Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
American band W.A.S.P. has stirred both widespread attention and controversy from the very start. Their first single, “Animal (Fuck Like a Beast),” was released in 1984, and the outrage was instant. On their notorious live shows, raw meat was thrown into the crowd, the demonic Blackie Lawless drank blood on stage, and a circular saw showered sparks between his legs. The stage and promotional photos also featured plenty of scantily clad women, sometimes even trapped in cages. Yet it’s important to remember that alongside the controversies and theatrics, W.A.S.P. released a string of solid, high-quality albums, particularly in their early years. Among these were 1985’s “The Last Command,” 1987’s “Inside the Electric Circus,” 1989’s “The Headless Children,” and especially their 1984 self-titled debut, also known as “W.A.S.P.,” “Winged Assassins,” or “Album One.”
That debut album is considered a true heavy metal classic, and in my own books, one of the greatest metal records of all time. Last year marked its impressive 40th anniversary, and to celebrate, the band embarked on the “Album One Alive” tour in October. On this tour, the classic debut is performed in its entirety, sprinkled with a few additional tracks. However, ‘Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)‘ is not included in the set, reflecting Lawless’s changed worldview since those early years. For the same reasons, W.A.S.P.’s stage show today is very different from the sensational spectacles of the past.
The “Album One Alive” tour finally reached Finland just over a year after its original launch, and it was well worth the wait, as W.A.S.P. still commands a devoted fanbase here. All three shows in Finland sold out quickly, leaving many who had hoped to attend without tickets.
Arriving less than an hour before the show, a long queue still snaked outside The House of Culture.. The audience spanned a wide range of ages, though middle-aged men formed a clear majority. Fans of all genders were present, and many brought along the next generation of metal enthusiasts. Like many other long-running classic bands, W.A.S.P. continues to resonate across generations. Inside, the band’s merch table was buzzing, with T-shirts and other merchandise selling briskly. Even a single purchase could set you back—40 euros for a T-shirt certainly stung—but for many, it was a souvenir worth having.
Sirens wailed and red spotlights cut through the air as the band took the stage to the intro of the classic The Doors track ‘The End.‘ It’s worth remembering that in recent years, W.A.S.P. hasn’t always managed to impress fully, so the anticipation for this show, especially with the tour’s classic album theme, was extremely high. The tension that had literally hung in the air during the intro quickly erupted when the band launched into one of their most famous tracks, ‘I Wanna Be Somebody.’
The track order on W.A.S.P.’s debut album provided a strong opening for the show. The duo of ‘I Wanna Be Somebody‘ and ‘L.O.V.E. Machine‘ ignited the crowd completely. From the first song, the audience went wild, singing along at full volume, encouraged by Lawless to push their performance even louder. It was somewhat surprising that the stage props and setups on this tour were identical to those used on the previous run. The show was again built to resemble a twisted circus freak show, with the backdrop screen displaying promotional videos and live clips from across the band’s career. At the center stood Lawless’s massive microphone stand, “Elvis,” familiar from previous tours, from which he swung dramatically.
The concept itself is still impressive, effective, and stylish. That said, the absence of the 1980s stage trademarks—raw meat, scantily clad women, and sparks-shooting codpieces—was not shocking, though a slight refresh of the show would have been welcome.
W.A.S.P. sounded astonishingly good on this night. Lawless’s vocals, following a long recovery from serious back problems that required multiple surgeries, rang out with their familiar rough edge and power—something that hasn’t always been a given in recent years. His recuperation seems to have restored a sense of youthful vigor, as he appeared not only slimmer than in years but also physically strong and full of energy.
Longtime Turku resident Doug Blair has played guitar for the band since 2006, making him W.A.S.P.’s longest-serving guitarist after founder and sole original member Blackie Lawless.
Even longer tenure in the band belongs to bassist Mike Duda, who joined in 1995 around the release of the somewhat controversial “Kill Fuck Die” album. The drummer’s seat has seen frequent changes, but Aquiles Priester (ex-Angra) has been part of the lineup since 2017. He hasn’t yet appeared on a W.A.S.P. studio album, though that may come in time. All in all, the current lineup represents the longest-standing four-piece in the band’s history.
The set, consisting entirely of the debut album, lasted just under fifty minutes, including Blackieäs stage chats. The songs were performed in the exact order of the record, with no surprises. While all the tracks had once been part of the band’s live repertoire, many had dropped out over the years. It was a treat for me to hear forgotten gems like ‘B.A.D.,’ ‘The Flame‘ and ‘Tormentor‘ performed live for the first time.
After a short break, the encore set ran just over half an hour, featuring a selection of the band’s best-known tracks from outside the debut album. A medley familiar from previous tours included the title track from “Inside the Electric Circus,” the cover ‘I Don’t Need No Doctor‘ and ‘Scream Until You Like It,‘ originally released on the live album “Live… in the Raw.” Many fans might not realize that W.A.S.P.’s best-selling album isn’t the debut or “The Last Command,” but 1989’s “The Headless Children.” This album took center stage next, opened by the band’s long-standing cover of The Who’s ‘The Real Me.’ In my opinion, it could gradually be replaced by another track, as there’s plenty of excellent original material on that album—such as ‘The Heretic (The Lost Child)‘ or ‘Mean Man.’
The emotionally charged power ballad ‘Forever Free’ followed, allowing Lawless’s soulful voice to shine. The slightly shortened title track from “The Headless Children” closed this flavorful trilogy, enhanced beautifully by period promotional videos projected on the backdrop screen. These three songs also featured clearly audible keyboard tracks from tape, originally recorded for the album by the legendary Ken Hensley (RIP). Lawless, a well-known Uriah Heep fan, gave this segment a subtle tribute in that direction.
Next came ‘Wild Child,’ one of the band’s most iconic tracks, beginning with a calm acoustic jam. The audience, of course, went absolutely nuts, but it was also a moment to pause and reflect on life’s truly important things. Blackie delivered a moving speech in which he remembered his recently deceased close and longtime friend, KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. The speech was heartfelt, coming straight from Blackie’s heart, and brought the audience to a respectful silence, honoring the memory of “Space Ace.”
As usual, the show closed with ‘Blind in Texas.‘ Kulttuuritalo’s crowd sang along loudly and pumped their fists in the air—an elegant and fitting end before heading home.
W.A.S.P. delivered a solid metal mass to Kulttuuritalo’s Saturday night, with Blackie Lawless acting as the evening’s pastor. At the end of the show, he revealed that the tour had already been running for fourteen months, and once it ends, the band likely won’t perform the debut album in its entirety again. W.A.S.P. has been promising a new album for several years—and it’s about time, since a full ten years have passed since their last record, Golgotha. Based on tonight’s performance, the band still has plenty to offer its metal-hungry audience, so one can only hope that the tour has reinvigorated them creatively. And if new material doesn’t appear, the next tour could very well be built around the band’s legendary second album, The Last Command. This tour proved that nostalgia sells—something Blackie knows very well.
All in all, anyone who snagged a ticket and was in the crowd tonight can count themselves truly lucky. You never know when – or if – you’ll get another chance to see these long-standing legends live. With the band in such impressive form, the show left nothing but a lasting thrill. Tonight, the audience got exactly what they came for, and then some.
I Wanna Be Somebody
L.O.V.E. Machine
The Flame
B.A.D.
School Daze
Hellion
Sleeping (in the Fire)
On Your Knees
Tormentor
The Torture Never Stops
ENCORE:
The Big Welcome
Inside the Electric Circus / I Don’t Need No Doctor / Scream Until You Like It
The Real Me
Forever Free / The Headless Children
Wild Child
Blind in Texas
WWW.WASPNATION.COM
