North Carolina State University: CD REVIEW - Glenn Danzig can still slither

9 September 2004
U-Wire
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By Chris Reynolds, Technician (North Carolina State U.)

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Sitting in my room, out the window the rain blows hard against the panes -- the wind howls -- the remnants of Frances. In the dark as the storm picks up speed, a dark, gritty guitar riff begins -- the new Danzig.

Picture a tortured soul dragging chains through hell, picture a seductively sinister Jim Morrison demon filling your being with heavy distorted fear. That's what I feel like as this album plays right now. Co-founder of the outlandish punk rock classics the Misfits in 1977, Danzig has been in the music business since he was 17 -- younger than most of us. The band that bears his name, Danzig, was formed in 1987 and quickly inked a deal with Def American. From the beginning, Danzig (the band) saw Danzig (the man) playing the role of large, dark, evil, menacing Heavy Metal front man -- and that certainly hasn't changed in the almost 20 years since.

"Circle of Snakes" sees an almost return to the gritty 1988 self-titled release's sound; with Tommy Victor's heavier than heavy guitar work laying most of the foundation for the coldly haunting Jim Morrison-esque vocals that belt from Danzig throughout the album. Type-O-like distortion from the stripped down four piece gives a Grunge Metal feel that tastes good going down after the muddled Alt-Metal Industrial sludge that tainted some of the band's contributions to the mid-90s.

Like most Danzig albums to date, "Circle of Snakes" is more quietly sinister and forebodingly seductive than the downright assaultive violent attack of most black metal bands. Highlighted tracks are the dragging quiet harmony of "Wotans Prosession," which seems more of an intro than an actual part of the album, but is a great start for this album opening up for the daunting "Skincarver."

Possibly the best track on the album is the last, "Black Angel, White Angel," which sees Danzig in true form with his spooky melody, while the title track "Circle of Snakes" is found weak and repetitive. The lyrical pothole of the album are lyrics such as "Wanna creepy crawl across your town" from "My Darkness."

If your head still bobs to the Misfits, well, you have to try this album -- for everyone else, if you like bands like Probot, Motorhead, Ministry or Prong this album is worth a shot.

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