CMJ #492, 9/30/96
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DANZIG - Blackacidevil

As soon as the first distorted scream came blaring out from the speakers,
I popped the tape out to make sure I was indeed listening to the Danzig.
Could this fuzzy chaos possibly be Danzig?  Sure is!  Glenn and co. have
completely revamped their previously gothic doom-heavy sound to include
industrial rhythms and shuddering techno topped with thick tribal rhythms
and blues-based riffs.  Now, before you get your panties all in a bunch,
let's get a few things straight:  Danzig is not jumping on the industrial
bandwagon - the band does not sound one bit like Nine Inch Nails or
Marilyn Manson - and Danzig's new sound is anything but trendy.  Although
some of Danzig's signature sound shines through on a few tracks, most of
the tunes reveal the band taking on an entirely different musical style.
The first three tracks - "7th House", "Black Acid Devil", "See You All
Were" - are the album's most experimental, their barely audible vocals
buried under a foretress of stinging aggression, gyrating rhythms and
frantic industrial chugs.  This pure aggro-metal-crunch fest of clanging
noise will most definetly shock Danzig fans, but as Blackacidevil
progresses, the grating shockwave of sound gradually tones down a few
notches.  The band's fifth release and debut album for Hollywood Records,
Blackacidevil features Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell on the
scorching "See You All Were", the bluesy "Come To Silver" and the rockin'
rendition of Black Sabbath's "Hand Of Doom".  Also, check out the
haunting, industrial drone of "Hint Of Her Blood", the deep winding swirl
and slithery groove of "Serpentia", the tribal shake of "Power Of
Darkness", and the steady metallic echo of "Deep".  Prong's Tommy Victor
will handle guitar duties on the Danzig tour, which started September 14
and continues through until October 26.