W.A.S.P.-The KFD and Helldorado albums

I've been revisiting their catalog lately, and I just got to these albums. What does everyone think of them? For KFD, I enjoy the title track and Take the Addiction, but the industrial sound is just too overbearing and in some cases drowns out the vocals (not to mention, it has my least fav song by them in "U"). However, Helldorado, despite being more of a straight up rock album is just worse, way too much AC/DC worship, completely awful lyrics (though KFD wasnt exactly full of deep stuff either), a lack of any hooks or memorable choruses, and awful production. But hey, that's just my opinion, like to see what you think.

I like the live versions of the KFD songs on Double Live Assassins better than the studio versions. They sound better with all that industrial nonsense shaved off.

I don't mind Helldorado. It's far from their best, but at least it showed that KFD wasn't a permanent change in direction.

I own those 2.

KFD was the last WASP album I purchased. Not bad, for a change of sound, but nothing I would revisit any time soon.

Helldorado is ok, but i rarely spin it.

KFD is my favorite WASP album after the first one (Headless Children coming in 3rd). I think it was a very natural sound for them. I liked that the lyrics and theme were much darker as well.

KFC and Hell-Doritos

I really like KFD, but didn't care for Helldorado much.

Need to revisit KFD.

They're both decent albums. Nothing earth shattering but not the worst albums I've ever heard.

I currently only have The Last Command (deluxe edition). Wild Child is my favorite song by WASP. I also like their cover of “The Real Me” on The Headless Children album. I need to revisit that one.

Yesterday, I was listening on YouTube to some of the other albums. Golgotha sounds pretty good too.

I liked the KFD and if you strip out the industrial noise, its a solid W.A.S.P. album. 'Helldorado' is not bad, it was an attempt, at least lyrically to go back to their 80's non-political correct sexual lyrics. I do not think it completely works, it sounds a bit forced in a few songs.

Two of their worst albums!

I think Helldorado is pretty good, yeah some of the lyrics are kinda dumb even by this band's standards, but musically it's pretty cool with some fun songs like Cocaine Cowboys, the title track and Saturday Night Cockfight.

KFD is probably my least favorite WASP album as it feels like the band is trying to jump on the industrial bandwagon that was popular in the late 90s amongst the likes of Marilyn Manson, Type O Negative, Fear Factory, etc I have to say for a reunion album(as Crimson Idol and Still Not Black Enough were pretty much Black Lawless solo albums with the WASP name attached)it's pretty underwhelming as the lousy production just totally kills most of these songs. Fortunately songs like Wicked Love sound considerably better live without the overly muddy and processed production to drag them down.

I like KFD. The industrial-tinge Blackie experimented with didn't bother me as much as when Danzig tried it. And as others have pointed out, when that stuff was stripped away on the live album, the songs sound fine.

Helldorado I never warmed up to. Felt like a step backwards and didn't really work at that point in time.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I like KFD. The industrial-tinge Blackie experimented with didn't bother me as much as when Danzig tried it. And as others have pointed out, when that stuff was stripped away on the live album, the songs sound fine.

Helldorado I never warmed up to. Felt like a step backwards and didn't really work at that point in time.

I preferred Danzig's step into industrial territory, felt like a more natural fit for him then it did for Blackie.

blazingstone wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I like KFD. The industrial-tinge Blackie experimented with didn't bother me as much as when Danzig tried it. And as others have pointed out, when that stuff was stripped away on the live album, the songs sound fine.

Helldorado I never warmed up to. Felt like a step backwards and didn't really work at that point in time.

I preferred Danzig's step into industrial territory, felt like a more natural fit for him then it did for Blackie.

It's all about timing. At the time, I was a big Danzig fan and bought the albums as soon as they came out. He started experimenting with the industrial sound on 4 and it didn't bother me. By the next album, blackacidevil, he dumped the original band AND went with the industrial sound full-on. It was too much change all at once. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now.

With WASP, I was playing catch-up and filling in gaps in my collection. By the time I purchased KFD, the industrial craze had passed and Blackie was back to his usual sound. It was a one-and-done experiment, so it didn't bother me nearly as much.