Danzig Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
Glenn Danzig returns to his immediate post-Misfits roots with the stripped-down Circle of Snakes, an 11-track chunk of brutality that forgoes the murky alt-metal and industrial meanderings that marred many of his mid-to-late-'90s offerings. The revival of the four-piece basement-heavy attack of his 1988 solo debut is a welcome one, and fans who went willingly with the artist after his controversial punk departure will find solace among familiar "comic book" themes -- and very Misfits-esque titles like "Skull Forest" and "1000 Devils Reign." Tommy Victor's heavier than seems humanly possible guitar works serves as the bedrock for Danzig's Jim Morrison on "Bald Mountain" croon, and when they find their groove, like on the needle-in-the-red "Night Besodom" and "Black Angel, White Angel," and the riveting title track, the results are electrifying. Where the album fails is in its formulaic songwriting. Danzig's lyrics have always worked best when the beast he's battling grins back at him, and the "so morose they're bland" themes of death, evil, and "blazing skulls" are in such abundance here that one yearns for the appearance of a flesh-eating zombie, blood-soaked wolf, or sexy vampire dominatrix to break the first-person gloom of it all. Circle of Snakes is definitely a return to form, but it's also a retreat from the sinister and cerebral punk metal stylings of the era it's trying to emulate. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Thankfully, I Luciferi finds Glenn Danzig rediscovering his bloody rock & roll cojones after two lackluster pseudo-industrial artistic stumbles, 6:66 Satan's Child and Blackacidevil. So yes, I Luciferi is a throwback of sorts to Danzig's heyday, when Danzig, Danzig II: Lucifuge, and Danzig III: How the Gods Kill (and maybe Danzig 4) were staples in any self-respecting punter's CD changer. So the album kicks off with mid-tempo ripper "Black Mass" sounding impressively sinister, if a bit ham-fisted in the riff department, with Danzig's howling vocals clean and creepy and the lyrics as black as Satan's pupils. Balls-out bombastic rocker "Liberskull" and dirge-like album-closer "Without Light, I Am" are the best Danzig cuts to tickle the devil's undercarriage since the widely underrated, richly textured Danzig 4, which boasted Glenn Danzig's most accomplished and varied songwriting -- before his top-notch backing unit (guitarist John Christ, bassist Eerie Von, and drummer Chuck Biscuits) bailed, presumably preferring career oblivion over Danzig's ego. And that's precisely where I Luciferi is lacking; without a truly blistering unit behind the Jim Morrison-emulated, Evil Elvis singer, "Halo Goddess Bone," "God of Light," and "The Coldest Sun" lack the spark that forces riffs into nasty black underground nether-regions. Instead, the guitars chug Rob Zombie-style during the verses and drone atmospherically during the choruses, the songs left needing a wicked John Christ-like virtuoso touch. Still, the leathered biker swagger of the title track and "Naked Witch" are worthy listens, although "Kiss the Skull" cranks a Dumbo-eared Marilyn Manson arrangement and "Wicked Pussycat" is depressingly obvious and quite embarrassing, too comic book-like and tongue-in-cheek for its own good. Uneven as I Luciferi is, it's a quite listenable and welcome return to truly metallic form for Glenn Danzig, who, for the most part, successfully aims for the gray area between truly menacing evil and nudge-nudge wink-wink dark humor -- something conveyed best on early Danzig material. Sure, his best years are most likely behind him at this point, but I Luciferi proves that this old snake still has some venom left in his fangs. ~ John Serba, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Danzig's last release of the 20th century, 6:66 Satan's Child, follows the same formula as his last album (1996's Blackacidevil) -- gone are the straightforward Jim Morrison-meets-Black Sabbath-sounding songs of the band's first few albums, replaced by metallic industrial sounds (comparable to Godflesh, White Zombie, etc.). Singer Glenn Danzig is the only remaining member of his original solo lineup and, as on his previous album, handles guitar duties (filling out the lineup are Lazie on bass and Joey C. on drums). Although Danzig's musical style may have shifted over the years, the outfit's trademark sex'n'Satan imagery remains the same, as evidenced by the album title, lyrics, comic book-style cover, and the CD booklet photos. While such tracks as "Belly of the Beast" and "Lilin" move at a dirge-like pace, they also pack quite a sonic punch, courtesy of the album's production team of Glenn and Peter Lorimer (Orgy members Amir Derakh and Jay Gordon mixed several tracks as well). Longtime Danzig fans will know what to expect from such titles as "Cult W/out a Name," "Firemass," "Satans Child," and "Apokalips." ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Danzig's experiments with using texture and atmosphere to evoke their trademark mood of darkness and evil come to the forefront on their fourth full-length album, with John Christ contributing more effects and fuller chord voicings. The band has also started to craft their songs, using different instruments and a few industrial sounds in the background of some tracks. Not all of the experiments are successful or interesting, partially due to inconsistent songwriting, but out of all their releases, the music here comes the closest to reflecting the darkness of Glenn Danzig's lyrics. Some, however, may miss their more energetic earlier albums. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Danzig III: How the Gods Kill'
Release Date 7/14/1992
Tracks 10
Label Def American
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Featuring disturbing cover art from H.R. Giger, Danzig's third album continues to expand the band's musical range; rather than pounding away at simple blues riffs, the atmospheric title track (yet another rewrite of "Twist of Cain," this time at a slower tempo) and the haunting ballad "Sistinas" attempt to match their music with the darkness of Glenn Danzig's lyrics, resulting in two of the album's high points. Danzig's vocals are more subtle in places, and John Christ's guitar work continues to improve. Arguably the definitive Danzig album. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Danzig II: Lucifuge'
Release Date 1/1/1989
Tracks 11
Label Def American
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Danzig's second release is also their most diversified. They explore their blues roots with a couple of boogies, a slow shuffle, and a slide number, throwing in a '50s-reminiscent ballad in waltz time for good measure. Glenn Danzig's theatrical vocals don't prevent these numbers from working surprisingly well (except when he attempts a Mississippi Delta accent on "Killer Wolf"), demonstrating his talents and range of expression as a vocalist. The simple, somewhat standard blues-metal riffs of their debut are here ("Snakes of Christ" is a flat-out rewrite of Danzig's "Twist of Cain"), but not as plentiful, making the record more interesting and listenable. "Her Black Wings" ranks with the band's best songs. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Danzig debuts with a record of simple, pounding, bluesy metal featuring lead singer Glenn Danzig's trademark Elvis-meets-Jim Morrison bellow and outlandishly dark, evil lyrics. There isn't a great deal of musical variety or complexity here, but the band powers its way through such signature tunes as "Twist of Cain," "Am I Demon," and the (future) hit "Mother" with a primal energy. Plus, Danzig's tongue-in-cheek posturing as the ultimate unholier-than-thou heavy metal frontman gives the record a definite appeal, even if one is not inclined to view his theatrics as dangerous or threatening. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
