Live pictures by PP Marila
Thanks to Michael Brandvold Marketing & Management for providing the media tickets
On Saturday night, October 18, 2025, Helsinki's historic House of Culture roared with unrelenting energy as W.A.S.P. stormed the stage for the second of three Finnish shows on their Album ONE Alive! tour—a thunderous celebration marking 41 years since their infamous, self-titled debut album turned the heavy metal world upside down (as a side note, having reached a certain age, I also managed to see the original W.A.S.P. in Finland back in 1984 when they visited for the very first time).
The band played to a full house, and the anticipation in the room was electric long before the lights dimmed. When they finally did, the opening notes of "I Wanna Be Somebody" were enough to send the crowd into a frantically moving mass that never stopped greeting their heroes with their fists squeezed tight and high, horns ups and endless shouting. While the setlist was dedicated to performing their entire debut album front to back, a move fans welcomed with open arms, the band also managed to inject fresh life into the material with tight musicianship and a theatrical flair that harks back to their glory days.
Blackie Lawless, the ever-commanding frontman, delivered a solid performance. While age has tempered some of the rawness, his presence remains magnetic and his connection with the crowd was undeniable. Blackie's loyal fellow band mates kept things locked in, bringing a punchy, energetic delivery that did justice to the record's gritty legacy. His other soldiers in the lineup, Doug Blair (on guitar), Mike Duda (bass) and last but not least Aquiles Priester (on drums), all proved to be real showmen, playing tight and wandering around the stage restlessly but confidently, like well-organized team players. That's what Blackie needs to keep the band going strong.
Highlights of the night included the incendiary "Hellion," "Sleeping in the Fire" and a singalong-laden "L.O.V.E. Machine," all three of them showcasing just how timeless these tracks have become in the metal canon. The crowd, a mix of diehards, rock veterans, and younger fans, seemed to hang on every note, reveling in the nostalgia while embracing the band's continued fire.
A noteworthy thing happened during the latter half of the set when the crowd experienced a touching and very heart-warming moment from Blackie. While speaking to the crowd, remembered his dear friend Ace Frehley (R.I.P. 24.05.1951 – 16.10.2025), who had just passed away a couple of days earlier, talking in and emphatic and respectful way. This speech clearly showed that we are all a big, caring family, even once-notorious Blackie himself, who used to sing something about a beast in the early days of his career.
Production-wise, the visuals were kept relatively stripped down compared to W.A.S.P.'s more outrageous past spectacles, but the lighting and stage presence more than compensated. The focus remained squarely on the music; loud, fast, and gloriously defiant, the one and only W.A.S.P. way, if I may add.
This Helsinki stop was part of a three-date run through Finland, and if this show was any indication, W.A.S.P. is still more than capable of delivering a night to remember. For fans of classic heavy metal and theatrical rock, Album ONE Alive! is a worthy tribute to a record that changed the face of '80s metal and a reminder that W.A.S.P., even four decades on, still has plenty of sting left.
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