genre — a moving masterpiece essential for fans.