Since Rick Rubin stopped producing Danzig in the mid 90s, the band has dismantled and undergone several line-up changes which have unfortunately led to mixed results. Initially, Danzig reformed as an industrial group a kin to Nine Inch Nails or Filter but Glenn had seemed to have lost much of his songwriting ability. Initially known for his blues-infused, punk style, swaggering doom rock, Danzig was viewed as somewhat of a "has been" (to those other than his die hard fans, much like myself!) After releasing two albums, Blackacidevil and Satan's Child, in this vain, he decided to go back to what made him a legend in the metal community. That being said, his music remained a watered down version of his late 80s/early 90s hay day. Now on his 3rd album toward redemption, Danzig has finally nailed it!
"Deth Red Sabaoth" sounds like it should have followed "Danzig III: How The Gods Kill". The album blasts off with 'Hammer Of The Gods', a song as brutal as the title suggests. Tommy Victor (of Prong/Ministry fame) has helped Glenn find that screeching raw guitar sound that has been lacking since that 1994 seminal release. The next track 'The Revengeful' continues with one of the best rhythm guitar riffs since 'Snakes Of Christ' from "Danzig II: Lucifuge". Guitar solos are also back in full force and help elevate this album to among his best. In the past, Danzig has also had a knack for slow, dark, prodding tunes, and "Deth Red Sabaoth" highlights this well with songs like 'Rebel Spirits', 'On A Wicked Night', 'Deth Red Moon' and 'Night Star Hel'. 'On A Wicked Night' in particular is one of the strongest tracks and should become a staple at his live shows. It starts with a heavenly sounding acoustic riff with Glenn crooning his Jim Morrison-esque best. The songwriting is definitely the strong point of the album as the production is virtually absent. Danzig was quoted saying he used "1970s Kustom tuck ’n’ roll bass amps to play some of the guitar parts through" to give the album a more lo-fi vibe. This works in his favor, as his most recent releases relied too heavily on computerized sounding production. The song 'Ju Ju Bone' revisits the bands blues-rock influences similar to 'Twist Of Cain' from 1988. The albums theme continue with Danzig's obsession with the occult and fantasy. However, given this is Glenn's shtick and should be taken tongue-in-cheek, Danzig pulls it off as only he can. Even though his lyrics and imagery should be taken with a grain of salt, it's great to see this hulking, hairy mass of a man got his groove back.
Here is a list of my favorite Danzig albums.
1. "Danzig" (1988) *****
2. "Danzig II: Lucifuge" (1990) ****1/2
3. "Danzig III: How The Gods Kill" (1992) ****
4. "Deth Red Sabaoth" (2010) ****
5. "Thrall-Demonsweatlive" (1993) ****
6. "I, Luciferi" (2002) ***1/2
7. "Danzig 4" (1994) ***1/2
8. "The Lost Tracks Of Danzig" (2007) ***1/2
9. "Circle Of Snakes" (2004) ***
10. "666: Satan's Child" (1999) **
11. "Blackacidevil" (1996) *
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