Metal and hard rock have changed a lot since the 80’s – namely the ascent of grunge creating new definitions of what heavy music could sound like. It’s through this lens that Toronto’s Slow Death Lights approaches their version of hair metal band W.A.S.P.‘s 1984 hit “I Wanna Be Somebody”.
The original track is pure 80’s, with that familiar hard guitar overload and screaming vocals. It’s certainly a hard-rocking track made for the type of head banging that permeated the day. Slow Death Lights‘ version sounds nothing like that. The band bring a moodier atmosphere to the track, going heavy instead of hard. The vocals have an introspective, haunting quality to them that gives a new context to the lyrics – a desperate yearning as opposed to the call-to-arms statement of the original.
And while their version is certainly different, SDL appear to have W.A.S.P.‘s seal of approval, or at least that of that band’s guitarist Chris Holmes, who joins SDL as a guest on the track.
Take a listen to the original track here, and SDL’s take on it below!
The Indy Review 