Band – Danzig
Rating: 5 stars (Albums 1-4)
Genre: Blues, Doom, Metal
In summary
I am a sucker for a baseline or drumming, growls, and low notes. Danzig covers my likes well.
Every album there was a song that was the standout favourite…followed by a close second and third.
That got into my brain and heart and made me think and move. It brought out the headshaking, swaying and hand movements, insisting that I couldn’t take anymore but eagerly awaiting the next song to prove that I couldn’t resist the lure.
History
The early 1990’s was great for me, I was looking and finding new bands that felt like they were just for me irrespective of genre. However you want to define Danzig and their music, I’m of the opinion it’s not Satanic, though the lyrics talks about a lot of dark subject. It’s not driven me to the left hand path or to unspeakable acts.
It was the start of my classic era for bands that I don’t listen to their current music now, but the albums of the time are firm favourites. These are the bands that I didn’t get into because of the video first – it was all about the music.
Once I’d found a band, I eagerly dug into their back catalogue and looked forward to their latest releases. I won’t even start on Glenn Danzig’s previous bands: Misfits and Samhain because that is definitely for another time and that time will come.
I remember jumping on the tube of a Saturday and going to Tower Records Piccadilly to buy CDs as they didn’t have them in the local record shops of South London; being as pleased as punch listening to them on my little stereo.
Danzig was also the first band that I saw by myself as no one I knew was interested in them, wanted to pay money to watch then, nor listen to them. They were supported by White Zombie at the Town and Country Club and touring How The Gods Kill , I think… It blew me away: everything, the performance, being in a crowd with people who are there for the band too, knowing all the words, singing and dancing along. Golden.
So back to the albums.
I was there with the progression musically from I-III (blues to doom) and 4 came and raised the bar with the lyrics and music and almost every song was killer, a heartfelt favourite. Hands down this is my favourite album.
Then came Blackacidevil and that just killed my love for the band. Thereafter I kind of dipped in every once in a while but I never really picked them up again. Whenever I got a hankering I would go over to the Wikipedia page, or check out Danzig’s website but it was never with a prolonged interest.
What I liked
I’m all for evolving because album to album there is change, but #V just wasn’t for me then. Thought, perhaps I should give it a try once more now, I’ve changed too.
I don’t feel too sad about purposely following them anymore, as I’m happy to have had the music I do like. And anyway, where does it say you have to like everything from an artist.
Most of my music is subscription-based now, but I still have a tiny CD collection, 50 or less, which I’ve yet to throw away. Yes, you’ve guessed Danzig 1-5 is there. If you asked me if I had a favourite band, I’d probably say I didn’t have one as I couldn’t choose but if I could it would be Danzig.
Writing this blog post made me start the journey of listening to all 4 albums back to back – it was great, more than that it was fun. Haven’t done that in a very long time.
And focus
I’m going to be really strict and try to keep it to one ..maybe two tracks at most.
Album | Release Date | Song | Commentary |
Danzig I | 1988 | ‘Possession’ | It’s difficult to go with this as ‘Mother’ is on this album but there can only be one |
Danzig II – Lucifuge (1990) | 1990 | Pain In The World | No Contest |
Danzig III – How The Gods Kill | 1992 | ‘Dirty Black Summer’ ‘Left Hand Black’ | No description need |
Danzig IV | 1994 | ‘Bringer of Death’, ‘I Don’t Mind The Pain’ ‘Stalker song’ | This album blew me away as almost every song was killer and so we have a triple favourite |
Danzig V Blackacidevil | 1996 | ? | None so far |
And to finish
I haven’t touched on Black Aria, the classical album or Thrall: Demonsweatlive, the single on the soundtrack for Less Than Zero, new stuff which I don’t know about. But it’s all good, as it gives me material for another post to share sometime in the future.