[Roll Your Own Life] The Music That Shaped Me (Part 17)

Stabbing Westward - Wither, Blister, Burn & Peel (1996)

Disclaimer - I was going to put the next album by Stabbing Westward on this list (Darkest Days) as I think I prefer that album, but Wither, Blister, Burn & Peel is such an iconic album, and the one that really got me into Stabbing Westward that I thought I'd better go for this one instead.

Like Bloody Kisses and Metropolis before this, I was introduced to Stabbing Westward by local metal legend Steve. He did his usual "You like Nine Inch Nails, you should listen to this," and played a few tracks from this and their first album Ungod (which I was always know as "Ungoo" as the writing on the cover makes the "d" look a bit like an "o").

See what I mean?

Anyway, Steve was right. They really sounded like a mix of Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, with plenty of really angry vocals and lyrics that pushed all the right buttons in me. First track on WBB&P I don't Believe starts with these amazing lyrics (just what I keep saying to myself even now)...

"I'm such an asshole,
God I'm such a stain,
I just keep f***ing up,
Again and again.

I don't believe, 
I don't believe,
That I could be so stupid,
and so naive."

Stabbing Westward are/were great, and I love their first three albums to bits. Their fourth album, just titled Stabbing Westward, didn't really do it for me, and the band broke up shortly afterwards. They have, thankfully, recently reformed with a new EP that is sounding pretty darn cool. Good to have you back.