Search - Danzig :: Deth Red Sabaoth

Left Hand Rise Above

Nick Danger | Manchester, England | 07/11/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Foreword



After the U-turn of `Blackacidevil' (1996) every Danzig album from `Satans Child' (1999) onwards has been hailed as a return to the style & form of the first four classic albums. Ironically, none of them sounded anything like the first four LPs and none of them were as good as Blackacidevil either. Following the dissolve of the Christ/Von/Biscuits line up, Blackacidevil was really more of a solo effort. Due to the popularity of `industrial' music in the 1990's D5 is often dismissed as a cash-in or as a sub-par NIN rip-off. But the truth is D5 was a fine album. Aside from the unique aural assault it provided it was also the last album on which Danzig's voice still sounded youthful and with its original full range and tracks like `The 7th House' & `Sacrifice' pulsated and pounded with a vitality not heard since. I rate D5 8/10.



On 6:66 Satans Child (1999) the main attraction of the band- Danzig's legendary howl seemed to be AWOL. 90% of the vocals on the album were either whispered, masked in filters or just sounded plain hoarse. Despite this, the nu metal stylings of the record combined with GD's songwriting did make for some cool tracks... but it tends to leave one wondering what could have been had the LP been tracked with stronger vocals.

6/10



777 I Luciferi (2002) This one was an improvement over SC. The second half of 777 was strong with some great songs, the first half? Not so great. See `Wicked Pussycat'. Longtime punk/hardcore veteran Todd Youth made his presence felt on guitar lending a more dark and thick sound to 777 than that of 6:66 and this also highlighted the direction in which the band was heading;- becoming `more metal' with each new album. It was for this shift in direction that longtime drummer Joey Castillo would leave the band in 2002 to join Queens of the Stone Age.

7/10



Circle of Snakes (2004) This was a good album, but again not great. This time the music was heavier still with an even thicker sound than 777 but with none of the swagger and laid back cool of the first three albums. Tommy Victor of Prong provided the super heavy guitar which seemed to bury almost everything else in the mix inc the vocals and the whole album felt oddly soulless. On CoS Glenn sang a bit more and although the vocals were better than say, Satans Child, they often sounded flat and he did not appear to have the same range and power in his voice as on Danzig1-5. I guess that's to be expected after almost 30 years of mayhem.

7/10



In recent years his voice of old seemed to return. Just check out videos of the bands performance at 2009's `Fun Fun Fest' in Texas. If you close your eyes you'd think you were hearing a show from the early 90's. Turns out after Glenn cut certain dairy products from his diet it restored some of his former range and tone.



And so we arrive at 2010 which brings with it the bands long awaited new album- `Deth Red Sabaoth'. DRS is the first new album by the band in 6 years and so ends the longest break between albums. The line up is rounded out with Tommy Victor on guitar and Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative) on drums. As well as vocals, Glenn shared bass & guitar duties with Victor and provided piano and even drums on one track.



Review



Hammer of the Gods (5:21) is a classic Danzig album opener- catchy galloping riffs the same tempo as `Am I demon' & `Night, BeSodom' with a sing along chorus that gets stuck in your head. In the middle there is a doomy Black Sabbath style breakdown with a whispered interlude and then one of Tommy's better guitar solos on the album. Miles better than anything on CoS and this one also goes over great live. 9/10



The Revengeful (4:11) is probably the most contemporary sounding track on DRS. It starts off with a pinch harmonic riff and an AC/DC style beat. Then Glenn kicks in as he croons about the approach of a death dealing being known The Revengeful, with the vocals perfectly mixed and full of range. The verse sections soon give way to one of the best ever Danzig choruses which recalls the feel of Lucifuge and contains that indefinable essence that makes you feel invincible. 10/10



Rebel Spirits (3:59) Awesome riff and the drums here sound so good- deep and huge! Tommy's playing on this track is much more restrained than anything on CoS where every track sounded the same. It feels less mechanical and more soulful. Similarly Glenn's vocals smolder for the most part- `rebel spirits call to thee, on this the dawn of your destiny, rebel blood strong and free, will never bow to the heavenly' later the chorus is underscored with the return of the double bass fills from the beginning and the last 1:20 of the track is just the band rocking out. One of DRS many highlights. 10/10



Black Candy (4:09) is another contender for best song on the album. The first time I heard it I was not that impressed, but like lots of great music- the more you listen, the more its true greatness is revealed and the better it gets. This is a slow one with a cool hook and Glenn also played the drums on this song. The drumming is a highlight ft. double bass fills and the snare sounds awesome as do all the drums on DRS. The vocals are also a highlight- mixed nice and high with Glenn in great form. 10/10



On a Wicked Night (4:02) is the first single from the album and as one of the most accessible it's a fine choice. It begins with an acoustic style intro/riff as Glenn sings over the top about a mysterious woman in black, possibly lady Death? from the album cover. Soon the drums kick in (Devil's Plaything style) and we get the loud version. Great song but one minor complaint I have is that the vocals in the second half don't seem to be mixed high enough and have to fight with the guitar for your attention. 9/10



Deth Red Moon (3:58) Another fav from DRS. A superb song which seems to be on every Danzig fans ideal set list this year. It's melancholy, atmospheric ... just great in every way. It paints pictures in your head, hard to describe. I love that it sounds like a maraca was used. Deth Red Moon sounds like a classic 70's rock song. 10/10



Ju Ju Bone (4:46) The riff you've heard a million times before in any other blues song but that don't matter. This one is all about the vibe. Glenn's vocals are subdued in the first half as he reflects on using the mysterious artifact to get payback on a certain girl. Then in the later stages he breaks loose with some Evil Elvis wails which sound as good as ever. To me this song represents the evolution of the band really well because it's a laid back number with simple riffs, but still contains that unexplainable Danzig magic. It's as if Glenn has distilled what makes Danzig great and if he puts that ingredient into any song it will be amazing no matter what the riffs or structure are. 10/10



Night Star Hel (6:42) Every Danzig album needs a slow evil track and this is it. The riffs are particularly sinister and the guitars sound massive. In the last two minutes the band rocks out in an extended outro section. 9/10



Pyre of Souls: Incanticle (3:18) has an almost folk feel to it and serves as the introduction to the next track- Seasons of Pain. Incanticle is much softer than the rest of DRS as it features no distorted guitars or drums. The track is essentially a riff that repeats for two minutes with layered vocals, piano & minimal percussion. 10/10



Pyre of Souls: Seasons of Pain (7:18) This track is amazing. The riffs recall Incanticle but this time instead of acoustic guitars and chimes it's a droning metallic dirge that pummels your eardrums. One thing that's cool about this track is that Glenn really lets the music breath with there being gaps between the vocals of up to two minutes. Definitely one of the album highlights. 10/10



Left Hand Rise Above (4:23) reminds me of `Let it be Captured' as it's a grandiose song in which heavy guitars are played down and the vocals are the main focus, but of course, aside from those similarities it is entirely different. This has got to be one of the top three songs on DRS and is the perfect album closer. The lyrics seem to be a celebration of individualism and inner strength and once again Glenn is in fine voice. Both simple and epic at the same time. 10/10



For the first time in 15 years Danzig has produced an album that is actually as good the first four albums, but with a looser feel and a much fatter and dirtier sound. Don't go in expecting the crystal clear / perfectly balanced production of the first four albums. One of Glenn's aims with DRS was to create an old yet contemporary sounding record- something with a bit of character. He has defiantly succeeded.



Any downsides? Well, as cool as the mix/ production is, sometimes it can be a bit choppy with the vocals occasionally not mixed high enough and the bass barely audible at all. The other downside to the album is that Tommy Victor's guitar solos are for the most part crap. A typical solo for him consists of shredding the fret as fast as he can with no meaningful direction for a certain amount of time and that's about it. His solos don't take you on a journey like those of John Christ do. So while his playing in general is more restrained and varied on DRS and with more feeling than on CoS, his solos are still lacking for the most part.



Despite its imperfections, Deth Red Sabaoth is a superb return to form. The songwriting is solid- every track, the music has that old Danzig swagger to it once more and best of all- Glenn's voice sounds awesome again. It was great to see Danzig return to the top 40 of the billboard with DRS debuting at #35. I rate this album 10/10.

"

4 1/2 Stars

M. R. Golde | 06/22/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Deth Red Sabaoth is the first proper studio album in 6 years. If you an older Danzig fan you were put off by the last few studio efforts. Circle of Snakes could have been a great record- but perhaps it's greatest tragedy was the production. I still say that record wasn't as terrible as some whined it was but whatever...

Well- while it's not a triumphant return to what many call the classic-line up era BUT it's pretty darn close at times. The production and overall mood of the album feels somewhere between How The Gods Kill and the Thrall EP. At times it nearly knocks it out of the park: "Rebel Spirits"-is honestly one of the best songs Glenn has penned since the aforementioned "classic era"- Whether it's John Kelly's (Type O Negative) double kick , Tommy Victor's (Prong, Ministry) eerie arpeggios seeping through the speakers- & up front and powerful as ever Danzig himself- this is the first track that I really thought- Holy ****! The opener "Hammer of The God's" feels somewhat dull in the beginning it's not really until the big heavy middle section that the song becomes a dark anthem. Some of the backing vocal overdubs I could have lived without- otherwise a quite memorable song. (Think "long way back from hell", "Night besodom" and "godless")

That seems to be the theme here- anthems, catchy choruses, heavy guitars and creepiness. "Black Candy" features Glenn Danzig on drums- it has an attitude that reminds me of "Cantspeak" only no whiny lyrics and a heavier sound. It does feel a little cheesy -ie "Just like you're losing your mind, black candy is so hard to find". It is catchy- but is black candy really that hard to find? hehe

"Night Star Hel" is another one I really like from a vocal prospective- I close my eyes and imagine how Elvis Presley would have sounded like with Black Sabbath accompanying him. Most of this record is in a similar vain- a bit bluesy, a lot doom laden, -for the most part I found myself digging the overall vibe this album has even if- some of the production is a little bit of a mixed bag- is it a distraction? More like a minor set back...Sometimes the vocal gets a little lost in the mix- sometimes the vocal gets too loud, sometimes the drums get muddied up and sound distant- other times it's perfect, and sometimes the bass guitar is non existant. Luckily these gripes with production are like I said- MINOR. The only other weak links are perhaps the first single and b-side for the record. In conjunction w/ Deth Red Sabaoth "On A wicked Night" works- but "The Revengeful" feels a tad redundant- luckily the chorus breathes life back into the song. One song is broken up into two distinct parts "Pyre Of Souls"- the first half reads like a Black Aria staple- (Glenn's orchestral instrumental/soundtrack project) while the second half feels like gothic metal with a hypnotic riff playing through. The first half features some well sung Glenn chants while the second half feels less vibrant. It's a track that's still growing on me. It definetly builds up to a climax. "Deth Red Moon" besides "Night Star Hel" & "rebel Spirits" are well written tracks that are honestly will just grab you and never let go. I can't say enough good things about them- the rest come close but those are the winners...the rest well is just... good. :) Note to the guitarists: Yes, Tommy's tone is similar to John Christ's tone on How The God's Kill. A vast improvement over COS. Most of the tunings are Eb standard. "black candy" sounds like low e dropped to d flat while the rest of the strings in e flat tuning, "hammer..." is is d flat standard with the low e dropped a full step. And one song is even standard tuning. Yes- plenty of pinched harmonics. Overall- I'm finding that this record will have a longer shelf life than the previous proper studio album.Definetly orthy of picking up!"

AMAZING!

Biz | 07/12/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Deth Red is the best album from Danzig ever. After one listen I knew I was listening to something special. After 3 or 4 listens I was hooked. There is hardly a bad song to be found. The hooks, melody and riffs are dark and catchy. Glen's voice is stronger than it has ever been. And most of all the songs are really solid. This is the best metal release in the last 10 years. Long live Danzig!



Best tracks:

Black Candy, Seasons of Pain, Night Star Hel, Deth Red Sabaoth"