The Crimson Idol Review
| Band | |
|---|---|
| Album |  The Crimson Idol |
| Type | Album (Studio full-length) |
| Released | August 1, 1992 |
| Genres | Heavy Metal, Rock Opera |
| Labels | Capitol Records |
| Length | 57:54 |
| Ranked | #7 for 1992 , #220 all-time |
Album rating : 91.7 / 100
Votes : 45 (7 reviews)
Votes : 45 (7 reviews)
September 28, 2021
What is often hailed as one of if not the best W.A.S.P. albums is ironically more so a solo effort by bandleader Blackie that eventually got the W.A.S.P. label slapped on it so it could sell. Sometimes, an album can be a better package if it really is done entirely by one person. Especially in the case of a concept album.
Blackie had a story, he had a few main motifs and he rolled with it all the way through. The result is a strong album that feels heavily cohesive and has no moments of weakness. The music is very catchy, and adds just enough keys and other musical influences to up the “epic rocking” factor without truly dipping into cheese territory, and is actually quite serious musically. The album is surprisingly vulnerable for someone of Blackie’s reputation, as “desiring the love and acceptance of your parents” was not exactly a common theme in heavy music (though it was likely an undertone in a lot of the rebellious themes, no one would flat out admit it).
Aside from that, the story is another tale of a fictional rocker’s rise and fall, which had already been done to death by ’92. The album is consistently very strong, but if the main motifs aren’t working for you, it will get very samey and repetitive. Great listen to follow along the story, flows incredibly well, but the replay factor is quite low.
Blackie had a story, he had a few main motifs and he rolled with it all the way through. The result is a strong album that feels heavily cohesive and has no moments of weakness. The music is very catchy, and adds just enough keys and other musical influences to up the “epic rocking” factor without truly dipping into cheese territory, and is actually quite serious musically. The album is surprisingly vulnerable for someone of Blackie’s reputation, as “desiring the love and acceptance of your parents” was not exactly a common theme in heavy music (though it was likely an undertone in a lot of the rebellious themes, no one would flat out admit it).
Aside from that, the story is another tale of a fictional rocker’s rise and fall, which had already been done to death by ’92. The album is consistently very strong, but if the main motifs aren’t working for you, it will get very samey and repetitive. Great listen to follow along the story, flows incredibly well, but the replay factor is quite low.
1 like
Track listing (Songs)
| title | rating | votes | video | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | The Titanic Overture | 3:32 | 88.8 | 10 | Audio |
| 2. | The Invisible Boy | 5:12 | 90 | 11 | |
| 3. | Arena of Pleasure | 5:00 | 90 | 9 | |
| 4. | Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue) | 7:48 | 96.8 | 13 | Audio |
| 5. | The Gypsy Meets the Boy | 4:16 | 82.5 | 8 | |
| 6. | Doctor Rockter | 3:51 | 84.4 | 8 | |
| 7. | I Am One | 5:25 | 84.4 | 9 | |
| 8. | The Idol | 8:41 | 97 | 12 | Audio Music Video |
| 9. | Hold on to My Heart | 4:23 | 93.1 | 10 | Audio |
| 10. | The Great Misconceptions of Me | 9:44 | 93.3 | 11 | Audio |
Line-up (members)
- Blackie Lawless : Vocals, Bass & Keyboards
- Bob Kulick : Guitars
- Frankie Banali : Drums
- Stet Howland : Drums
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Crimson아이똥 95/100Jan 7, 2024 Likes : 1
블랙키의 음악적 능력의 집대성이자 반항아 낭만, 철학의 끝. 많은 분들이 언급하셨듯이 블랙키 자신 스스로를 투영한 주인공 조나단의 삶과 그 마지막을 다룬 앨범이다. 평생을 치기어린 반항아로써 살다가 어느 한순간 철이 든다면 이런 작품을 만들 수 있는 것인가. 3대 헤비메탈 컨셉트... Read More
▶ The Crimson Idol Review (1992)
SilentScream213 80/100Sep 28, 2021 Likes : 1
What is often hailed as one of if not the best W.A.S.P. albums is ironically more so a solo effort by bandleader Blackie that eventually got the W.A.S.P. label slapped on it so it could sell. Sometimes, an album can be a better package if it really is done entirely by one person. Especially in the case of a concept album.
Blackie had a story, he had a few main motifs and he ...
Live...In the Raw Review (1987) [Live]
구르는 돌 90/100Jul 30, 2010 Likes : 1
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