777: I Luciferi (Evilive/Spitfire~2002)
As a sports fan, Iīve occasionally fallen into the trap of allowing my heart, and not my head, to take over when making predictions, and even wagers. I made a similar mistake in anticipation of the latest Danzig offering. I paid too much attention to talk of a return to Danzigīs older sound, and comparisons with "Danzig II: Lucifuge", which is one of my all-time favorite albums. I wanted to love this album. I wanted it to be my favorite release of the year. I was fully prepared to write the most glowing review imaginable. And then I listened to the album, and my mind could not allow my heart to over rule what my ears heard. Instead of hearing Danzig's long-ago brilliance re-established with one kick-ass song after another, I heard a decent album. Decent. No better, no worse. For someone expecting much better than that, decent just doesnīt cut it. The material is OK, but lacks the impact of past recordings. The musical performances are certainly competent, but this newest version of Danzig lacks the chemistry and magic that made the first couple albums so special. And the voice, oh that great Danzig voice... well, it seems to be gone for good. Itīs recognizable, but sounds hollow and weak compared to the powerful vocals found on "Lucifuge". I wonīt call this a bad album because it isnīt, and it is a step up from the bandīs recent attempts to go industrial, but I still canīt help feeling disappointed.