Unholy Terror

Unholy Terror is a work on which, through Blackie Lawless’s dramatic, expressive singing and heavily chopped guitar riffs, W.A.S.P. powerfully puts forward its dark, dense narrative. Not merely aggression, but the deep sorrow dwelling in each phrase makes the whole work’s tension all the deeper. A weighty world where religious themes and violent images intersect, particular to this period, runs throughout. From the powerful drive of the opener “Let It Roar” and the catchy “Hate to Love Me” to the drama of the title track “Unholy Terror,” rough, aggressive songs and melodic, lyrical passages appear in turn, greatly enriching the album’s rise and fall, while cuts like “Charisma” and “Raven Heart” convey the work’s fullness. Its appeal is powerfully sounding heavy, serious material head-on, never fleeing. Theatrical, weighty heavy metal particular to early-2000s W.A.S.P. unfolds at high polish. Letting you savor Lawless’s mature expression and sure songwriting, it is an engaging, fulfilling work — a record with a strong dark world.