The Headless Children

The Headless Children is a work marking a great turning point, on which W.A.S.P., while keeping the rough hard-rock momentum of its early days, boldly steps into heavier, more serious themes and precise song construction. The band’s sure drama and expressive depth, in fact hidden behind the extreme stage image, are fully put forward for the first time. Blackie Lawless’s singing powerfully conveys not only aggression but the deep tension and sorrow dwelling in the songs. From a heated cover of The Who’s classic “The Real Me” and the heavy “Mean Man” to the socially themed title track “The Headless Children,” the songs are weightier and more engaging than before, while the lyricism of “Forever Free” and a cut like “Thunderhead” deepen the work. The sharpness of the riffs, the force of the choruses and shaded arrangement are unified. A record clearly showing the band’s maturity, powerfully proving with its musicality that it is not merely a provocative band. Yet the dangerous, exciting energy from the early days is not lost in the least. Foreshadowing the further leap of the next The Crimson Idol, it is an extremely important, fulfilling transitional work — Lawless’s expression shining.