Customer Reviews

Dominator

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having been somewhat but not completely lost in the 9/11 wilderness of politics and associated discussion of "Dying For the World" and then the less than equally stellar re-work of "The Crimson Idol" on "Neon I and II" I was afraid that Blackie had forgotten the lesson he had learnt on "Unholy Terror" namely the tune best comes before the message in the song writing process. When I read the themes of this album were again political my heart sank, but I bought it anyway because with W.A.S.P releases you will definitely always find something of merit on every release. I have been pleasantly surprised from the digestion process of early listening that this is a solid and enjoyable release.

The liner notes from Blackie indicate you can read the lyrical message this time as American imperialism or man's dominance over woman. Indeed you could but the lyrical content is unmistakably political. This ain't no "Helldorado/Dying" hybrid, this is no sex, drugs and rock and roll. What I do like though is that the songs are more punchy and have a fire in their belly. The tracks don't wander far to self absorbed until we hit 'Heavens Hung In Black' but thankfully it is at a slightly more measured quantity than on previous outings. I still think it slows the pace and bogs down the middle of a solid release, but I feel these kind of songs have on much of W.A.S.P's back catalogue after 'Headless' and this one ain't gonna change this guys opinions on that subject, sorry.

Highlights though are the openers "Mercy" and "Long, Long Way To Go" the former punches, spits and sparkles with great songwriting prowess and the later with its insistent drum work that brings you along for the ride whether you want to or not. Indeed 'Long Way' has more chops than a local butchers shop. "Take Me Up" is intro-balladry Blackie style but leads into a Zep like bridge with a great chorus to follow. It builds into a titanic song that is breathless in delivery. 'The Burning Man' possesses a great vocal and those who loved 'Running Wild in the Street' should be exceedingly happy, just have a listen to that bass and drum work phew. 'Heaven's Blessed' is very cool and the nice clear production values help you like the song quickly its punchy and direct as is the follower in 'Teacher'. 'Deal With The Devil' is a hellion child of former glories and actually is really what most of us remember W.A.S.P doing best way back when. Infact I think this release has the best blend of W.A.S.P styles since 'The Last Command' a big call.

A change in running order with the more punchy stuff upfront and the 'Heaven's Hung' section at the rear would have made this an even more rewarding experience for me I think but I suppose in today's day and age you can re-gig til your own hearts content. Good solid release this time, welcome back to the winners circle.

After nearly a month owning this album, I feel it is now time to write a review on it. After countless listens I finally have a feel for what this album is about.

Many people were somewhat dissapointed with W.A.S.P.'s last release of the double concept album "The Neon God." and for that reason, many people had doubts about this album as well. Where could Blackie and the boys go from there? Are their best days behind them? All that and many more questions were raised. Once the track listing for "Dominator" was released, the concern right away was the length of the album. Now, getting into the meat of the album, the length isn't that big of a deal in my opinion. Here is a track-by-track synopsis of "Dominator."

1. Mercy - This is the perfect quintessential W.A.S.P. way to begin an album. The listener quickly identifies with the W.A.S.P. way of song writing and is not overwhelmed. A heavy, rocking song to get the listener pumped and ready for the rest of the ride. Very reminiscent of say, their song "Tormentor" from their debut album. 4/5

2. Long Long Way To Go - A pretty heavy riff to begin the song. Again, the band doesn't really venture into new territories here, but the song is a good and heavy rocking track. Chorus can be a bit repetitive but the guitar work more than makes up for that. 3.5/5

3. Take Me Up - This song took me a few listens to really grab and hold it. Starts soft and makes you think it's going to be a ballad; then the classic W.A.S.P. riffs come in. Dark lyrics thast are also very mylodic, which is what we've all come to expect from Blackie and his song writing. This has become one of my favorites on the album. 4.5/5

4. The Burning Man - This is my favorite track on the album. Killer lyrics, classic guitar playing, and just an overall catchy song that keeps you rocking. Blackie seems to put forth every emotion into this song. 5/5

5. Heaven's Hung In Black - This track has gotten a lot of attention from W.A.S.P. fans as it is deemed one of the best ballad-type songs Blackie has ever written. Although I like the song, and the message behind it is also clear, I feel it doesn't do anything different from previous W.A.S.P. "ballads." Think "Forever Free" on their Headless Children album and you can pretty m,uch understand this song as well. It does have an awesome intro though with one of the countries best patriotic tunes ever. Great song that is one of their best, but in rhe end, isn't really anything different. 4.5/5

6. Heaven's Blessed - At first glance it seems like it could be another ballad to continue the previous track, but this is hardly the case. This song is heavy and really pulls no punches. The message is also loud and clear and Blackie again pours every raw emotion into his singing and lyrics. 4/5

7. Teacher - In my opinion the weakest song on the album. It took me a few listens to get what this song was trying to say. After I figured it out I can see that it does fit with the overall theme of the album, but it feels rushed and poorly placed within the track listing. I say if it was put earlier in the album, (3rd or 4th track) it would have a bigger impact and not feel so rushed but after the previous two tracks it seems a bit out of place. 3.5/5

8. Heaven's Hung In Black [Reprise] - In my opinion this is a good soft track, but I can also say that there really was no need for the Reprise. I would have maybe included this track as a bonus acoustic version at the end of the album. Where it is placed seems a bit random and kills the rocking mood a little bit before the end of the album. If it had been included as a bonus track, it would have opened room for another heavy song to keep the mood somewhat consistent. 3.5/5

9. Deal With The Devil - Some have said that this song is out of place and doesn't really belong on this album. I disagree. After hearing the album many times and coming to the understanding of the overall theme, I can say that I believe it fits perfectly. Coming off the heels of the [Reprise] it may feel and seem out of place but after a few listens it does gel. A rocking, heavy, classic W.A.S.P. tune to end an album that is just shy of 45 minutes in length. 4/5

There you have it. The album may be a bit on the short side compared to most albums now-a-days, but considering the message Blackie aimed to portray in this album, what's on there says it all. I highly recommend this album for any and all W.A.S.P. fans as Blackie and the boys show that they still got it! Never Say Die!

This is probably one of the best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums to come out in years. If you like rock music you owe it to yourself to buy this album. The songs are brilliant and filled with intelligent, emotional content. I cannot understand why this band is not so much bigger than they are. Although they have kept their audience through the years they should be doing stadiums!

This is a QUALITY CD you can't pass. To me "Heaven's Hung In Black" stands out in it's gut wrenching tribute to the soldiers fighting in Iraq. If this song doesn't move you, then you probably don't have a pulse.

Blackie is a legend, he's the best.

I received Dominator a few days ago. I have never reviewed anything on Amazon before, but I am just so glad to have spent the money to buy this album. I am a long time fan of WASP and I have to agree with another reviewer who says that this is their best album since the beloved Crimson Idol. Although I enjoyed both Neon Gods, I thought that Blackie maybe overtook too much as a whole and couldn't quite capture the magic that the Idol had.

This album though is sterling in my view. Every song is brilliant (specially the first 6) and all of them have their own identity and personality inside the record. There is a song which is a reprise of another one that comes earlier in the album "Heaven's Hung In Black," but the melody and the concept of the song is so phenomenal and haunting that I didn't mind one bit. "Mercy", "Take Me Up" and "The Burning Man" are absolute classics and some of the best tunes I've heard in a long time from any rock act. This is a very Social Conscious album, political if you will, which I think is great as we live in a time in the world where some tough questions need to be answered and we all need to open our eyes and see where our leaders are taking us. I commend Blackie for taking his possition in the music world and be voice for many of us and our views, and maybe, perhaps get other people thinking as well.

In a nut shell, I would give this album 10 stars out of 10 if I could just for the brilliant musical content alone, but the "meaty" songs and significant lyrics that fill the album puts this record into a category of it's own: Excellence.

If you like rock with meaning and intelligence, go buy this record today.

WASP's previous records were so good (especially Dying for the World which is a masterpiece) - although the Neon God parts 1 & 2 could have been merged into one great album -, that this one doesn't match the others' quality (but I guess that if you don't make any comparisons, it's a pretty good album). There's a bit of everything on this album: an amazing opening track, Mercy, in the same vein of Dying for the World; Heaven's hung in black follows the "hallowed ground"/"Trail of tears" tracks from the same album and Deal with the Devil makes me think of Helldorado.

The album is definitely a WASP album but I just wished that a) tracks would resemble "Mercy" and b) be longer. It's not a disappointment but there's not much to make a big deal out of it either. It's a pity because Blackie Lawless is one hell of a composer and I still don't understand why this band doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

This is the best work to come from Blackie Lawless since KFD! I remember buying Helldorado and being disappointed and giving up on them until now. Heaven's Hung in Black is the best WASP song since the Idol! Worth the price of admission alone. Rest of the cd is solid! Check this out if you liked WASP back in 89 to laste 90's.

I've been a fan of W.A.S.P. for nearly a year now. I had alot of catching up to do with their music since I was born in 92. Their first 4 albums were incredibly good.The crimson Idol was ok. then I saw that most of their releases throughout the 90's sucked except for K.F.D and Helldorado. The neon God stuff was geniously well written and had a really good storyline, but it sounded bad. I became very disappoined with the band and started wondering if they would ever get their original sound back. then I heard the preview on their website for the song called the burning man. MY HOPE RETURNED TO ME. This cd captures the raw sound of W.A.S.P. AND the lighter side of them as well. out of all of the songs, there is only 1 that I don't like. it's called heavens blessed. it's ok, but theres something about it that I just don't like too much. If you have been spacing out and not paying attention to W.A.S.P. anymore because of their bad releases, It's time to take some Ritalin and go buy this IMMEDIATLEY!!!!!! don't get me wrong, it's not a copy of their old stuff. it has a VERY SLIGHT modern sound. but it deserves to be put in the well respected category of original W.A.S.P.. It's right up there with, W.A.S.P., The Last Command, Inside The Electric Circus, and The Headless Children.

Mercy, is a heavy song but it's catchy as well. It sounds a bit like the song Wild Child.

Then we get to, long way to go. at the beginning of the song, you think that the devil is talking to you. Blackie has a demonic sounding voice in this song, along with great lyrics.

Take me up is a very emotional(but not sad or depressing like the modern music of today) song that will make you wonder if you really bought a W.A.S.P. cd. only makes you wonder because it's so soft. But then it gets a little heavier and the song builds itself up until the Chorus. It's such an incredible song.

After that there is the burning man. It's my favorite song on the cd. It's fast but not too fast, it's catchy, it's loud, it's got life to it, and the lyrics are strikingly powerful and well written. I think this, along with take me up and heavens hung in black, are the best songs on the cd. all the rest of the songs still kick massive amounts of @$$.

Then there is heavens hung in black. It's a very good song which shows the conversation between St.Peter and a dead soldier killed in Iraq. the soldier goes to Heaven and finds that there is no more room because of so many people being killed, so he can't come in. the chorus is the soldier talking.

After that, you have heavens blessed. I, personally don't like the song too much. It sounds good but for some reason, when i listen to it, i don't like it. But you might.

After that is teacher. Another good song with catchy melodies and cool lyrics.

Heavens hung in black reprise. Not too much to say about this song. It's cool. It's basically heavens hung in black but theres something alittle different about it.

After that is deal with the devil. Consider this like a bonus track. Right when you think that the cd has closed itself up with the H.H.I.B. reprise, you hear this wild sounding adventure of a song pounding through your speakers. It makes you wonder what the next album will be like.
hell, this entire cd makes you wonder what the next album will be like. Probably even better and closer sounding to old W.A.S.P. than this album is. I hope this helped you and sorry it's so long.

WASP is an excellent rock band from the 80's Blackie Lawless is a rock icon!

I've always enjoyed Wasp, since their debut album they have ben a band I've kept an eye on. They have put out some great tunes over the years and unfortunately, have also put out some sub par offerings as well.

However this offering is one of Blackie's better efforts over the last ten years or so. It has good riffs and excellent lyrics. The man has always had something to say and this one continues in that vain. You're not going to find any girls girls girls on here, it is as with most Wasp releases a lot deeper than that. Yeah Wasp is still considered by most metal fans as a hair metal band, but when you stop and think about it, they have always for the most part anyway, had a certain substance in their music.

If you'd enjoyed Wasp in the past, you'll more than likely find something on here that says something to you.

It's a good solid effort!

I have just opened up my New W.A.S.P. cd, {about 4 weeks ago}, which I bought from AMAZON.COM {THE BEST SITE ON THE WEB} W.A.S.P. DOMINATOR ROCKS HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This cd is where "Dying For The World" left off. Blackie Lawless never lets his FANS DOWN. His STYLE OF WRITTING AND HIS GUITAR PLAYING IS SO AWESOME. EVEN HIS KEYBOARD PLAYING IS GREAT. BLACKIE LAWLESS HAS BEEN PLAYING KEYBOARDS WITH HIS MUSIC, SINCE, "THE HEADLESS CHILDREN" cd. This cd should have came out after "DYING FOR THE WORLD". His HEAVY METAL SOUND IS SO STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P. deserve a lot air play and RECOGNITION FOR HIS OUTSTANDING HEAVY METAL SOUND. Songs like: TAKE ME UP, {my favorite on the cd}, "HEAVEN'S HUNG IN BLACK", should be the sister song of "HALLOWED GROUND". "HEAVEN'S BLESSED AND TEACHER ARE SO GREAT!!!!!!!!!! and not to for get "MERCY". W.A.S.P DOMINATOR SHOULD BE RATED FOR 10 STARS **********

THE MAIN REASON WHY I ENJOY AND LIKE SO MUCH ABOUT W.A.S.P. AND BLACKIE LAWLESS SO MUCH, HIS GREAT SOUND OF HEAVY METAL MUSIC....... I AM FROM OLD SCHOOL HEAVY METAL...LATE 70'S AND ALL 80'S. HEAVY METAL MUSIC TODAY DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO W.A.S.P. I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING W.A.S.P. MUSIC

SINCE BLACKIE LAWLESS CAME OUT IN 1984. HIS CD'S: "THE HEADLESS CHILDREN",

"THE CRIMSON IDOL", "UN-HOLLY TERROR", "DYING FOR THE WORLD", "THE NEON GOD, PART I & II.and "STILL NO BLACK ENOUGH", "DOUBLE LIVE ASSASSINS", and don't forget, this cd is still one of a kind, a DIFFERENT BLACKIE LAWLESS STYLE, "K.F.D." These cd's that I just mention,TO ME, is BLACKIE LAWLESS AND W.A.S.P AT THEIR BEST. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CD, W.A.S.P. "DOMINATOR". ANOTHER GREAT, FANTASTIC, HEAVY METAL CD, FROM W.A.S.P.