W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children

This was the first W.A.S.P. album I heard, and it made me a huge fan of the band. However, I've been disappointed in every W.A.S.P. album I next heard after this one. Not because all their other albums have been bad, far from it in fact. (Although ''Inside The Electric Circus" and especially the dire ''Helldorado'' are bad albums) But because ''The Headless Children'' is definitely for me, the apex of W.A.S.P..

Faint traces of their glam days still remained, as in ''Forever Free'', and "Rebel In The F.D.G." But really, songs like the atmospheric, barbed opening onslaught of "The Heretic" and the creepy as hell title track obliterated their hair metal past like it never even existed! In fairness, W.A.S.P. always had a rawer edge to them than the other glam bands, (the light "Inside The Electric Circus" being the exception) and one of the main reasons for this, was because of the harsh vocals of Blackie Lawless. And they were never put to better use than on this monster of an album. xD From the bloody, nightmarish picture of drug abuse painted in "Thunderhead", to the crazed, hulking riffage of "Mean Man", (which also features some manic solos from guitarist Chris Holmes, and crushing drums) Blackie has never sounded better. And indeed, neither have W.A.S.P. lol

This has always been one of my all time fave metal albums, and it still sounds awesome today. Listening to the preceding album to this one, its almost impossible to conceive that it's the same band, but it is! IMO W.A.S.P.'s finest hour, even better than the classic ''The Crimson Idol" album. Id say this is the one W.A.S.P. album that is essential for every metal fan to own.

Best WASP album by far.

Written by Angelic Storm on 19.07.2010 at 03:31

This was the first W.A.S.P. album I heard, and it made me a huge fan of the band. However, I've been disappointed in every W.A.S.P. album I next heard after this one. Not because all their other albums have been bad, far from it in fact. (Although ''Inside The Electric Circus" and especially the dire ''Helldorado'' are bad albums) But because ''The Headless Children'' is definitely for me, the apex of W.A.S.P..

Faint traces of their glam days still remained, as in ''Forever Free'', and "Rebel In The F.D.G." But really, songs like the atmospheric, barbed opening onslaught of "The Heretic" and the creepy as hell title track obliterated their hair metal past like it never even existed! In fairness, W.A.S.P. always had a rawer edge to them than the other glam bands, (the light "Inside The Electric Circus" being the exception) and one of the main reasons for this, was because of the harsh vocals of Blackie Lawless. And they were never put to better use than on this monster of an album. xD From the bloody, nightmarish picture of drug abuse painted in "Thunderhead", to the crazed, hulking riffage of "Mean Man", (which also features some manic solos from guitarist Chris Holmes, and crushing drums) Blackie has never sounded better. And indeed, neither have W.A.S.P. lol

This has always been one of my all time fave metal albums, and it still sounds awesome today. Listening to the preceding album to this one, its almost impossible to conceive that it's the same band, but it is! IMO W.A.S.P.'s finest hour, even better than the classic ''The Crimson Idol" album. Id say this is the one W.A.S.P. album that is essential for every metal fan to own.

Mine was Dying For THe World
I just give a try to this one, I dont know why i dont like this album and why I say this is overated, maybe because somebody who's fav this was at my school days, well maybe because she is ehh who cares, but musicaly it is werry good, maybe some stupid complacks from the past I dont know, good album but not best IMO, good quality 80HM

I like those songs what you mentioned good songs

I'm listening to this record two times straight now... Absolutely excellent!
I enjoy some of their early stuff but this is just awesome!

OHHH THUUUUUUNDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER. that feeling to scream is awesome. Like this album

Yep, definitely the best WASP album.

Written by [user id=101272] on 24.05.2013 at 19:22

Yep, definitely the best WASP album.

my real life friend told same and he was only one who convicted me, before I heard all , (I had only 3 lol) I was thinking its best , after listen, I got own opinion, now I never ever will be convinced since then I have own IMO

Written by Bad English on 26.07.2015 at 17:52

my real life friend told same and he was only one who convicted me, before I heard all , (I had only 3 lol) I was thinking its best , after listen, I got own opinion, now I never ever will be convinced since then I have own IMO

That's nice, honey. Doesn't change the fact that it is, in fact, their best album.

Written by [user id=101272] on 26.07.2015 at 20:44

Written by Bad English on 26.07.2015 at 17:52

my real life friend told same and he was only one who convicted me, before I heard all , (I had only 3 lol) I was thinking its best , after listen, I got own opinion, now I never ever will be convinced since then I have own IMO

That's nice, honey. Doesn't change the fact that it is, in fact, their best album.

Kill worst, Crimson best , rest is equally good

Written by Bad English on 26.07.2015 at 20:45

Kill worst, Crimson best , rest is equally good

Actually, Helldorado is their worse. And the only thing keeping Crimson from being better than this are the length and lack of variety in the lyrics (yes, it's a concept album, but the story itself isn't that interesting).

Written by [user id=101272] on 26.07.2015 at 20:58

Written by Bad English on 26.07.2015 at 20:45

Kill worst, Crimson best , rest is equally good

Actually, Helldorado is their worse. And the only thing keeping Crimson from being better than this are the length and lack of variety in the lyrics (yes, it's a concept album, but the story itself isn't that interesting).

Hel is not brilliant but now to tell what are best, from those 2 I need re listen. in those days Fuck was week
I liked part there''' when you take a piss, and your dicks stinks as dirty pussy''

Written by Bad English on 26.07.2015 at 21:00

I liked part there''' when you take a piss, and your dicks stinks as dirty pussy''

...And that is exactly why your opinion should never be taken seriously.

Written by [user id=101272] on 26.07.2015 at 21:01

Written by Bad English on 26.07.2015 at 21:00

I liked part there''' when you take a piss, and your dicks stinks as dirty pussy''

...And that is exactly why your opinion should never be taken seriously.

I am Gore's son, Tripper

Good stuff, but feels over rated like most of what WASP has done.

Finally listening to this band after hearing a lot about them. Very good for a heavy metal band (I style I like only a handful of bands from). I enjoyed the subtle keyboards (looked it up, happened to be a guy from Uriah Heep playing them!).

Isn't this the band that was in that movie the decline of western civilization????

Absolutely magical record, up there with The Crimson Idol. It feels like every time I listen to this, I get kicked in the ass by different track since they are all great to begin with, the title song, Thunderhead, and Rebel In The F.D.G. being some of my all time favorites. They totally nailed The Real Me, Blackie clearly knows his Tho Who stuff.

I'm currently going through a bit of a WASP phase. I hadn't listened to them for bloody years but I used to be a bit of a fan of Blackie and the boys back in the day.

I hadn't listened to anything post-Crimson Idol until recently. Thanks to the wonders of digital audio streaming and Spotify, I've been having a crash course of their latter stuff. Headless Children was and still is my favourite album by them. I saw them for the first and only time on this tour at the Hammersmith Odeon. Great gig it was too!!

This is my favourite WASP album! And they have done a lot of great albums! 🤘🤘

Better than The Crimson Idol (8.7/10) IMO.

9.0/10 for me, the title track is the standout song. Thunderhead is the weakest.

Yeah my favorite too but only with a small lead.

IMHO TLC, the debut, CI and Dominator come real close.

Mean man is my pick of the album. Such good riffs in that song.

Absolutely fantastic album this, my favorite of theirs just ahead of Crimson Idol and the debut. I like pretty much every song here especially "Rebel In The F.D.G.", "The Heretic", and the title track, but my pick of favorite would have to be the title track, especially the ending riff, that's a total adrenaline-fuled headbanger

Written by AndyMetalFreak on 23.12.2025 at 15:57

Absolutely fantastic album this, my favorite of theirs just ahead of Crimson Idol and the debut. I like pretty much every song here especially "Rebel In The F.D.G.", "The Heretic", and the title track, but my pick of favorite would have to be the title track, especially the ending riff, that's a total adrenaline-fuled headbanger

It's always been this and the debut LP for me.

It's the riff/soloing at the end of The Heretic which does it for me. Chris Holmes' finest moment. It always makes the hair stand on the back of my neck that bit.