Released after an extended break following the "Crimson Idol" tour."Still Not Black Enough" explores some very heavy themes, and is like the musical equivalent of "primal scream therapy". First on the dock is the title track. "Still Not Black Enough" is easily one of my favorite Wasp tracks, sounding somewhere between "B.A.D." and "Love Machine", two earlier tracks by the band. Great choruses, amazing vocals, and pounding double bass drums round out a lost Wasp classic. Next is a cover of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love". Not as bad as it seems, I enjoyed the cover almost as much as the original. Not essential. Third up is "Black Forever". Basically a continuation of the title track, Singer/One-man-band "Blackie Lawless" screams of turning everything black, reflecting the very dark nature of this album. But despite the depressing lyrics, the song kicks with cool organ sounds, insanely heavy drums, and some nice guitar work. The drum fills are a bit too busy for me, but suit the manic and psychotic nature of the track. Great song.
"Scared to Death" is another song that sounds like it has come out of a therapy session. Blackie explores his inner demons and fears, very dark. The female backing vocals don't really do anything for me, but don't ruin the song. Pretty visceral, but not a classic. "Goodbye America" heads into Megadeth territory lyrically. Telling of the failure and lies of the American Dream, Blackie takes a political turn on this track, and it works. I really enjoy the song, and it drives with ferocity and wild anger. "Keep Holding On" is different from anything else released by Wasp. A very dark and depressing ode to a lost lover. The cheap 1990s synth strings sound very dated, but the song is nice and slightly Roy Orbison sounding. Very different, and very mellow. Not great, but not bad.
"Rock and Roll to Death" is a Chuck Berry retro rocker. It's nice to see Blackie try something new, but his voice is too aggressive and raw for this style of music. Great guitar work, but I usually skip this one. Another sappy ballad comes next, "Breathe" just doesn't do anything for me. Sounding very dated by 1995, the song is somewhat sweet but sounds like a bad Bon Jovi reject. Not a good fit for Wasp. The country-tinged "I Can't" reveals Blackie wrestling with the pain he was going through at this point of his life. He screams in agony for what feels like an eternity, very disturbing to hear on record. I like the balance between acoustics and heavy electrics in the chorus, and I think it is a true classic of later Wasp. "No Way Out of Here" closes the album, and sounds similar to the title track. The song is good, but cheesy keyboards take over the vocals and the mix suffers, also the drums sound mechanical and cheap. Not the best song by Wasp, not even close.
"Still Not Black Enough" is not a party album. It is a dark statement of an artist tormented by pain and mental suffering. As art, it succeeds and plainly the most visceral album I have ever heard. I thing that Still Not Black Enough is a very important album for anyone that likes heavy and introspective music, and is a near-classic, especially considering the era in which it was released, a time when Wasp was the furthest music from most people's minds.
Rating-8.5/10
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