White Light, White Heat, White Trash is the fifth album by American punk rock band, Social Distortion, released on September 17, 1996, by Epic Records. The album was produced by Michael Beinhorn. White Light, White Heat, White Trash is the last Social Distortion album to feature guitarist Dennis Danell who died on February 29, 2000, of a cerebral aneurysm at the age of 38.[1] It is also the band's last release on Epic Records. The album received Social Distortion's highest ever chart position, entering the Billboard 200 album chart at #27. Stylistically, the album is harder and considered a return to their punk roots.
The title of the album is a play on the 1968 Velvet Underground album, White Light/White Heat. The Velvet Underground record is known for being one of the most original, and probably the heaviest, records of the time[citation needed], just as White Light, White Heat, White Trash for Social Distortion has a harder sound than those albums preceding it.
The cover of White Light, White Heat, White Trash features a photograph of a ventriloquist dummy/puppet taken by Leonard Myazinaki. On the back cover is another photograph by Myazinaki of religious statues. The inner liner is covered with small icons of religious and Americana nature, illustrating the album's fusion of faith and punk rock with a 1950s influence. The iconography includes dice, a 1950s-style automobile in front of a motel, a pin-up girl with angel wings and a halo, a burning cross and a Sacred Heart.
I like it a lot. Not my fav Social D album, but still all shades of excellent. Even the religious songs are good. Normally those kinds of songs bug me, so praise goes to Mike Ness for pulling it off without being preachy or annoying. I'd rank the Social D albums as: 1) Live at the Roxy 2) Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell 3) Mommy's Little Monster 4) s/t 5) White Light White Heat White Trash 6) Prison Bound 7) Mainliner. So I rank this one down kinda far, but keep in mind that I love them all except Mainliner. They may not put out albums too often, but when they do, they're great. Better quality than quantity.
