A rise is almost always followed by demise. And the demise is almost always more rapid than the rise. The second part of W.A.S.P.'s concept release (or should I say Blackie Lawless' own opera) contains less songs than the first one. There is no point in separating the story from the album tracks this time because The Demise doesn't focus on facts but depicts Jesse Slane, the hero's, full of anguish march to death, concentrating on his mental and emotional state.
The Rise ends leaving Jesse wondering about the repercussion his worship has on his disciples. However, as all of them crave for redemption and plead him Never Say Die he continues undertaking the role of a Resurrector and stays in leadership of organizing celebrations devoted to his doubted divinity. In reality they are orgies where all the lost souls that form his congregation consume tones of drugs and get sexually abused during some kind of sacrifices. The Demise has already started inside Jesse but some miracles he achieves reinforce people's blind faith in him even more and the whole thing turns to be a big business selling fake hopes for love and freedom of mind. The media are also used for this purpose and through means of marketing Jesse now preaches in arenas, in front of thousands of people while films and DVDs, featuring him, in the market, provide the Ministry of Pagan with huge income.
No matter how much speculations about his real nature and mission torture his mind, Jesse desperately tries to establish his dominance on even firmer foundation in a vain attempt to convince himself first and then all the others. During a world-wide revival in Times Square in New York City, in the middle of an impressive set of neon lights and a gigantic screen projecting his face, his proclamation as The Neon God is broadcasted to television all over the world. He knows better than ever how to make people follow and adore him and cynically explains that all he has to do is make them feel more important than they are and that they are born again by a new father, him. The tragic irony is that the time he has reached his peak is also the time that everything will be destroyed.
 Clockwork Mary, the Mother who had abandoned him 20 years ago, appears to claim her son. The same person that once screw his life now comes to launch the death blow and ruin the fragile self-being he always tried to secure and this way she proves to be the most subversive figure of the opus. Jesse is shocked; the devastation becomes panic and the panic leads to the inevitable self-destruction. He might realize that his mother was dead for him all that time but at the same time condemns his phony power on the disciples. The empire starts falling apart; the walls are torn down. He calls Judah and his inner circle of disciples to announce he's leaving. They both call him Back To Black - the disciples beg him fulfill their expectations and Judah reminds him that he can still fool them. Jesse quits from everything. He has finally become aware of that he didn't manage to obtain what he all his life asked for and bursts against all those who damaged him, his mother, Sister Sadie, Judah and the disciples. But there's no way out. Destiny's To Come and he cannot determine his end either. Judah, who won't let his monster vanish that easily, washes his hands like Pontius Pilate and plans his death for all the world to see. Jesse submits to his fate and becomes a martyr of love trying to give some sense to his existence and arouse the congregation from their lethal deceit. His pay-per-view crucifixion will hopefully be The Last Redemption.
I prefer commenting on the musical and technical dimension of The Demise first because as you can all see by the story above, judging an artist's testimony about what has occupied his mind and troubled his soul for years and years is much more demanding, maybe impossible or even a blasphemy.
The album's complicated structure certifies the whole work's maturity. Most of the lyrics are dialogues between the characters, exactly as they should be in a proper Rock/Metal Opera. They are written with the inspiration and the creativity and sensitivity one would expect to discern in such a monumental composition. The character's are drawn with clarity and seem real and natural in all their corruption and decadence. I can assure you that these are the best lyrics Blackie ever wrote. It seems he had decided much time ago to keep strength for his lifetime creation.
In terms of music and performance there is not much to say; anyone who has ever listened to any W.A.S.P.'s album has some idea of how this band sounds. The production could have been a little better but I don't think this is that significant as they always sound rough and that's part of their music's beauty. Darrel Roberts' guitar playing is amazing! Some solos of his make particular tracks more audible than expected if you keep in mind that you are not listening to an album full of hit-songs.
Blackie's vocals remain the main conductor to the listener's heart. He reproduces anger, fear, desperation, hatred, misery, anxiety, and guilt in a rarely persuasive way. That is rational; nobody could have sung the story of his life better.
There are two aspects I would like to talk further about. The first one is the repeat of musical themes throughout this album and its predecessor. Sister Sadie of The Rise and Resurrector of The Demise share the same melodic form that is also used in The Last Redemption. Blackie also adopted this method in The Crimson Idol. In my opinion this supports the coherence of the story in a way only a film's soundtrack can. It's also another reason why The Neon God assimilates an opera. Apart from that there is correspondence among songs in the two parts of The Neon God. The Rise is equivalent to the The Demise and so on. That structure explains why the two parts were not released as a double album. The listener wouldn't have the necessary time to absorb the substance of Blackie's artistic choices. It would be too much.
The second aspect is that the album finishes with an epic track. The Last Redemption offers the right gravity to the story's end. Its duration is unprecedented in W.A.S.P.'s history (almost 13 minutes) and in all its length combines various themes and performing styles as well as symphonic influences. Just like The Great Misconceptions Of Me completed The Crimson Idol in an ideal way bringing the purification at last.
Finally, I would like to contradict all those who say that the whole Neon God project was a snatch for an arrogant and eccentric frontman. Since we all know that any album with the W.A.S.P. logo on it would sell hundreds of thousands of copies, Blackie had no reason to lose so much time to come up with such a release. This work seems to really express its creator, giving him a podium on which he can stand and talk to his real congregation.
The grade I have to give is a problem. I don't know how I should confront The Demise, as an album or as one part of a concept. I prefer giving Blackie Lawless the credits for a unique concept album although its theme may not be interesting to everybody. This is not fiction; it's an impulse for us all to think about God and human nature with some help from Blackie himself. And as it is it cannot receive less than what you see below. If you are looking for a nice heavy album to sing the refrains and pretend you play the guitars this is not the appropriate album to invest on.
- Album Highlights: There are no highlights in such a dense album. But All My Life can make any of you who doesn't believe in Blackie's good intentions change your mind.