Album review: WASP – Golgotha

September 26th, 2015 by david.wilson

Napalm Records [Release date 02.10.15]

This is the first new WASP album in 6 years following 2009’s ‘Babylon’ and some may ask, ‘why bother?’. In recent years the path for WASP has not run entirely smoothly including last year’s planned appearance at the Hard Rock Hell festival in Wales being cancelled at a fairly late date leaving many (including myself) disappointed.

With this new release and a full European jaunt planned in support, Blackie and co. are hoping to pull back some lost ground and show that they are still a world class rock act. Golgotha goes some way to doing that but as with WASP’s career in the last few years, it is not all plain sailing.

Things get off to a good start with ‘Scream’ which is an upbeat track, Blackie Lawless still sings his heart out in his own distinctive way with both the melodies and harmonies hitting the mark. For me the album then peaks early with ‘Last Runaway’. This was a pre release track which motors along on a great guitar riff provided by Lawless and Doug Blair, the latter also providing a tasty solo midway through.

Other highlights include the heartfelt ‘Miss You’ which features a great emotion filled vocal from Blackie and the album title track, ‘Golgotha’, which gradually builds to an excellent musical crescendo, again with impressive fret work from Doug Blair

The rest of the album however is typical WASP fare, which in itself is no bad thing, but it does all feel a bit too familiar and I found it ultimately forgettable despite repeated plays. What it will do though is appeal to the WASP faithful and at this stage of the band’s career perhaps that is enough.

The glory years of WASP may be long past but anyone who writes off the band as a spent force is far from the mark. Golgotha is the sound of a band who still have a place in the current rock world and whilst it may not attract a new generation of fans to the cause it should be enough to keep the die- hards happy. ***1/2

Review by David Wilson

Gig review (18 September 2015)

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)