|
 |
|
|
 |
Tracklist
Disc: 1
1. Pain Is Like An Animal
2. When Death Had No Name
3. Angel of the Seventh Dawn
4. You Should be Dying
5. Cold, Cold Rain
6. Buick McKane
7. When Death Had No Name
8. Satans Crucifiction
9. The Mandrake's Cry
10. White Devil Rise
11. Come to Silver (Acoustic)
12. Deep
13. Warlok
Disc: 2
1. Lick the Blood Off My Hands
2. Crawl Across Your Killing Floor
3. I Know Your Lie
4. Caught In My Eye
5. Cat People
6. Bound by Blood
7. Who Claims the Soulless
8. Malefical
9. Soul Eater
10. Dying Seraph
11. Lady Lucifera
12. Under Belly of the Beast
13. Unspeakable Shango Mix
|
Comprised of twenty-six previously unreleased tracks that are culled from the entire solo career of the iconic Glenn Danzig, “The Lost Tracks Of Danzig” is good reason for fans to rejoice. Throughout his career as a musician, Danzig has redefined what it means to be a musician with a dark perspective. Often, the singer/songwriter has taken his music in places that other artists fear to tread, opening doors that had previously remained tightly shut and continuing to be an innovator, stretching the boundaries of rock music toward bleak, black cloud-filled horizons. This two-disc set further underlines the frontman’s importance. Whereas many career-spanning compilations such as this one are littered with throwaway tracks for which there was good reason they were never released to begin with, “The Lost Tracks Of Danzig” is filled with strong material that often would have been quite appropriate if included on the original albums.
Disc One is the stronger of the two, having a cohesive feel that is due in part to the solid lineup and blues-based rock direction of the cuts. It’s great to hear tracks such as the brooding “Pain Is Like An Animal” and the swampy “Angel Of The Seventh Dawn” (which bears a resemblance in tone to “777” from the “Danzig II: Lucifuge” album, but is a touch more restrained). For many fans, this period was the most exhilarating period of Danzig’s career as the sinister entity conveyed all of the emotion of blues with the intensity of hard rock. You’ll hear the excellent “When Death Had No Name” played in two different keys on this disc, in addition to strong tracks like “You Should Be Dying” and “Warlok,” which has become an instant personal favorite. In making for a nice second look at “Come To Silver,” the acoustic version found here gives us a better idea of what we could have expected had Johnny Cash been actually been able to record the track. A cover of “Buick McKane” fits in well with the early Danzig formula, a dark twin of the original T-Rex tune bearing a possessed, haunted vibe. “Cold, Cold Rain” gives a nod to Elvis Presley, an evil gospel track that underscores the influence that singers like Presley and Roy Orbison had on the Danzig style.
After the complete dissolution of the original lineup of the group, Danzig turned toward a sound that was in antithesis with the more melodic, bluesy music he’d been crafting for years. Instead, we find a sound that’s cold and emotionless as the dark crooner issues music that’s appropriate for staring deeply into the edge of a colorless, bleak abyss. But the second disc contains more typical Danzig tracks than one might expect, including the lumbering, depressive “Crawl Across Your Killing Floor” and the mid-paced, sprawling “Bound By Blood.” But the emphasis here is on experimentation, with a cover of The Germs’ “Caught In My Eye” grinding and buzzing with a specifically anti-punk vibe. “Dying Seraph” offers an eerie jazz beat with wispy vox that slide across the music with a sinister touch. This track is something of a bastard sister to “Can’t Speak” in its use of smooth sounding tones to create a hollow, chilling feeling. Danzig goes for a lurching, metal tapestry during “Who Claims The Soulless” while a rendition of David Bowie’s “Cat People” is appropriately minimalist before the song breaks into a loose yet heavy stomp.
Over the course of his career, Danzig has continued to find new ways to tap into the energies of the dark side, expanding his sonic palette as an artist and in doing so, bringing a beloved wickedness to legions of rabid wolves, hungry for yet another taste of blood. “The Lost Tracks Of Danzig” offers such sacrificial material by the gallon, providing not only a varied listening experience, but an justly introspective look into the evolution of one of rock music’s most ominously important artists.
Review by: E.F.
Read Member Reviews
|
|
|
