Editing W.A.S.P. (band) (section)

==History==
===Early years and rise to fame (1982–1985)===
[[File:CIRCUS CIRCUS 1979-1980.png|thumb|Circus Circus 1979–1980: Joey Palermo, Blackie Lawless, Jimi Image and Randy Piper]]
W.A.S.P. began following the demise of Circus Circus, a Los Angeles-based band featuring [[Blackie Lawless]] and [[Randy Piper]]. The original lineup of W.A.S.P. was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1982 by Lawless, Piper, [[Rik Fox]], and [[Tony Richards (musician)|Tony Richards]]. The band became notorious for its raunchy and, at times, shocking live shows. Lawless was known to tie semi-naked models to a torture rack, and to also hurl raw meat into the audience.<ref name="LarkinHR">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|page=474}}</ref> The band's debut single, entitled "[[Animal (F**k Like a Beast)]]", and its cover were equally controversial.<ref name="LarkinHR"/>

The first lineup did not last for long, as Fox was let go and went on to join the band [[Steeler (American band)|Steeler]] with vocalist [[Ron Keel]] and a then-unknown guitarist [[Yngwie Malmsteen]]. He was replaced by Don Costa, the bassist in Richards' former band, Dante Fox (which later evolved into [[Great White]]). Shortly afterward, Costa also left the band and his position on the bass was filled by Brayden Parker. In 1983, guitarist [[Chris Holmes (musician)|Chris Holmes]] joined the band.

W.A.S.P. signed to [[Capitol Records]] for their debut album, ''[[W.A.S.P. (album)|W.A.S.P.]]'', released on August 17, 1984.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> The debut was at one time planned for release with the title ''Winged Assassins''. The band's first single, "Animal (F**k Like a Beast)", was omitted from the album in the United States to prevent it from being banned from major chain stores.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> ''W.A.S.P.'' was accompanied by the band's first world tour, performing with numerous bands such as [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]],<ref name="Kiss">{{cite web |url=https://necramonium.vpweb.com/animalize-tour |title=Animalize Tour: 1984 - '85 |website=necramonium.com |access-date=December 18, 2021 }}</ref> [[Iron Maiden]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=tour05_powerslave/dates05_powerslave&lang=eng&link=tours|title=The Iron Maiden Commentary - Tours - World Slavery Tour 1984-85 - Dates and Venues|website=ironmaidencommentary.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> [[Dokken]],<ref name="Kiss"/> [[Krokus (band)|Krokus]],<ref name="Krokus">{{cite web|url=https://fullinbloom.com/helix-vocalist-remembers-1985-tour-w-w-a-s-p-krokus/|title=Helix Vocalist Remembers 1985 Tour w/ W.A.S.P. & Krokus|website=fullinbloom.com|date=March 21, 2018 |access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> [[Helix (band)|Helix]],<ref name="Krokus"/> [[Quiet Riot]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/w-a-s-p|title=W.A.S.P's Concert & Tour History|website=concertarchives.org|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> [[Armored Saint]],<ref name="Metallica">{{cite web|url=http://www.metallipromo.com/me.html|title=Metallica; (1982 - 1985)|website=metallipromo.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> and a then-relatively unknown [[Metallica]].<ref name="Metallica"/>

Shortly afterwards, the band made an appearance in the 1984 film ''[[The Dungeonmaster]]'' and on the soundtrack to ''Ghost Warrior'' with the song "Tormentor".{{cn|date=October 2024}}

"L.O.V.E. Machine" and "I Wanna Be Somebody" helped the album sell, and set the band up for "Blind in Texas", a song written in St. Paul, Minnesota, by Lawless. The song was included on their next album ''[[The Last Command (album)|The Last Command]]'', which was released in October 1985.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> ''The Last Command'' remains W.A.S.P.'s highest-charting album, peaking at No. 47 on the Billboard album chart. "Blind in Texas" is perhaps their best known song, more than three decades after its release.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> ''The Last Command'' was also the first album with new drummer [[Steve Riley (drummer)|Steve Riley]] (formerly of [[Keel (band)|Keel]]),<ref name="LarkinHR"/> who had replaced Richards at the beginning of the 1984-1985 tour. W.A.S.P. supported the album by participating in two arena tours, opening for [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] on their [[Asylum Tour (Kiss)|''Asylum'' tour]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kissconcerthistory.com/1985/focus.php|title=On Tour: Asylum - KISS Concert History Online|website=kissconcerthistory.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> and, along with a then-unknown [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]], they supported [[Black Sabbath]] on their ''[[Seventh Star]]'' tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.black-sabbath.com/tourdates/ss_tour/|title=Seventh Star Tour – Black Sabbath Online|website=black-sabbath.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref>

After ''The Last Command'' tour, Piper departed the band.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> Former [[King Kobra]] bassist [[Johnny Rod]] joined W.A.S.P. as Lawless went back to playing rhythm guitar.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> Around this time, W.A.S.P. became a very prominent target of the [[Parents Music Resource Center]] (PMRC),<ref name="LarkinHR"/> an organization led by [[Tipper Gore]] and dedicated to opposing music with lyrics deemed violent or overtly sexual in content. This lowered the band's reputation to such a degree that concert halls were getting bomb threats, band members were receiving death threats by the hundreds, and Lawless was shot at twice (though not hit). The controversy generated valuable publicity for the band.<ref name="Sharpe-Young 2007">{{cite book |last=Sharpe-Young |first=Garry |pages=327–30 |title=Metal: The Definitive Guide |publisher=Jawbone Press |year=2007 |isbn=9781906002015}}</ref>

===Mainstream success (1986–1989)===
With the lineup changes made, they recorded their third album, titled ''[[Inside the Electric Circus]]''.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> It was released in October 1986,<ref name="LarkinHR"/> and a near year-long world tour in support of the album followed, including supporting [[Iron Maiden]] on their [[Somewhere on Tour|''Somewhere in Time'' tour]] in Europe,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=tour06_sit/tour06_sit&lang=eng&link=tours|title=The Iron Maiden Commentary - Tours - Somewhere On Tour 1986-87 - Dates and Venues|website=ironmaidencommentary.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> and a headlining North American tour with [[Slayer]], [[Raven (British band)|Raven]] and [[Saxon (band)|Saxon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metallipromo.com/slay.html|title=Slayer|website=metallipromo.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> ''Inside the Electric Circus'' received a mixed reaction from the music press: it was considered a big hit with W.A.S.P. fans, while critics, on the other hand, dismissed it as "7th-grader rock".{{Citation needed|date=May 2007}} Songs like "Shoot From The Hip" and the minor hit single "95-N.A.S.T.Y." helped the band live up to the reputation of one of the possible meanings of their band name, "We Are Sexual Perverts". However, Blackie Lawless himself, known to be a harsh critic of his own work, cited in the album's re-release liner notes that ''Inside the Electric Circus'' was "[a] tired record by a tired band." Ultimately it was an unfavorable critical review of the single "95-N.A.S.T.Y." that convinced Lawless to take some time off and reconsider the band's creative direction.

In 1987, W.A.S.P. had their song "Scream Until You Like It" included on the soundtrack of the movie ''[[Ghoulies 2]]''. The same year, a few dates during the ''Inside the Electric Circus'' tour were recorded and on November 27, 1987, the [[Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center|Long Beach Arena]] concert was released as the ''[[Live... in the Raw]]'' album.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> By this time, Riley had left W.A.S.P. to join [[L.A. Guns]], and was replaced by local drummer Chad Nelson.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> Then-eighteen-year-old Glenn Soderling, who had recorded an album in 1983 with the band [[Pandemonium (band)|Pandemonium]], then joined the band,<ref name="orkut.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs?tid=5540187123813278051&cmm=424191&hl=pt-BR |title=orkut |publisher=orkut |access-date=April 24, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501025524/http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs?tid=5540187123813278051&cmm=424191&hl=pt-BR |archive-date=May 1, 2012 }}</ref> but did not play any shows due to Holmes' illness.<ref name="orkut.com"/> Soderling left during rehearsals<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://glennsoderling.com/|title=Glenn Soderling|website=glennsoderling.com|access-date=January 25, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126015603/http://glennsoderling.com/|archive-date=January 26, 2018}}</ref> and was replaced by Kelly Martella for their [[Donington Park|Donington]] appearance and a ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' performance of "Scream Until You Like It" on the [[BBC]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/37/e1db8d639798e33f47b1efacbbcf0fc7/l.jpg |title=Monsters of Rock Festival |publisher=A3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com |access-date=April 24, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140425083600/http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/37/e1db8d639798e33f47b1efacbbcf0fc7/l.jpg |archive-date=April 25, 2014 }}</ref> Martella went on to join the band Silent Rage in 1988. Soderling later surfaced under the name "Tripp Holland" in the band Engines of Aggression<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ovguide.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709135927/http://www.ovguide.com/glenn-soderling-9202a8c04000641f80000000174e756e%23|url-status=dead|title=OVGuide &#124; Online Video Guide|archive-date=July 9, 2017|website=Ovguide.com}}</ref> with former [[Tomorrow's Child]] members [[Rik Schaffer]] and Craig Dollinger,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/groupe-groupe-Engines_Of_Aggression-l-en.html|title=Engines Of Aggression - discography, line-up, biography, interviews, photos|website=Spirit-of-metal.com|access-date=May 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807024453/http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/groupe-groupe-Engines_Of_Aggression-l-en.html|archive-date=August 7, 2017}}</ref> and is currently making music for TV shows as staff writer with Supersonic Noise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reverbnation.com/artist_1272876/bio|title=Tripp Holland - Rock from Seattle - Los Angeles - Ny, NY|last=eMinor|website=ReverbNation|access-date=May 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611044546/https://www.reverbnation.com/artist_1272876/bio|archive-date=June 11, 2016}}</ref>

W.A.S.P.'s fourth studio album, ''[[The Headless Children]]'', was released in April 1989, and was their first album without any overtly sexually explicit songs.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> The album reached the band's highest chart position with No. 48<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/277767/wasp/chart?sort=position&f=305|title=W.A.S.P. - Chart history - Billboard|website=Billboard.com|access-date=May 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314074747/http://www.billboard.com/artist/277767/wasp/chart?sort=position&f=305|archive-date=March 14, 2016}}</ref> on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] before falling off the charts in 13 weeks. However, it was W.A.S.P.'s most critically acclaimed work up to that point and, according to a recent Lawless interview,{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}} it is now the highest-selling W.A.S.P. album to date. The drumming duties for the album were handled by former [[Quiet Riot]] drummer [[Frankie Banali]].<ref name="LarkinHR"/> It features two of the band's most highly acclaimed songs, the [[power ballad]] "Forever Free" and a cover of [[The Who]]'s "[[The Real Me (The Who song)|The Real Me]]". W.A.S.P. went on tour in the United States with [[Accept (band)|Accept]] and [[Metal Church]] to support ''The Headless Children'', playing at smaller venues such as clubs and theaters, as opposed to the arenas and stadiums that had propelled the band into success.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metallipromo.com/mchurch.html|title=Metal Church|website=metallipromo.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref>

===Post-Chris Holmes period (1989–1995)===
[[File:Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P. in performance (2006).jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Blackie Lawless]] and W.A.S.P. performing in Norway]]
Chris Holmes left the band in August 1989, stating that he wanted to "have fun, you know." Lawless responded with a caustic remark about the fact that "some guys want to stay at home and wear aprons," hinting at the nature of Chris Holmes' relationship with his new wife [[Lita Ford]]. The band effectively disbanded a few months later, with Blackie Lawless embarking on a short lived solo career.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> Lawless was originally slated to play the [[T-1000]] terminator in the movie ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'', but was later replaced by [[Robert Patrick]] after [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] deemed Lawless "too tall" (1.93m).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/7376/aolchat2.html |title=AOL chat with Blackie Lawless 1999 |publisher=Webcitation.org |access-date=February 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024015649/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/7376/aolchat2.html |archive-date=October 24, 2009 }}</ref> Blackie commenced work on his solo project, but under pressure from both promoters and fans, he released it as a W.A.S.P. album. Ironically, many critics feel that the resulting concept album, ''[[The Crimson Idol]]'', has been the best W.A.S.P. output so far.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}}

The follow-up to ''The Crimson Idol'' was ''[[Still Not Black Enough]]'' (1995), a collection of dark, introspective tunes that extended the ''Crimson Idol'' mythology.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> This time, rather than "hiding behind" [[alter ego]] Jonathan Steele, Lawless spoke directly to the audience about his own feelings (as stated in the liner notes). While the album lacked the cohesiveness of its predecessor, the lyrics still explored similar topics to ''Crimson Idol'': being an outcast and misfit, the pressures of fame and society, and the search for love. ''Still Not Black Enough'' also included cover songs as "bonus tracks". The initial European edition included a different track listing from the American version and a subsequent American re-issue featured yet a different track listing. No version to date includes all the various tracks on one disc.

===Reunion with Chris Holmes (1996–2001)===
Chris Holmes returned to W.A.S.P. in 1996 and together they released ''[[Kill Fuck Die|Kill.Fuck.Die]]'' (1997) and ''[[Helldorado (album)|Helldorado]]'' (1999).<ref name="LarkinHR"/> They also recorded two live albums from these tours, ''[[Double Live Assassins]]'' and ''[[The Sting: Live at the Key Club L.A.|The Sting]]'' respectively. ''The Sting'' CD and DVD were taken directly from an experimental webcast that Lawless claims to have had no control over. This release angered him as he was unhappy with the sound and picture quality.

The band continued with the album ''[[Unholy Terror]]'' in 2001. Holmes left the band once again that year, stating that he wanted to "play the blues". He hooked up with fellow ex-W.A.S.P. member Randy Piper's band Animal, but soon dropped out of that project also. Holmes, for his part, has claimed he never played on ''Unholy Terror''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-w-a-s-p-guitarist-blackie-lawless-is-a-liar/ |title=Former W.A.S.P. Guitarist: 'BLACKIE LAWLESS Is A Liar' |author=Blabbermouth |date=March 19, 2003 |publisher=Blabbermouth |access-date=February 27, 2021 }}</ref>

===''Dying for the World'' and the ''Neon God'' albums (2002–2005)===
''[[Dying for the World]]'', released in 2002, was written and recorded in less than a year which is very fast by Lawless' perfectionist standards. Its liner notes feature one of Lawless' strongest statements about political correctness, inspired by the [[September 11 attacks|9/11]] terrorist attacks.

In April 2004, W.A.S.P. released the first part of ''The Neon God'', subtitled ''[[The Neon God: Part 1 - The Rise|The Rise]]'', a conceptual album about an abused and orphaned boy who finds that he has the ability to read and manipulate people. The second part, ''[[The Neon God: Part 2 – The Demise|The Demise]]'', was released in September 2004.

In 2005, W.A.S.P. headlined American Metal Blast. A video shoot for the track "Never Say Die" was planned with Ward Boult, a [[sexual fetishism|fetish]] photographer, directing. To this day, there has been no news as to whether the shoot resulted in anything concrete. It would have been the first W.A.S.P. promo video in ten years, the last being 1995's "Black Forever".

===''Dominator'' and ''Babylon'' (2006–2014)===
[[File:W.A.S.P. in performance (Stavanger, 2006).jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|W.A.S.P. performing live in [[Stavanger]], Norway, in 2006]]
Early 2006 saw the seemingly stable lineup fall apart. Long-time session and tour drummer [[Stet Howland]] left first (on amicable terms), promising more specific information about the reasons for the split to be posted on his website. Larry Howe of [[Vicious Rumors]] was considered as a replacement. In May, the departure of guitarist [[Darrell Roberts]], who went on to join the band [[Five Finger Death Punch]], was announced and new guitar player Mark Zavon was brought in several days before the first tour date. The same press release confirmed [[Mike Dupke]], and not Howe, would be the new drummer. Furthermore, two days later, Zavon was out of the picture as well, seeing [[Doug Blair]] step in on guitar.

A new album, ''[[Dominator (W.A.S.P. album)|Dominator]]'' was planned for release in October 2006, according to a statement made by Blackie Lawless at a tour stop in [[Kavarna]]. He then went on to play a new song from the album, entitled ''Mercy''. A few weeks later, the release of the album was postponed until April 2007, with the band recording two news songs and dropping two cover songs, to be used instead as bonus tracks. In October 2007, W.A.S.P. embarked on [[The Crimson Idol]] Tour, to celebrate that album's 15th anniversary. It was the first time that the album, often regarded to be among the band's finest work, was performed in full from start to finish. The tour kicked off in Greece, in [[Thessaloniki]] at the Principal Club Theater on October 26, 2007.

The release of the ''Dominator'' album was finalized for April 16 in the UK, April 20 in Scandinavia with the rest of mainland Europe following on April 27. The release dates for South America and Russia followed in early May.

''Dominator'' reached No. 72 on the charts in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |last=metaltix |title=W.A.S.P. Tickets |url=https://www.metaltix.com/w-a-s-p-tickets-2210.html?language=en |access-date=August 8, 2022 |website=www.metaltix.com |language=en}}</ref>

W.A.S.P. canceled their North American tour due to their record label's loss of a distributor.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}} They were going to finish up their shows in Europe and then reschedule their shows in the United States. They were unable to finish the shows in Europe because of a "family illness that needed immediate attention" which forced the band to return to Los Angeles right away. They were originally going to perform at [[Rocklahoma]]. As the tour was canceled, W.A.S.P. was not able to perform at Rocklahoma and was replaced by [[Queensrÿche]].

W.A.S.P. announced a European tour which included dates in Scotland, England and other places throughout Europe in late October 2007.

W.A.S.P. released their fourteenth studio album, entitled ''[[Babylon (W.A.S.P. album)|Babylon]]'' in late 2009, via Demolition Records.

Shortly after the release of ''Babylon'', Blackie Lawless declared that he was never going to play the song "Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)" live again, due to his religious beliefs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=129597 |title=W.A.S.P.'s Blackie Lawless: I Will Never Play 'Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)' Again |publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.com |access-date=October 2, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104040837/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=129597 |archive-date=November 4, 2009 }}</ref> These beliefs are what have allegedly been behind Blackie Lawless' self-censorship of his own lyrics during the "Babylon World Tour", most notably during the performance of "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)".

On The Beast of Babylon Tour, Blackie canceled two shows within a week of each other. The first cancellation came about at the Gramercy Theater in New York City after the band discovered that the venue had been selling [[Very Important Person|V.I.P.]] meet and greet tickets for twice the amount of the general admission price. The band made a statement claiming, "We have never charged a fan for an autograph and will never charge any fans for an autograph."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ytsejam.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=8604 |title=Blackie Lawless Speaks Out Re: 3/11 Gramercy Theater Show |publisher=Ytsejam.com |access-date=October 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930131847/http://www.ytsejam.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=8604 |archive-date=September 30, 2011 }}</ref> The second cancellation occurred when the Crocodile Rock venue in Allentown, Pennsylvania wanted 50% of all of the band's profit, according to Lawless.

On September 21, 2012, the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first ever live show by kicking off a world tour at The Forum in London. The set for the tour was split into three sections: songs from the first four albums, a cut-down rendition of the Crimson Idol performance and a final segment for newer material.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.waspnation.com/waspnation.htm |title=W.A.S.P. – "30 Years of Thunder" |author=W.A.S.P. Nation |publisher=W.A.S.P. Nation |access-date=September 22, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007211626/http://www.waspnation.com/waspnation.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2012 }}</ref>

===''Golgotha'', 25th anniversary of ''The Crimson Idol'' and next album (2015–present)===
W.A.S.P.'s fifteenth studio album, ''[[Golgotha (W.A.S.P. album)|Golgotha]]'', was released on October 2, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-golgotha-cover-artwork-release-date-track-listing-revealed/|title=W.A.S.P.: 'Golgotha' Cover Artwork, Release Date, Track Listing Revealed|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=July 14, 2015|access-date=August 14, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812085534/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-golgotha-cover-artwork-release-date-track-listing-revealed/|archive-date=August 12, 2015}}</ref> The album took four years to materialize.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waspnation.com/makingofgolgotha.htm|title=W.A.S.P. Nation - Making of Golgotha|publisher=waspnation.com|access-date=August 14, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823072412/http://www.waspnation.com/makingofgolgotha.htm|archive-date=August 23, 2015}}</ref>

W.A.S.P. toured in 2017 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the release of ''[[The Crimson Idol]]''. To coincide with this anniversary, the band released ''[[The Crimson Idol#Reidolized: The Soundtrack to The Crimson Idol (2018)|Reidolized (The Soundtrack to the Crimson Idol)]]'' on February 2, 2018, which came with the original ''The Crimson Idol'' movie on DVD and Blu-ray, and includes six tracks that were originally intended to be part of the original version of the album.<ref>{{cite web|title=W.A.S.P. To Release 'Reidolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)' In February|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-to-release-reidolized-the-soundtrack-to-the-crimson-idol-in-february/|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=November 17, 2017|access-date=December 18, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042931/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-to-release-reidolized-the-soundtrack-to-the-crimson-idol-in-february/|archive-date=December 1, 2017}}</ref>

In December 2017, it was reported that W.A.S.P. had been working on new material for the follow-up to ''Golgotha''.<ref name="newmaterial"/> No news on the album had surfaced for more than three years, until December 2020 when ''[[Loudwire]]'' listed it as one of the 88 "Most Anticipated Rock + Metal Albums" of 2021.<ref name="loudwire" /> Progress on a new album had continued to be slow by January 2022, when frontman [[Blackie Lawless]] stated in an interview with [[Eddie Trunk]] that the band has "quite a bit of material that [they've] been working on diligently actually."<ref name="metalstorm"/> He reiterated the album's slow progress in July 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=54611|title=W.A.S.P. - Update On New Album From Blackie Lawless|publisher=[[Metal Storm (webzine)|Metal Storm]]|access-date=July 3, 2024|date=July 3, 2024}}</ref>

Former W.A.S.P. drummer [[Frankie Banali]] died of pancreatic cancer on August 20, 2020,<ref>{{cite web|author=Joe DiVita|url=https://loudwire.com/quiet-riot-drummer-frankie-banali-dead-68/|title=Quiet Riot Drummer Frankie Banali Dead at 68|website=[[Loudwire]]|date=August 21, 2020|access-date=August 21, 2020}}</ref> making him the second deceased member of ''[[The Crimson Idol]]''-era lineup, following [[Bob Kulick]] who had died three months earlier.<ref>{{cite web|author=Matt Friedlander|url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2020/5/29/kiss-collaborator-bob-kulick-acclaimed-guitarist-and-produce.html|title=KISS collaborator Bob Kulick, acclaimed guitarist and producer, dead at 70|website=[[ABC News Radio]]|date=May 29, 2020|access-date=August 21, 2020}}</ref>

The band embarked on their first North American tour in over a decade from October to December 2022, with support from [[Armored Saint]], and on selected dates, [[Michael Schenker]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-announces-first-u-s-tour-in-decade-armored-saint-to-support/|title=W.A.S.P. Announces First U.S. Tour In A Decade; ARMORED SAINT To Support|date=January 12, 2022|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=January 16, 2022}}</ref> While on their North American tour, Lawless stated that he and the band use backing tracks in their live performances during a Q&A session.<ref>{{cite web |title=W.A.S.P.'s Blackie Lawless Admits To Using Backing Tracks During Live Performances |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-s-blackie-lawless-admits-to-using-backing-tracks-during-live-performances |website=Blabbermouth |access-date=11 July 2023 |language=en |date=27 November 2022}}</ref> Additional tours, including in Europe and North America, were rescheduled to spring 2023 and again to 2024 due to the pandemic situation in Europe as well as Lawless' "extensive back injuries".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-postpones-european-40th-anniversary-tour-until-2023/|title=W.A.S.P. Postpones European 40th-Anniversary Tour Until 2023|date=February 15, 2022|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=February 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=44446|title=W.A.S.P. - Announce Shows In Russia|publisher=[[Metal Storm (webzine)|Metal Storm]]|access-date=January 16, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/w-a-s-p-cancels-2023-u-s-tour-due-to-blackie-lawlesss-extensive-back-injuries|title=W.A.S.P. Cancels 2023 U.S. Tour Due To BLACKIE LAWLESS's 'Extensive Back Injuries'|date=July 21, 2023|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=July 21, 2023}}</ref>

Don Costa, who was bassist in 1982, died on May 29, 2024, aged 65.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}