Released on Perris
Records on November 26th 2002
THE BAND:
Randy Piper –guitars
Chris Holmes –guitars
Rich Lewis –vocals
Burn Coldewey –bass
Tony Richards and/or Frank Garisto –drums
TRACK FRAGMENTS:
1.) “900 lb. Steam”-This track kicks off with a very classic early eighties
metal intro. The vocal arrangement has that early Wasp sound to it. Rich’s
vocals have a very raw feel to them which is great because that raw sound has
always gone along good with Randy and Chris’s playing style. The drum pattern
for this track is very unique in a way where it sounds ever changing. During the
choruses the song does have a small Wasp sounding hook. And I would have
expected no less from the original guitarist!! The solo who knows, who care
Chris or Randy they’re both excellent guitarist. The solo itself is very sort
and too the point with a lot of intensity.
2.) “Pissed Off”- This track opens with an almost old sounding Helloween guitar
intro. One thing that stood out the most was the double bass drum rhythm. At
times during the beginning of this song it sounds like the producer was playing
with the main, the volume goes up and down. Rich sings in a deeper key and
really gives the song a haunting feel to it. Tony shows his vocal control on
the pre-chorus of this track. There is a small lead scale after the first
chorus.
3.) “Dog Food”-This track opens with a huge bass line. The vocal line of the
pre-verse is overdubbed and gives the song a very early nineties grunge sound.
The guitar amp chosen gives the song a very bar band feel. Like Randy decided
to get back to basics on this song. There is some real cool double bass drum
licks scattered throughout the song. This track has huge backing vocals on it.
The track has a real cool breakdown section. The solo for the song is very
abstract with a few overdubs. I real liked the way they incorporated the lead
scales on the second half of the song.
4.) “Never”-This ballad opens with acoustic guitar and acoustic lead scale.
Just has soon as the vocals kick in any Wasp fan will be able to hear the
“Forever Free”, which still to this day is the most underrated song of metal
history, hook. The backing harmonies will makes the hair on the back of your
neck stands on end. In the musical arrangement department I really liked how
Chris and Randy incorporated the electric guitar parts. The song is like a fine
Tennessee whiskey it goes down smooth with an intoxicating feel!! Solo wise
this sounds like Chris; it’s short with a lot of power. I have no idea who does
the duet vocal section with Rich but they do one hell of a job.
5.) “Another Victim”-This track opens with a very classic metal arrangement,
along with police sirens. The vocal arrangement is very laid back with a touch
of darkness to it. The guitar arrangement is very laid back with a solid
groove. The solo was twined on this track, which gives a nice effect.
6.) “Feeling Nowhere”-This track opens with an acoustic and electric guitar
arrangement with an electric lead scale over it. The vocals of the first verse
are overdubbed. Musically the song is very laid back. The acoustic guitar is
mainly used as a fill in instrument. There is a small lead scale underneath the
second pre-chorus. There is a multiple harmony section at the end of the song.
7.) “Medicene Man”-This track opens with a clean electric pattern. From the
intro there is a mean bass line groove. The vocal line of the verse has a lot
of aggression within the arrangement sound. The lyrical arrangement of the
verse has a huge hook within it. After the chorus the song picks up quite a bit
for the solo. The solo is very intense with a solid sound. The song builds
with intensity as it progresses.
8.) “Talk too Much”-This track opens with an almost Black Sabbath sounding
intro. There is a very strange guitar arrangement through the pre-verse. The
song in whole musically has that old Black Sabbath arrangement sound to it.
Vocally the song is very dark sounding. There is a spoken vocal section through
the break down.
9.) Hunting Season”-This track has that harder classic metal edge too it. The
vocals are very aggressive at times. The way the lyrics are arranged it gives
the song a very early eighties sound to it. The chorus is very abstract merging
standard metal vocals along with vocal scrams. The solo was turned down and
kind of over shadowed by the musical arrangement.
In Animal Tony Richard was the first of many to come and go in W.A.S.P.
He left the band in September of ’84 not too long after the band release their
first video “I Wanna be Somebody”. No one really knows why Tony decided to
leave of if he was fired. Then in 1986 the co-founder Randy Piper of W.A.S.P.
was replaced, same has with Tony no one really knows what happen. I have my
theories, the main one being it was about this time Blackie decided to start
playing guitar and there wasn’t room in the band for three guitarists, so one
had to go. There also was a time when Chris left the band dates are from the
Crimson Idol tour to “Helldorado”.
“900 lb. Steam” is Animals first release, and what you have is three
members of W.A.S.P. getting back to what made music fun. Drunk or sober Chris
and Randy are one of the top five most underrated twin guitar duos. And what
you get with “900 lb Steam” is that Chris and Randy intensity that made W.A.S.P.
a household name to begin with. Even though this release is only for die hard
W.A.S.P. fans, because I don’t think just general fans will be able to
comprehend what is transpiring on this CD. It is still worth checking out by
general fans even if going by the bands website or Perris’s website and
listening to the MP3’s.