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W.A.S.P. - The Neon God - Part 1: The Rise review



Reviewer:
9.0

136 users:
7.9
Band: W.A.S.P.
Album: The Neon God - Part 1: The Rise
Release date: April 2004


01. Overture
02. Why Am I Here
03. Wishing Well
04. Sister Sadie (And The Black Habits)
05. The Rise
06. Why Am I Nothing
07. Asylum #9
08. Red Room Of The Rising Sun
09. What I'll Never Find
10. Someone To Love Me
11. X.T.C. Riders
12. Me And The Devil
13. Running Man
14. The Raging Storm

The word "complicated" just got a totally new meaning for me, because never have I listen and tried (!) to review something so complicated like this.
You now might think, "Ohh what a loser, can't even review a W.A.S.P. album", but hey, try to do it yourself, it's not as easy as it seems to be.

A presentation here is not needed, since W.A.S.P. is one of the most famous Hardrock/metal bands out there. A band that was more famous because of their spectacular scene shows and image than well-written music.
But that's something that has change the past 12-15 years, since the release of "The Headless Children" back in 1989, W.A.S.P. chocked most people with a more work out thoroughly album. And when "The Crimson Idol" was released in 1992, W.A.S.P. made an even bigger step, because that album is called the best album in all times. And it's also the first stone for the giant concept that "The Neon God" is based on, the question; "Why are we really here?".

Ever since that album was released, Mr. Lawless have been working on this one, from time to time, and now, 12 years later I have the first (of two parts) in my hand. And I have never been a big fan of W.A.S.P. even if I have found joy in some of their releases.
So note that this is coming from a neutral person.

As already mention, this is the first of two parts of the story about Jesse, a guy with a not so good childhood, (evidently not a reflection from Blackie's childhood, that was normal, he say himself) then he starts asking why we are here. "Oh, tell me my lord, why am I here?".
He soon discover that he got the "gift" to manipulate people, and that leads him to form sect. He then starts to lose his mind and starts calling himself Messiah, "The Neon God".

I'm not going to go any deeper into the story I leave that to you. And when you buy the album you'll get a really thick booklet with lyrics, background of the story and a presentation of each character, that's what I call serious.

As I said, this isn't a easy album, the complexity is turned up to maximum and I assure you, that you'll need a lot of hours in front of the stereo with the booklet before you'll get max out of this album. That from the beginning was meant to be a double album, but it was split into two parts because the salesmen don't want double albums these days.
But I find that as a good thing, because would it be one more, complicated, album like this in the same package I would need at least a month before understand a thing of it.
But now we got time to "melt" this one before the second and last part of the story will hit us (Sometime this summer, July or something).
Because without the booklet and lyrics (or I got the lyrics, thanks Noise (homepage) for understand how complicated this is) it takes many hours to really got into this, single cd, one.

Overall I don't think any fans of W.A.S.P. will be disappointed by this Rock Opera, because all the elements that W.A.S.P. is all about is included and with some extra, the serious and very complicated story.
And for me, that's not into W.A.S.P., I really love it too. And it has really made me wonder, why are we here?

Favourite Songs: "Sister Sadie" got some really delicious riffs that's make it a little bit better overall, but it's a very solid album, with not really bad one.

Written by Malcolm | 19.04.2004




Comments

Comments: 2   Visited by: 52 users
24.12.2006 - 10:35
Rating: 6
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Good review. they should make this into a movie, great concept, I have 3 favorite songs that tied for me
1. X.T.C riders
2. Asylum #9
3. Wishing well
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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21.03.2009 - 15:22
DayFly

Written by Doc G. on 24.12.2006 at 10:35

Good review. they should make this into a movie, great concept, I have 3 favorite songs that tied for me
1. X.T.C riders
2. Asylum #9
3. Wishing well


Yeah, "Asylum #9" is really one their best songs, but like the reviewer said, the album is pretty consistent. I heard that a movie was planned at some point, but I guess the idea was dropped.
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