Review by Felix on April 28, 2026.

I don’t know whether Mr Lawless was already swimming in a pool filled with his dollar notes due to the success of the first outputs, but “Inside the Electric Circus” sounds to me like a limp bagpipes that an asthmatic chain-smoker is trying to make boom. A lack of inspiration cannot be denied from my point of view, and the fact that already the second regular track is an (embarrassing) cover song is grist to my mill. The “hoo hoo” background vocals are just the most ridiculous element of this completely unnecessary track. Moreover, the fact that they’ve also resorted to “Easy Living” doesn’t exactly suggest that the band set high standards for itself. Conversely, the self-satisfaction of the musicians was likely quite pronounced. I mean, how full of yourself do you have to be to go along with such absurdly awful artwork?

But let’s be fair, Lawless has always been a talented songwriter. Granted, this dude realises the power of a cool riff as soon as he has found one which has been hidden somewhere in his instrument. He is also able to separate the great riffs from the mediocre ones. Thus, it does not take me long to wonder that the best songs can be found at the beginning of the album, because unfortunately, he and Chris Holmes haven’t found enough effective riffs for nine songs. Therefore, “Inside the Electric Circus” is one of the albums that gives the audience a few casual tracks and a handful of fillers. I don’t think that this is a noble mentality on the part of the artists, but okay, maybe it is just me who does not understand the fascinating dimension of run-of-the-mill songs such as “Sweet Cheetah” or “Mantronic”.

Anyway, “Inside the Electric Circus” is filled to the brim with traditionally arranged songs that focus on an easily consumable chorus. Conventions, yes; controversies, no. This form of safety-first tracking definitely does not mirror a courageous approach. On the other hand, one can say that W.A.S.P. were aware of their strongest weapon: the smooth and catchy choruses make each and every one of their own songs better than they actually are. This focused way of proceeding is effective, and together with the usual mix of outsiderness, sexual desire, melancholy and some nonsense performed in all seriousness, the quartet creates a solid work. Of course, the song formula remains the same from the title track to the closer, with the very imaginative name “The Rock Rolls On”. But their own compositions do not fall through the net, they are pretty harmless but never annoying. “9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y” and “R.E.S.T.L….” pardon, “Restless Gypsy” even leave a truly lasting impression and the (little) highlight of the second half, “King of Sodom and Gomorrah”, has a snotty rebel feel to it.

Finally, the polished American-housewife production is not really worth mentioning. A band with the financial resources of W.A.S.P. is simply bound to deliver a great sound. So one can call it perfect or predictable, appropriate or discouraged, all these words describe the mix fittingly. No experiments concerning the production, no risks concerning the compositions – W.A.S.P. fans (those who are still alive) will like this album, but I doubt that it is their most favourite output of the band. Anyway, “Inside the Electric Circus” delivers 47 minutes of competently performed easy listening rock/metal minus two senseless covers. No more, no less.

Rating: 7.2 out of 10