A Bit Of A Misfit

Throwback metal has certainly become a force to be reckoned with in recent years, but it’s much more enjoyable when it’s coming from someone who was actually there in the ’80s.  While Danzig’s Deth Red Sabaoth, the band’s first entry in 6 years, has its share of problems, it is still a wonderful addition into his long and diverse catalog.

The album opens with a roar as “Hammer Of The Gods” pummels you with warm, fat guitars, punctuated by over-the-top, squealing pinch harmonics, brought to you courtesy of the 1970’s Kustom bass amps that frontman Glenn Danzig purchased specifically to run the guitars through.  Never one to stand idle behind the microphone, Danzig also plays the majority of the bass tracks on the album, hops behind the drum kit for the droning song “Black Candy”, and even picks up an acoustic guitar for the spooky folk-punk of “On A Wicked Night.”

Though the days of Danzig’s wild experimentation seem to be (more or less) over, the blues influence is still there, as evidenced by the black magic lyrics of “Ju Ju Bone.”  The Gregorian chants (cool) come out in the two-part “Pyre Of Souls,” the second of which is mercilessly long (not so cool) before the record comes to a comparably serene close with the stripped-down production and jangling guitar harmonies of “Left Hand Rise Above.”

Glenn Danzig’s unintelligible, moaning croon is further up in the mix than usual, which is sure to be a stumbling block for some listeners, and once again, guitarist Tommy Victor’s penchant for overusing the pinch harmonics becomes quite grating after a few songs.  Those issues aside, however, Deth Red Sabaoth is a perfect Danzig record through and through: heavy riffs, creepy Elvis vocals, and that unmistakable horrific atmosphere.  If you’re already a Danzig fan, this is not a record to miss.