Danzig

Danzig: The Lost Tracks of DanzigThe Lost Tracks of Danzig (2007)
Evilive

Reviewer Rating: 3

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Contributed by: BrandonSideleauBrandonSideleau
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Published on June 12th 2007Ever since Danzig began there have been talks of very strong unreleased tracks in existence and until now the vast majority of those tracks have remained completely unavailable in any form. This much-anticipated two-disc collection features unreleased songs spanning Danzig's entire discography, from.

Ever since Danzig began there have been talks of very strong unreleased tracks in existence and until now the vast majority of those tracks have remained completely unavailable in any form. This much-anticipated two-disc collection features unreleased songs spanning Danzig's entire discography, from Danzig I all the way on up to Circle of Snakes. According to Glenn, none of these tracks were deemed "too weak" for any of the albums, but rather did not fit into the "theme" or sound of the particular album and were therefore shelved. After sitting through this entire album three times I have come to the conclusion that Glenn isn't joking: These are mostly very strong tracks that stand their own ground; however, they aren't all great...but we'll get into that later.

The songs are basically placed in chronological order from the earliest post-Samhain recordings ("Pain Is Like an Animal") to the most recent Circle of Snakes sessions material ("Lady Lucifera"). The set also features three unreleased covers: David Bowie's "Cat People"; T. Rex's "Buick MacKane"; and the much-sought after version of the Germs' "Caught in My Eye."

The first disc features some very strong tracks. "Cold, Cold Rain" is a beautifully melodic ballad featuring Glenn at his crooning best; it's mind-boggling why it took so long for this song to surface. Other strong tracks include the very Samhain-like "Pain Is Like an Animal" and both versions of the 'not quite as rare' "When Death Had No Name" (which, in my opinion, is one of the best Danzig songs ever). On this disc we also get an alternate version of the song "Deep," which was originally featured on the "X-Files" movie soundtrack in 1998 and an acoustic version of "Come to Silver," the song Glenn wrote for Johnny Cash.

Then we have the troubling "White Devil Rise"...I am very confused by this song -- is Glenn a racist? I never thought so, but this song leaves many questions to be asked. Apparently this song was written in response to remarks made by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan towards what Glenn refers to as the "white race." This is where things confuse and trouble me -- I can understand writing a song attacking Farrakhan's attitude and beliefs, but rather than taking an intellectual and insightful approach to the song, Glenn instead retaliates with an equally racist and equally inflammatory statement. Apparently Glenn never heard that two wrongs do not make a right. Is Glenn racist? I doubt it. But in this song he sure sounds like it and I cringe at the thought of neo-Nazis worshipping Danzig over the release of this track; perhaps Glenn should have made a more intelligent song. The song itself is nothing particularly special; it isn't bad but it isn't anything that I would put amongst Danzig's best regardless of its lyrical content.

With the exception of that small bit of ugliness and a few weaker tracks the first disc is well worth the price of admission for Danzig fans and fans of hard music in general.

Thankfully, Disc 2 is even better. The songs are stronger and we get a Germs cover! The opening track "Lick the Blood Off My Hands" and the following "Crawl Across Your Killing Floor" are amazing and rank among Danzig's best; both are slow and creepy blues metal at its best. It's amazing given that these are apparently outtakes from Danzig 6: Satan's Child, with which they sound nothing alike. Glenn gives the Germs' "Caught in My Eye" a total facelift; where the original was a loud and vicious hardcore punk assault this version is a subdued, dark and creepy exercise in industrial metal. Other strong tracks on Disc 2 include the I Luciferi outtake "Bound by Blood" and the Circle of Snakes outtake "Lady Lucifera" (which Glenn claims is one of his favorite Danzig tracks).

Overall, with the exception of a few weak spots and one total disaster, this is a good collection that goes beyond the realm of most B-sides and rarities collections.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (June 23, 2007)

How did this album get reviewed? I thought they haven't sent out promo copies yet.

yeah and it's fucking stupid to be making acusations about the lyrics you don't even know to a song you haven't heard yet. So you dickheads need to just wait till you hear the song before talking shit on the internet.

feeeding5000 (June 14, 2007)

Jesus, dude, it's like, what, three reviews that I've commented in this week? Unless you specifically look for my posts, then why is there a problem? And what's your problem with me, exactly? The third "e"?Admittedly, I have been on a lot lately - there are only so many websites I can go to on days where I have nothing to do, and, as such, spend most of my day on the couch. And, yes, I post a lot on my own reviews. Damn, I have no life.

Anonymous (June 14, 2007)

One of the worst parts of this website is seeing Feeding5000's user name appear in every review's comments section.

Anonymous (June 14, 2007)

is there any sngs about that fat dude fron NK smacking up the Zig?

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

Rumor has it that Glenn Danzig is making a special limited collectors edition of special lampshades.

BrandonSideleau (June 13, 2007)

Actually Glenn claims that Danzig is in fact a family name.

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanzigg........want somethin' to eat?!?

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

"hate music"

come on man... okay the "get over it" part was - let's focus on the record as a whole. but, i see from the myriad posts, that's impossible. seriously
-Janelle

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

Stutthof (Sztutowo) was the first concentration camp built by the Nazi regime outside of Germany. Built on September 2, 1939, it was located in a secluded, wet, and wooded area west of the small town of Stutthof (Sztutowo). The town was located in territory of the Free City of Danzig, 34 km east of the city of Danzig (Gdańsk). It was also the last camp liberated by the Allies, on May 9, 1945. More than 85,000 died in the camp out of as many as 110,000 people deported there.

miff (June 13, 2007)

actually danzig is a polish port

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

Danzig thinks you should all be gassed!

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

How about a little more RAC appreciation people!

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

Glen Danzig is my favorite RAC band. He even beats out Ian Stuart & Kev Turner for me. I don't know what Feeding is talking about but didn't you see the 7" where he parodied the SKREWDRIVER Back With A Bang 12" and replaced the heads with members of Danzig! Hail Danzig! His last name is a Nazi Death Camp. Six Million More!

miff (June 13, 2007)

"I do wonder whether or not he's a right wing nut job."
thats ironic because so is michael graves

feeeding5000 (June 13, 2007)

Wow, I thought Janelle stopped posting here. Way to go, Janelle. Oh, and yeah, music is only as good as it's message - the two are inseperable. If someone has a goofy message about satan, that's okay, but if they have a semi-serious one about racism...not okay.

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

Assumptions of whether he's racist or not (get over it - talk about the actual music content of the record y'all), that song actually kicks major ass.

I'm not sure hate music really should be something you get over (if the song is in fact hateful in a racist fashion). That would be kind of like "okay Skrewdriver were nazi's but did you hear how catchy that chorus was?"

- JD

Anonymous (June 13, 2007)

Assumptions of whether he's racist or not (get over it - talk about the actual music content of the record y'all), that song actually kicks major ass.
-Janelle

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

That's not the problem....the problem is Glenn talking about the "White Brotherhood At His Side" in the song....what the hell is that? That's no less outrageous. Farrakhan is a piece of shit, but Danzig's song writing here isn't exactly inspired. Why not attack Farrakhan AS a racist and an anti-Semite.....rather than be childishly defensive and strike back with your own racism.

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

Danzig wrote "White Devil Rise" after a Louis Farrakhan speech because of how Farrakhan refers to white people all the time. He always claims that white people are always out to kill black people and that the Jews own the Federal Reserve. Maybe it's just me, but Danzig writing a song in response to a man who seems to hate white people and make many anti-semitic remarks, doesnt seem like Danzig should be the one on trail with comments.

Also yeah it doesnt actually come out until July 10th now, but promo copies had already been sent out to media sources before May 29.

My favorite cover on this whole album is of Bowie's "Cat People".

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

Where the hell do u find this CD? Newbury comics says it doesn't come out til July.

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

I don't think Danzig is racist......but I do wonder whether or not he's a right wing nut job.

feeeding5000 (June 12, 2007)

Oh, are you fucking morons going to get into another debate about skinheads? Jesus fucking Christ - let me put this to rest right now: Skinheads started in the '60s as a working class offshoot of the Mods. They had no racist connections, and were likely to listen to Jamaican and American Black music. In the '70s, white supremacist groups like the Nation Front (UK) and American Nazi Party etc. preyed on the fears of working-class youth, as well as the good-natured nationalism that was sort of part of being a Skin. Because of this exploitation of Skinheads by racist groups (which DOES continue to this day), most people assume that all Skins are racist. Many are not, but some are, and some become skinheads because they are racist. Danzig is not a skinhead, and has no relation to the subculture. There you go, assholes.

capitalist_pig (June 12, 2007)

I'm not trying to start anything, but I heard Glenn Danzig is a huge Tom Gabel fan.

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

real skinheads are racsist. see the history books. however i dont support them. glen has always been racsist.

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

"i thought "13" was the song Glenn wrote for Cash

btw it wouldn't suprise me at all if he was a racis"t

Yes, thirteen was written for - and recorded by johnny cash - on the american recordings album. this other song, come to silver, was written for johnny and he LOVED it, but glenn had all these legal suits w/ american so he couldn't give it to him.
-Janelle

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

"So the way I see it... Glenn can write a song about raping mothers and murdering babies and that's ok, but he gets pissed at some stupid remarks that Farrakhan said and writes a song about it and now he's a racist. I don't think he's a racist any more than he is a rapist or murderer."

The difference is that the mother-raping baby-murdering stuff was in good fun, but the stuff about the guy seems to be a bit more serious, more "real". What I'm saying is that Danzig wasn't joking so much as venting.

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

real skinheads are not racist or xenophobic...go look for those black metal nazis and boneheads, and let us skins alone,

eexperiment (June 12, 2007)

I looked up some info on this track and found this:

"White Devil Rise" comes from the same 1994 recording sessions as "Satan's Crucifiction," (for Danzig 4p) completed with famed producer Rick Rubin. Again, it's another song that could piss people off: It tells a tongue-in-cheek tale of an impending race war in response to a Louis Farrakhan speech. Its author isn't particularly worried about public reaction. "I couldn't give two fucks about everybody," Danzig scoffs. "The only thing that offends me is stupidity. Most of the world is pretty stupid.

"I am not offended being called a white devil," he continues. "In fact I like it." He snickers. "I still write and sing whatever the fuck I want, whenever I want, and how I want."

So the way I see it... Glenn can write a song about raping mothers and murdering babies and that's ok, but he gets pissed at some stupid remarks that Farrakhan said and writes a song about it and now he's a racist. I don't think he's a racist any more than he is a rapist or murderer.

JohnGentile (June 12, 2007)

Whoa there, gang.

Before we start labeling this guy a racist or that guy a bigot, let's make sure that we don't use unjustified claims.

I don't know if Danzig is a racist or not (and I really hope he isn't) let's cite examples and links to things supporting either side. Failing to do so is how ugly rumors get started.

Also, remember, even if a song is racist per se, that doesn't neccessarily imply that singe ris racist. Remnember, alot of DK songs are sung from the poitn of view of jerks and bigots to show how misguided they are. Also, this song might be working along the same lines as Minor Threats "Guilty of Being White" in that it states people aren't responsible for their forefather's actions.

So let's be sure to make statements we can justfiy so we don't slander any one.

Great review, by the way.

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

glen has always talked positive on white race and germany nazis past. its fact. why do you think so many skinheads love him?

miff (June 12, 2007)

well we already know he is a homophobe cos when he saw bobby steele in the audince once hed left the band they started throwing things and changed the lyrics of teenagers from mars to bobby steele is a fucking homosexual cunt.

Anonymous (June 12, 2007)

i thought "13" was the song Glenn wrote for Cash

btw it wouldn't suprise me at all if he was a racist