Danzig
Studio album by
Danzig
ReleasedAugust 30, 1988
RecordedSeptember 1987 – April 1988
StudioAtlantic Recording Studios and Chung King Metal (New York City)
GenreHeavy metal[1][2]
Length40:58
LabelDef American
ProducerRick Rubin
Danzig chronology
Danzig
(1988)		 Danzig II: Lucifuge
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal5/10[3]
Melody Maker(favorable)[4]
Pitchfork8.5/10[2]
Rock Hard7.5/10[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide7/10[7]
Thrasher(favorable)[8]
Trouser Press(mixed)[9]

Danzig is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig, released in August 1988. The album was the first release on producer Rick Rubin's new label Def American Recordings.[10] Def American's successor, American Recordings, reissued the album in the United States and United Kingdom in 1998. It remains the band's best-selling album having been certified gold in the U.S. in 1994,[11] and has since been certified platinum.[12] Danzig promoted the album with a successful world tour in 1988–1989.[13]

Music and recording

Danzig was recorded at Atlantic Recording Studios and Chung King Metal, and mixed at Smoke Tree and Village.[14] These sessions took place between September 1987 and April 1988.[15]

The song "Mother", retitled as "Mother '93" and with live audience overdubs, became a hit on radio and MTV in 1993–94 after a new video-single with live footage was created to mark its inclusion on Thrall-Demonsweatlive.[11][16] The song was also later included on various hard rock and heavy metal music compilations, and featured in the video game series Guitar Hero. It also appeared on the soundtrack to the 2013 film The Hangover Part III.

Glenn Danzig originally wrote the songs "Twist of Cain" and "Possession" for his previous band, Samhain.[17] Lyrically, "Twist of Cain" is inspired by the biblical story of Cain and Abel.[18] Guitarist John Christ described the recording of "Twist of Cain": "We started writing that song even before [drummer] Biscuits joined the band. At first we started recording it in G, then at the last minute we decided that A was better. We kept the drum tracks as they were and re-recorded the guitars, bass and vocals. Not many people know this, but James Hetfield (of Metallica) came down and recorded some backing vocals on that track."[19] Hetfield also recorded backing vocals on "Possession"; however, due to contractual reasons, he could not be credited in the album insert.[20] A backwards piano track is used during the intro to "Possession".

John Christ has described "She Rides" as "Our first sex song...it's such a stripped-down song, just a couple of guitar tracks and almost no bass. "She Rides" probably has the best vocal performance on the album, though. There are also some really weird background noises and moaning sounds on it."[19] Generally the song refers to mythology on Lilith. References to "she rides/from the daylight in chains" reflect traditional methods for binding demons.[21] The song also appears to take inspiration from the poetry of Christopher Brennan, in particular part xiii of the "Lilith" sequence of The Forest of Night: "She is the night: all horror is of her..."[22]

While the album's liner notes expressly state "All songs written by Glenn Danzig", the song "The Hunter" was written by Booker T. & the M.G.'s and Carl Wells. Originally recorded by Albert King, the Danzig version of the song only features slightly modified lyrics.

Artwork and packaging

Original LP, CD, and cassette versions of the album cover had no identifying text whatsoever, only a white skull on a black background. The skull, also used on the Samhain albums Initium and November-Coming-Fire, was taken from the cover of the Marvel comic book The Saga of Crystar, Crystal Warrior (issue 8). It was drawn by artist Michael Golden, who is not credited. The skull on the album cover was drawn by Danzig.

Later pressings of the compact disc added the Danzig band name logo in the lower right. While 1990–1998 pressings of the CD had the Parental Advisory label in the form of a sticker on the cellophane wrap, pressings since 1998 have the label printed on the artwork. Danzig is one of few albums labeled as "explicit" despite the virtual absence of profanity, save for one use of "whore". Glenn Danzig commented on this use of the advisory label: "That's because of its content. We're making people think. You're not allowed to make people think in the United States. You're not allowed to have them question the government or authority."[20]

Reception

  • AllMusic - "Danzig debuts with a record of simple, pounding, bluesy metal featuring lead singer Glenn Danzig's trademark Elvis-meets-Jim Morrison bellow and outlandishly dark, evil lyrics. There isn't a great deal of musical variety or complexity here, but the band powers its way through such signature tunes as 'Twist of Cain,' 'Am I Demon,' and the (future) hit 'Mother' with a primal energy."[1]
  • Thrasher - "Glenn Danzig has built up a new unit that's so damn powerful, so relentlessly brutal, it staggers the senses just to comprehend. The ensemble drives forth with a new force, an ambitious direction and absolutely ferocious power. Glenn's vocals have matured with age; his croons are commanding expressions of the full range of his voice...the music explodes with a vigorous combination of hooks and punches that wallop a tight, clean drive; a forceful nucleus of hard rocking energy. All together Danzig provide a heavy dose of pure entertainment that has awesome momentum and pile-driving fury. Danzig becomes more impressive with every listen."[8]
  • Trouser Press - "Danzig is a crunchy and lusty demonic cross between The Doors, Misfits and Black Sabbath. Roughly half of the album is ominous and mighty, the rest displays the weak underbelly of Rubin's thinly homogeneous production."[9]

In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Danzig as 23rd on their list of 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time'.[23]

Music videos

Music videos were released for the songs "Twist of Cain", "Am I Demon", "Mother" and "She Rides". Upon its release the music video for "Mother" was banned by MTV for containing controversial imagery.[24] All four music videos later appeared on the Danzig home video.[25]

35th anniversary

In May of 2023, Glenn Danzig unveiled a series of live performance dates in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the self-titled debut album. The band will be playing their classic first Danzig album for these concerts.[26]

Track listing

All songs written by Glenn Danzig, except "The Hunter" (Jones/Jackson/Dunn/Cropper/Wells).

No.TitleLength
1."Twist of Cain"4:17
2."Not of This World"3:42
3."She Rides"5:10
4."Soul on Fire"4:36
5."Am I Demon"4:57
6."Mother"3:24
7."Possession"3:56
8."End of Time"4:02
9."The Hunter" (Albert King cover)3:32
10."Evil Thing"3:16
Total length:40:58

Credits

Production

  • Rick Rubin – producer
  • Dave Bianco – engineer
  • Steve Ett – engineer
  • Jim Scott – engineer
  • Howie Weinberg – mastering
  • Barry Diament – CD mastering
  • Mark Weiss – photography

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)
Year Chart Position
1988 Billboard 200 125
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Year Single Chart Position
1993 "Mother" Mainstream Rock Tracks 17
1994 The Billboard Hot 100 43

References

  1. 1 2 3 Huey, Steve. "Danzig - Danzig review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Camp, Zoe (October 31, 2017). "Danzig - Danzig". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  3. ↑ Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  4. ↑ Mercer, Mick (October 22, 1988). "The Dead Zone". Melody Maker. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  5. ↑ Kupfer, Thomas (1988). "Review Album : Danzig - Danzig". Rock Hard (in German). No. 32. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  6. ↑ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 177.
  7. ↑ Weisbard, Eric (1995). "Misfits". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 254–255. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  8. 1 2 "Look At This! :: MisfitsCentral.com". Misfitscentral.com. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Fasolino, Greg; Robbins, Ira. "Danzig". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  10. ↑ Ma, Maria (December 10, 1988). "DANZIG: Def New Music". Concrete Foundations. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  11. 1 2 Chirazi, Steffan (Spring 1994). "Black Gold!". Kerrang!. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
  12. ↑ Farr, Sara (August 2005). "DANZIG Interview". Unrated Magazine. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Danzig Tour Dates". misfitscentral.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  14. ↑ Danzig liner notes
  15. ↑ "Danzig Recording Sessions". misfitscentral.com. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  16. ↑ "On the Same Track". Entertainment Weekly. February 18, 1994. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
  17. ↑ Cipollini, Christian. "Glenn Danzig - Horror Business". Penny Blood. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  18. ↑ Gitter, Mike (October 1987). "Glenn Danzig: Resurrection of a Misfit". RIP magazine. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  19. 1 2 Kitts, Jeff (July 1994). "Prime Cuts: John Christ". Guitar School. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  20. 1 2 Grow, Kory (August 16, 2013). "Glenn Danzig: Democrats are Fascists Disguised as Liberals". City Pages. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  21. ↑ Black Koltuv, Barbara. (1986). The Book of Lilith (p.91).
  22. ↑ "Australian Poetry Library". Poetrylibrary.edu. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Rolling Stone Share Their Choices for 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time'". Theprp.com. June 21, 2017.
  24. ↑ Zogbi, Mariana (Spring 1989). "Danzig on Thin Ice". Metal Mania. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
  25. ↑ "Danzig - Home Video". Danzig-Verotik.com. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
  26. ↑ "Danzig 35 Year Anniversary Live Dates Announced". danzig-verotik.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
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