W.A.S.P.

The self-titled W.A.S.P. is a vivid debut on which, around Blackie Lawless’s rough, ferocious singing and thick, powerful riffs, W.A.S.P. beautifully established its extreme, dangerous stage image as music too. Emerging from the Los Angeles scene, its songs are short and direct, and the strong drive of the rhythm and the force of big choruses keep its provocative material from ending as mere sensation. From the piercing rise of the classic opener “I Wanna Be Somebody,” symbolizing the band’s ambition, and the catchy “L.O.V.E. Machine” to the instrumental “Hellion,” the songs unite rough energy and sharp hooks at a high level, while the lyricism of “Sleeping (In the Fire)” and a cut like “The Flame” heighten the work’s appeal. Its value lies in how a firm songwriting strength lies behind the appearance of extreme shock rock. Even in the 1980s LA metal scene, it gave off a standout presence with its extremity. Uniting rough energy and sure hooks, it is a fine debut concentrating the dangerous appeal of 1980s heavy metal — the band’s origin here.