Metal Muscle, 6/15/89   
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Great Expectations: The 90's Generation, DANZIG

   Much of the emerging metal of the 90's seems to have a sense of evil 
about it, and the music of Faith No More and Soundgarden is no exception. 
This facination with the dark side is actually quite traditional and 
although it's been neglected until recently, it seems as much a part of 
heavy metal as distorted guitars. Though bands like The Cult and thrash 
bands like Slayer and Exodus have touched on the supernatural, no one has 
approached the subject with as much of an understanding as Glenn Danzig.
   Danzig's early work with his bands The Misfits and Samhain showed a 
faculty with songwriting that was lacking from most bands on the hardcore 
scene and they cemented his legend in what is proving to be but an early 
stage in his career. Albeit well known by fans of the underground. It was 
Metallica that brought Danzig to a wider audience by wearing t-shirts with 
the names of his bands on them and occasionally covering one of those 
bands' tunes, as with the medley of "Last Caress" and "Green Hell" on 
their Garage Days Re-Revisited EP.
   Though few outside the heavy metal community know his name, Glenn 
Danzig has the potential to be one of the most successful songwriters of 
the 90's. In addition to Metallica, Glenn's own songs have already been 
committed to vinyl by the late Roy Orbison, a man who, like Danzig himself, 
had the kind of voice that sends shivers down your spine. While writing 
for others will increasingly become a part of the Danzig plan, he has 
recently found his own voice with the band which bears his last name. 
Though it was released to little fanfare (a recent Misfits compilation
album seems to be drawing more attention from the masses), the band 
Danzig's debut record was one of the most impressive works to come out 
in 1988. It was chosen as the first release on Rick Rubin's Def American 
label, with a distribution arrangement through the prestigious Geffen 
Records.
   From the initial release of this LP, with tracks as strong as "She 
Rides," "Twist of Cain" and "Am I Demon," it was apparent that Danzig is 
in this for the long haul. Preferring not to lapse into the kind of 
promotion that most new bands eagerly submit to, he has remained 
something of a recluse, most unusual for someone in his position but 
something that fits in perfectly with his enigmatic legend. In part, 
Danzig's reluctance to talk about his music boils down to desire to keep
his personal beliefs to himself, and is in part because he just likes 
playing the usual music business games. Fortunately for Danzig, his 
reputation precedes him, and the music on the DANZIG album doesn't really 
need explanation, its soul-stirring intensity is better felt than analyzed.
   For all of Glenn Danzig's considerable talent, he couldn't do it alone 
and the rest of the band is the great Chuck Biscuits on drums, well known 
for stints with Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, guitarist John Christ and 
bassist Eerie Von.