The legendary Danzig returns with his first solo record since 2004’s Circle of Snakes. Deth Red Sabaoth marks the debut of bassist Steve Zing (Samhain) and drummer Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative). For me, this album is very solid from the start. It’s said Danzig handled a significant amount of bass playing for the record, and – believe it or not – he even played drums on one of my favorite tracks of the eleven entitled “Black Candy”. It kicks off with track one’s “Hammer of the Gods”, giving the listener an aging yet totally raw and bluesy vocal performance from one of rock’s most underrated artists ever. Can you believe Danzig is 54? Believe it… though I don’t think you can pin a number on him. Like the Energizer Bunny… this dude just keeps going and going.
Sabaoth is dark… and at times very Black Sabbath-influenced with quite the terrifying vibe. This album clearly harkens back to earlier Danzig greatness, which is not easy to do… when you’re closing in on Grandpa status. You can definitely hear the years of triumph and heartache in this man’s voice. What about his getting knocked out on video several years back? It was an incident that played to countless thousands thanks to YouTube. Oh, the worldwide embarrassment. How does a modern day super hero fed some Kryptonite for a change reemerge to his legion of devoted fans?
I will tell you how: with the power of the almighty rock n roll song. One thing you will understand as the listener is that just because the album is a low budget production for sure… doesn’t take away from the fact that you’re hearing one of the all-time greats: Glenn fucking Danzig. The man’s got more heart and balls then ten of us and every inch of it shows up here on this seriously hot collection of skull crushers for the pothead and jocks alike. Point blank, put on Deth Red Sabaoth and you will be taken back in time to the 1970’s vibe that made rock great to begin with.
Okay, so Glenn Danzig is not the same vocalist he was even ten years ago. Yes, his ‘once beautiful voice’ has suffered the ravaged effects of well… simply crooning your balls off too much, but I still feel what the man is literally crying out from within his blackened soul. Isn’t that what made Johnny Cash great? The big highlights come from the killer track “Deth Red Moon”, along with the haunting “Pyre of Souls”, which gives us a Danzig that is deeper than ever. Yes, I won’t lie that you can hear moments on the album where you wonder why more effects weren’t used in the mix. It can be a little too clean of a production at times for its own good, but I feel that’s exactly what Danzig was going for. Keep it simple…
don’t be afraid to show the scars any longer.
When Danzig originally founded punk act THE MISFITS in the late 70’s, the die was cast for one of rock’s true innovators. He created horror/punk, and then to further his incredible musical legacy… next went the way of a full crossover into the metal arena during his peak as a solo artist in the 90’s.
Deth Red Sabaoth sounds like Danzig has let all the years of bullshit finally roll off his back once and for all. Yes, it (again) sounds cheaply produced… it was done by Danzig himself, imagine that – like the soundtrack to a spaghetti western gone to hell. The recording sounds like it could have been made with an old 4 track in a bedroom, but there’s something about the mystique of the other ‘man in black’ that grabs you by the ears and won’t let go. This version of Danzig is lucky to again be featuring Tommy Victor (Prong/Ministry) on guitar, who is another unsung hero in metal. My favorites out of the collection are “The Revengeful”, “Rebel Spirits” and the chilling “Night Star Hell”, which all rock equally hard with a totally hypnotic sound. Deth Red Sabaoth will be ranked as one of Danzig’s crowning achievements, mainly because he came back to the fans and never let the world change him from being who we’ve always loved in the first damn place.
ROCKET REVIEW: [starreview tpl=16]
DANZIG –
“Deth Red Sabaoth” (CD)
(Evillive/The End Records 2010)
1. Hammer of the Gods
2. The Revengeful
3. Rebel Spirits
4. Black Candy
5. On a Wicked Night
6. Deth Red Moon
7. Ju Ju Bone
8. Night Star Hel
9. Pyre of Souls: Infanticle
10. Pyre of Souls: Seasons of Pain
11. Left Hand Rise Above
http://www.myspace.com/danzig
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