Danzig III: How the Gods Kill
Encyclopedia
Danzig III: How the Gods Kill is the third album by Glenn Danzig
's band Danzig
, and the highest to chart at the time of its release in 1992 on Def American Recordings. It was reissued in 1998 by Def American's successor, American Recordings. The album was a departure from the previous Danzig album and featured more of a doom
/gothic
metal sound.
Blues legend Willie Dixon
had agreed to guest on the track "Heart of the Devil", but died before the recording session was scheduled.
John Christ
noted how a lot of time was spent perfecting the guitar sounds for the album. For the quieter moments on the songs "Anything", "Sistinas" and "How the Gods Kill", Christ used a Strat
guitar previously played by Jeff Beck
.
The basic structure of the song "Sistinas" was written in a break during a drum track recording session. The finished song included keyboards and timpani
, and heavy use of vibrato
effects.
The song "How the Gods Kill" concerns a search for knowledge and an understanding of oneself. The vocal track used in the introduction was retained despite including a slight hissing noise caused by a preamp
. According to John Christ, “Glenn's performance was so good that we decided to leave it. The mood was just right.”
Opening track "Godless" is about feelings of frustration caused by organised religion
.
Eerie Von
considers the album to be Danzig's best, with the band at its peak and able to record most of the basic tracks for each song within a couple of takes.
The tracks "How the Gods Kill" and "Dirty Black Summer" became popular and remain a permanent fixture in the band's set list.
Like Danzig's other three albums with the original lineup, this album was issued a Parental Advisory
sticker, later complete with a "strong language" warning, despite the total absence of profanity.
, in the episode "Scientific Stuff". All music videos from the album are featured on Danzig's Archive de la Morte
DVD.
All songs written by Glenn Danzig
.
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
's band Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
, and the highest to chart at the time of its release in 1992 on Def American Recordings. It was reissued in 1998 by Def American's successor, American Recordings. The album was a departure from the previous Danzig album and featured more of a doom
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
/gothic
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
metal sound.
Music and recording
"Heart of the Devil" was the first song on the album to be performed live by the band, during the European Lucifuge tour in 1991. Later in the same year, it was confirmed that the tracks "Bodies" and "Do You Wear the Mark" had been written for the album.Blues legend Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
had agreed to guest on the track "Heart of the Devil", but died before the recording session was scheduled.
John Christ
John Christ
John Christ, born John Wolfgang Knoll on , is a musician best known as the original guitarist for the metal band Danzig. He has been known for his bluesy metal sound and frequent use of the pinch harmonic...
noted how a lot of time was spent perfecting the guitar sounds for the album. For the quieter moments on the songs "Anything", "Sistinas" and "How the Gods Kill", Christ used a Strat
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
guitar previously played by Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
.
The basic structure of the song "Sistinas" was written in a break during a drum track recording session. The finished song included keyboards and timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, and heavy use of vibrato
Vibrato
Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and...
effects.
The song "How the Gods Kill" concerns a search for knowledge and an understanding of oneself. The vocal track used in the introduction was retained despite including a slight hissing noise caused by a preamp
Preamplifier
A preamplifier is an electronic amplifier that prepares a small electrical signal for further amplification or processing. A preamplifier is often placed close to the sensor to reduce the effects of noise and interference. It is used to boost the signal strength to drive the cable to the main...
. According to John Christ, “Glenn's performance was so good that we decided to leave it. The mood was just right.”
Opening track "Godless" is about feelings of frustration caused by organised religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
.
Eerie Von
Eerie Von
Eerie Von, born Eric Stellman on is a musician best known as the original bassist for the metal band Danzig. Eerie Von's preferred bass is the Fender Jazz.-Early life:...
considers the album to be Danzig's best, with the band at its peak and able to record most of the basic tracks for each song within a couple of takes.
The tracks "How the Gods Kill" and "Dirty Black Summer" became popular and remain a permanent fixture in the band's set list.
Artwork and packaging
The album's cover is a 1976 painting called Meister und Margeritha (Master and Margarita) by famous Swiss artist H.R. Giger. For the album cover, Giger modified the original painting slightly, covering "the Master's" erect penis with a dagger bearing his interpretation of the Danzig skull symbol. Giger's version of the Danzig skull was later used as the cover art for the "Dirty Black Summer" single.Like Danzig's other three albums with the original lineup, this album was issued a Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
sticker, later complete with a "strong language" warning, despite the total absence of profanity.
Reception
- Allmusic - "Danzig's third album continues to expand the band's musical range...arguably the definitive Danzig album."
- Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
- "Danzig the group has evolved, in the course of three albums, into a resourceful, tightly meshed unit...Danzig embodies the best in contemporary hard rock while displaying an originality that transcends genres...Rock is alarmingly short of visionaries these days; Danzig is the genuine article".
- Hit ParaderHit ParaderHit Parader is an American music magazine focusing on the genres of hard rock, pop, and heavy metal.The magazine was originally started as a pop song lyric magazine by Charlton Publications in 1942. Charlton sold off the magazine before the company went under in 1991...
- "Will it be the album that finally brings Danzig commercial success to match their critical acclaim? Probably not - it's just too unrelenting for that...they deserve whatever recognition they get simply for having the guts to play metal the way it was meant to be played."
Music videos
Music videos were released for the songs "How the Gods Kill", "Dirty Black Summer", "Bodies" and "Sistinas". A live performance of the song "Left Hand Black" has also been released. The "How the Gods Kill" music video appeared on Beavis and Butt-headBeavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
, in the episode "Scientific Stuff". All music videos from the album are featured on Danzig's Archive de la Morte
Archive de la Morte
Archive de la Morte is the title of the DVD released in 2004 by Glenn Danzig's band Danzig. The DVD contains 12 videos for the US release and 13 videos for the European release...
DVD.
Track listing
- "Godless" – 6:51
- "Anything" – 4:49
- "Bodies" – 4:25
- "How the Gods Kill" – 5:57
- "Dirty Black Summer" – 5:14
- "Left Hand Black" – 4:30
- "Heart of the Devil" – 4:40
- "Sistinas" – 4:25
- "Do You Wear the Mark" – 4:47
- "When the Dying Calls" – 3:31
All songs written by Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
.
Credits
- Glenn DanzigGlenn DanzigGlenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
- Vocals, Keyboards - Eerie VonEerie VonEerie Von, born Eric Stellman on is a musician best known as the original bassist for the metal band Danzig. Eerie Von's preferred bass is the Fender Jazz.-Early life:...
- Bass - John ChristJohn ChristJohn Christ, born John Wolfgang Knoll on , is a musician best known as the original guitarist for the metal band Danzig. He has been known for his bluesy metal sound and frequent use of the pinch harmonic...
- Guitar - Chuck BiscuitsChuck BiscuitsChuck Biscuits is a Canadian-born drummer, now a U.S. citizen, who is best known as an original member of the heavy metal/hard rock band Danzig. Most recently, he was a member of the punk rock band Social Distortion in the late 1990s...
- Drums
Production
- Producers: Glenn Danzig and Rick RubinRick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
- Executive Producer: Rick Rubin
- Engineers: Nick DiDiaNick DiDiaNick DiDia is an American record producer mostly known for his work with Australian rock group Powderfinger and American pop-rock group Nine Days...
, Craig Brock, Jim Labinski, Randy Wine - Mixing: Jason Corsaro
- Mastering: Howie Weinberg
- Design: Dirk Walter
- Illustrations: H.R. Giger
- Photographer: Peter Darley Miller
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Billboard 200 | 24 |